[SP-F1] <<Earning A Living>> Breaking Bad [COMPLETE]

[Lycan 0]

Lycan heard from his Broker contact, Axios, that professions existed in this game. Per his information, professions were an outlet to earn both Col and rare items. Lycan remembered the young beast tamer named Ariel. Were it not for her, Lycan would still be running around in the basic robes. Lycan swore that he would pay her back. What better way than to provide goods of his own?

Lycan typed a reply message to Axios asking where to search for the profession quest.

Axios replied, "Check out Alchemy in the North district. Everyone needs quaffable items. You can't go wrong with alchemy. The contact you need to look for is Galli of the Flask."

"Galli of the Flask," Lycan murmured.

He swiped his menu open and selected the icon for the world map. On it, blinked a marker provided my Axios's PM.

"Looks like I'm going to be an alchemist," Lycan said aloud as a flowing river of players passed on his left and right in Starting City's marketplace.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

Lycan studied the map for a while, trying to memorize the best possible path through the citiy's maze-like streets. After feeling confident, Lycan closed the menu and began his way at a brisk pace. He moved quickly through the crowd, past numerous stands, and even ducking through an alley or two. If his memory served right, he would be approaching the marker any minute.

Just then, Lycan emerged from the shadows of two tall buildings into a spacious opening. Unlike the marketplace or town square, this small niche remained quiet and sparse. Several tall buildings framed the mall alcove with half of the semicircle clearing made from the towering city wall. Right at the base of that wall stood a single merchant stand. An array of potions and crystals lay scattered about the platform.

Lycan narrowed his vision to activate Cardinal's analytic interface and above the merchant's head read the name, Galli of the Flask.

"Bingo," Lycan grinned.

[Lycan 0]

The white haired boy walked up to Galli's stand.

"Good morning, lad," the NPC greeted with a bow. "What may I do for you?"

"I'm looking for a quest," Lycan replied. Gallie raised a brow.

"A quest? I'm afraid you'll find nothing of the sort here, just potions and crystals for your everyday needs."

Now, Lycan raised a brow.

"Axios said the NPC was Galli, what the hell?"

"Uh... do you have a questing potion?" Lycan tried, oblivious to how to initiate the start of this adventure.

[Lycan 0]

"I'm afraid I do not," Galli, now sounding frustrated, lowered his tone. "If you are not here to buy or barter, get out!"

Lycan took a step back, his brain trying to rack what the proper response would be.

"Do I need to role play this out? Like, do I need to ask him if he needs help or something? Do I need to ask for a recipe...?"

"Uh... Sorry! Sorry!" Lycan stammered. "Can I see your wares?"

The boys twisted his face in confusion, completely going off the fly on this one. Galli still wore anger on his face.

"Everything you see here is for sale."

[Lycan 0]

Lycan glanced down at the wares on his stand. Compared to the player run shops in the marketplace, the options were sparse. In fact, there was one potion that read:

Name: Potion of Nothing
Maker: Galli of the Flask
Store: Galli's Stand
Description: An empty flask filled with the purest
nothingness one can find.
Price: 10,000col

"Ten thousand col?!" Lycan exclaimed. "The hell?!"

"If you don't like my wares, you can leave!" Galli barked back with a slam of his fist on the cart. Doing so elicited a small whimper.

"What was that?" the teen remarked.

"Nothing! Go!" Galli shouted and the whimper turned into a soft sobbing.

"Seriously though," Lycan continued as he peered to the base of the stand. "What is that?"

"Daddy...?" the sobbing voice called out as something tugged at Galli's robes.

[Lycan 0]

"Not now, Leccah!" Galli muttered, trying to kick his leg free. The sobbing continued.

"Is that a kid?" Lycan, now concerned, tried to go around the cart to find out for himself.

"No! You can't come on this side!" Galli warned, spreading his arms wide to keep him from getting on the other side.

It didn't matter, because under the crook of the NPC's arm, Lycan saw a small girl with cherry blossom hair tucked into the nook of the stand. Her face was dirty, rags coiled around her for warmth, and eyes glistening with sadness. Then, Galli shoved Lycan away and sent the boy staggering.

"There's a girl under there!" Lycan shouted, catching his balance. Then, the puzzle pieces started to fall into place.

"That's none of your business!" Galli cried out.

 

[Lycan 0]

"So that's why your prices are so high..." Lycan mumbled. He nodded his head as he figured it out. "What can I do to help?"

Galli's anger softened, but only briefly.

"Daddy, I'm hungry..." Leccah cried out, tugging again at his robes.

The NPC's rage completely diffused. He let out a sigh and turned to the girl under the stand. Carefully, he plucked her from her impromptu nest and cradled her in his arms, cooing her with reassurance too soft for Lycan to hear.

"You can't help us," Galli commented. Lycan approached the stand again.

"Come on, man. You barely have anything to sell, let me help. I have some Col if that'll help?"

