In a virtual world, naturally, the sensation of pain would not exist.
To avoid affecting the gaming experience, even in SAO, pain sensations are automatically disabled and not presented to players.
However, when subjected to direct attacks, discomfort still feeds back to the brain.
For example, when hit by a weapon, the struck body part feels numb.
Similarly, when hit by explosive magic, not only does the sound of the blast linger in the mind, but the skin also feels a burning sensation, the shock can disrupt one's sense of balance, and sometimes, the impact even carries over into the real world, causing headaches and dizziness for hours after waking.
Now, as Sigurd took a relentless and powerful attack from Rozen, a sharp and burning numbness spread through his arm, causing him to cry out in discomfort.
But that wasn't the worst punishment.
As an expert in full-dive technology, Rozen knew exactly which sensations would cause the most discomfort to players, making them suffer the most.
And so…
"————"·∨·∏·∫·≮————"
Rozen chanted a spell at astonishing speed, with magical runes flashing one by one around him.
Immediately, a violent gust formed before Rozen, blasting Sigurd like a shockwave.
"BOOM————!"
With a thunderous roar, the storm hit Sigurd head-on.
"Ahhhhhhh...!"
This time, Sigurd finally let out a scream of agony.
It felt like he was struck directly by explosive magic—the most intense discomfort struck him like a heavy hammer to the brain, leaving him spinning as if thrown into a swirling ocean. The force of the wind blew him back, sending him crashing against a wall.
In an instant, Sigurd's HP bar trembled and plunged into the red danger zone, before hitting zero.
"Boom!"
His body was immediately engulfed in fiery winds, burning away completely.
Only a small blue flame, called the "Remain Light," was left floating in place.
This flame signifies the waiting state that follows character death in ALO.
In this state, a player can see and hear their surroundings but cannot move. If a resurrection spell or item is used, the player's HP is restored, and they revive on the spot. Otherwise, after a minute, the player is automatically transported to their race's town and revived, suffering death penalties—losing 30% of their items and skill proficiency.
In other words, Sigurd was dead.
Although this was a formal duel in a designated area, meaning he wouldn't lose items or incur penalties, the fact remained—Sigurd was defeated, without even fully regaining his senses.
"Sigurd!"
"Sig-san!"
The two sylph players who had come with Sigurd turned pale.
The surrounding players also began to shout in disbelief.
"He's dead!"
"Sigurd is dead!"
"He was killed!"
The crowd of sylphs erupted into commotion.
No one could have imagined that Sigurd—famous among the sylphs, second place in the combat tournament, and the assistant to the sylph lord—would be defeated in his own territory, in town, by an unknown player.
But this is a defining feature of ALO: the possibility brought by skill-based gameplay. As long as one's skills are good enough, anyone can make a name for themselves at any moment. Unlike level-based games, where one must invest time to grind levels, here, even newcomers can shine through sheer ability.
So, although the sylphs were shocked and surprised, they were also thrilled.
Even Leafa, watching Rozen sheath his sword, exhaled in relief.
Though she had seen Rozen's strength before and knew he wouldn't lose to Sigurd, Leafa had still felt nervous when Rozen stepped up for her and engaged in the duel.
Now, she could finally relax.
As for Sigurd, Leafa had stopped caring long ago.
The moment she decided to part ways with him, she no longer wished to interact with him. Especially after what he had said to her—and worse, after he angrily attacked Rozen. From every perspective, Leafa had no reason to worry about him.
Seeing that the duel was over, Leafa stepped forward.
"Can we leave now?"
Leafa looked at Sigurd's two companions.
Their faces turned ashen, and they couldn't utter a word.
What could they say?
Nothing, really.
Because if they said the wrong thing, they might be the next ones lying dead on the ground with zero HP.
"Let's go."
Leafa grabbed Rozen's hand and whispered before leading him away.
Rozen didn't resist, allowing Leafa to pull him along. As they left, he glanced at the "Remain Light" left in Sigurd's place, his expression indifferent as he stepped into the elevator.
Together, Rozen and Leafa boarded the lift and left the scene.
Meanwhile, Sigurd's two companions were frantically calling for anyone who knew resurrection magic to bring Sigurd back.
"Cough, cough...!"
Once revived, Sigurd returned to his humanoid form, with his HP fully restored. However, he swayed unsteadily and collapsed to his knees, overwhelmed by dizziness and nausea.
Clearly, Rozen's assault had left a lingering effect that Sigurd hadn't fully recovered from.
But at least his consciousness was back.
"Damn it...! Damn it...!"
Sigurd knelt on the ground, drooling, his expression twisted with rage and hatred.
"How dare they do this to me...!?"
His heart was filled with anger and hatred—and an unmistakable trace of fear.
Because in the final moments of the duel, Sigurd had genuinely felt as if he was going to die.
And it wasn't just the weightless death typical of a game—it felt like a real, true death.
Sigurd couldn't help but recall the look in Rozen's eyes during that moment.
It was an expression colder, sharper, and more merciless than anything Sigurd had ever seen.
Under that gaze, it felt as if an invisible force was crushing his heart.
His scream wasn't just from the discomfort of the attack—it was from the genuine fear of dying. At that moment, Sigurd truly believed his life was ending.
This unprecedented experience filled his heart with terror.
It was easy to imagine that Sigurd had been utterly broken by the encounter.
This is how most gamers act—they flaunt their power in a virtual world, believing that no matter what they do, nothing will affect their real lives.
In these games, death has no consequence, so many players are willing to act recklessly.
However, the moment they feel genuinely threatened, they cower and crumble—nothing more than paper tigers.
This is the root of online toxicity.
Given this, no matter how angry and hateful Sigurd was, it was unlikely he would confront Rozen directly again.
Of course, if not directly...
"Just you wait... Just wait..."
Sigurd whispered in hatred.
"I'll make sure you regret this..."
No one heard his words.
However, Sigurd's disgrace quickly spread throughout the sylph race, becoming widely known.
For someone as arrogant and self-absorbed as Sigurd, the real punishment had only just begun.
From now on, his reputation would serve as Rozen's stepping stone. He would become nothing more than a disgraced figure, mocked and ridiculed, forever unable to redeem himself.