Lycan opened a trade window, thinking that was the best way to donate the money, but when he typed in a few variations of Galli's name, nothing came up.

"Weird..." Lycan mumbled.

[Lycan 0]

"I appreciate the offer," Galli commented, "but I cannot accept your charity. I got myself into this mess, I can get us out."

Lycan looked up, closing his windows.

"Listen, man, that's fine if you want to man up and own whatever happened, but you can't do that to the girl."

"The girl...? Wait, isn't she also an NPC? What the heck am I talking about?"

Galli paused for a moment, then looked at his daughter. By now, his rocking has soothed her back into a slumber. Her small thumb nested in her lips and shut eyes still moist with tears. The NPC father looked back to Lycan.

"I used to be a famous alchemist," Galli began, "I had the best shop in the city, but I wanted more... I dabbled in some forbidden concoctions to try and make some more money, but they found out. They had me arrested, took my shop, took my savings, my wife left us both for someone more wealthy... I have nothing. I can't even afford the ingredients for a basic health potion."

"Wait... is this...?" 

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

<<Making A Living: Alchemy>>
Quest Giver: Galli of the Flask
Time Limit: None
Details: Help Galli and his daughter. Bring him (1) basic herb & (1) water flask.
Rewards: <<Profession: Alchemy>>
(1) Crafting Material

The window popped up in front of the novice player with a blue accept icon and red rejection icon. Quickly, he mashed the accept button and the window dissipated. Behind it, Galli cradled his daughter under the stand and let her rest back into the makeshift nest of rags and cloth.

"Hey, how about I go get you some ingredients?" Lycan remarked.

"Wait, I have the quest, why am I still going on with this?"

"You'd do that?" Galli asked. Lycan nodded.

"I have a weapon and armor, it should be easy for me to hunt out there. It'd be too dangerous for you."

"He's an NPC, what am I talking about?"

Galli's expression brightened up. For a bearded man in the mid of his life, the sight hit Lycan right in the feels.

"Thank you! With the ingredients, I can start making potions again! If you do that for me, I'll teach you a thing or two about alchemy," Galli thanked.

"You got it," Lycan replied before he turned about and began walking in the opposite direction.
 

[Lycan 0]

As Lycan walked away, he pulled his system menu back up and selected the Quest tab. The two quests from the flower girl and the alchemist appeared. Lycan checked both of them and found they existed in the same general area off to the east gate. With a rub of his chin, Lycan hit the close button and continued his stroll toward the gate.

"That was weird..." Lycan mumbled to himself. "Never seen a game so interactive... For a moment there, I thought they were actually people."

The teen looked up to the sky for a moment. Clouds wistfully breezed by with the bright sun shining down on them. Small avian creatures soared about with larger ones circling in the distance. The boy returned his gaze to the street as to avoid bumping into the comers and goers who shared it with him.

"It just feels so real..." Lycan thought to himself, "I know there's just another floor above us, but there's a whole sky, and weather.... Is it like that on each floor?"

Before long, the boy had journeyed his way to the east gate. At his feet glowed the marker indicating the border of the safezone. He hadn't been outside it's limits for some time, and the few times he had, death knocked on his door. He still remembered the player he saw killed at this very spot the first day he logged in.

"No time like the present," he assured himself.

Then, he crossed over into the field. This time, drawing his sword from his back to be prepared for any sudden re-spawns or stray aggro.

[Lycan 0]

Spoiler

Rollbot Engaged:

 ID# 49239: -- BD: 6 -- CD: 2 -- LD: 10 -- MD: 6 --

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +0 -- EN: +0

---

Combat Phase:
Wild Boar: 6/6 HP -- DMG: 3 -- MIT: 1
Basic Attack: ((6-2EVA)) Miss!

Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3 -- HATE: 1 --
Basic Attack: ((6)) HIT! - ((2-1MIT)) 1 DMG

---

Results:
Wild Boar: 5/6 HP (Attacking Lycan)
Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3 -- HATE: 1 --

As Lycan continued toward the east fields, a nearby spiral of light formed. Familiar with this re-spawn animation, he readied his blade. As the light gathered, a shape began to take form. It culminated into a short, stocky creature and burst into existence. The wild boar proceeded to chew on the grass as though it had been grazing this whole time.

Lycan lowered his blade, assuming he was outside of aggro or the beast hadn't seen him. This simple movement caught the boar's attention. It's black, beady eyes lit up red. Then, with a squeal and a stomp, the boar began charging.

"Sunnofa--!" Lycan tried to sidestep out of the way, his Blood Wolve's Cloak lagging ever so slightly in his wake. Luckily, the young swordsman skirted (literally) the damage by a hair. When his feet firmly planted from the dodge, Lycan twisted his wrist to set the blade low. As he began to set it into motion, a faint hum and soft luminosity possessed his blade. As though his body became pulled by strings, Lycan's arm shot across in a sharp diagonal arc and snapped to a rest at a high point. Motes of energy danced off his singing blade.

The boar reeled back with a howl and shook its head, a red laceration across the side of its head.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

Spoiler

Rollbot Engaged!

 ID# 49257: -- BD: 2 -- CD: 1 -- LD: 1 -- MD: 6 --

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +0 -- EN: +1
((12/12 HP -- EN: 3/3))

---

Combat Phase:
Wild Boar: 5/6 HP -- DMG: 3 -- MIT: 1
Basic Attack: ((6-2EVA)) MISS!

Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3 -- HATE: 1 --
Basic Attack: ((2)) MISS!

---

Results:
Wild Boar: 5/6 HP (Attacking Lycan)
Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3 -- HATE: 1 --

"Holy!!" he remarked, the power of the swing still hot on his arms. Compared to his kendo training, nothing felt quite like that. In the midst of his admiration, the boar charged again. This time, the swine stomped wildly his way, full of hatred.

Lycan clenched his teeth and lowered his brow. He fell into a low, one arm stance and prepared for the attack. This time, he timed it properly, sidestepping with far more grace and finesse. Before his foot landed, he brought his sword arm high and across. The system didn't aid this movement, and his assumption that it would, threw off the timing ingrained in him from his real world swordplay.

A double miss.

Lycan staggered to a new stance, sword across his chest and held out with his freehand at the ready behind the edge. The swine halted its charge and turned a pair of red eyes toward the youth.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

Spoiler

Rollbot Engaged!

 ID# 49259: -- BD:8 -- CD:7 -- LD:4 -- MD: 2 --

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +0 -- EN: +1
((12/12 HP -- EN: 3/3))

---

Combat Phase:
Wild Boar: 5/6 HP -- DMG: 3 -- MIT: 1
Basic Attack: ((2-2EVA)) MISS!

Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 2 --
[LV1-OHSSSA] Snake Bite: ((8)) HIT! -- (([2*2*1]-1MIT)) 3 DAMAGE!

---

Results:
Wild Boar: 2/6 HP (Attacking Lycan)
Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 2 --

"Damn," Lycan swore at his own incompetence.

Again, the boar charged, squealing and howling with all its might. The attacks became familiar and predictable to the boy. Again, he dodged to the left as if fighting a bull. This time, as the beast passed, Lycan adopted the familiar stance of a swordsman. Again, the hum filled the air. Luminosity gathered on the polished edge of his blade.

"Ai!" Lycan shouted in the same manner he remembered.

Pulled faster than he's ever moved before, the blade cut into the boars hide diagonally. Lycan tensed his arm, remembering the tatami mats back home. His foot planted firmly in front of him and core tightened. The blade grew brighter.

"Ken!" the youth chanted as his sword lashed out a second time.

The blade halted in the air, motes of energy hissing from it's tip. Lycan grinned.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

 

Spoiler

 

Rollbot Engaged!

ID# 49260: -- BD: 5 -- CD: 11 -- LD: 12 -- MD: 1 --

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +0 -- EN: +1
((12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3))

---

Combat Phase:
Wild Boar: 2/6 HP -- DMG: 3 -- MIT: 1
Basic Attack: ((1-2EVA)) CRITICAL MISS!

Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 2 --
Basic Attack: ((5)) MISS!

---

Results:
Wild Boar: 2/6 HP (Attacking Lycan)
Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 2 --

 

Again came the animal's attack, again Lycan prepared. He raised his blade to bear down on the beast's head for a finishing blow. As the boar charged, Lycan dropped the edge. Sensing danger, the animal skirted to the side. Lycan's sword dug into the grass and the boar ran wide for a second pass.

Lycan braced his boot against the flat of the blade, and loosed it from the ground. His face twisted in dissatisfaction.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

 

Spoiler

 

Rollbot Engaged!

 ID# 49261: -- BD: 4 -- CD: 6 -- LD: 18 -- MD: 5 -- 

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +0 -- EN: +1
((12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3))

---

Combat Phase:
Wild Boar: 2/6 HP -- DMG: 3 -- MIT: 1
Basic Attack: ((5-2EVA)) MISS!

Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 2 --
Basic Attack: ((4)) MISS!

---

Results:
Wild Boar: 2/6 HP (Attacking Lycan)
Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 2 --

 

With a snarl on his face. Lycan took the fight to the boar. This time, the boy charged, blade held to the side. As he neared the animal, he stepped firm and began to swing. The system read his motions as an art and swung diagonally, over the boar.

"Damn!" Lycan remarked as the beast opened its tusked maw.

Before it could close down on his leg, Lycan rappelled backward and avoided the damage. The boar trampled the grass at its feet in anger.

 

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

 

Spoiler

 

Rollbot Engaged!

 ID# 49262 results: -- BD: 8 -- CD: 12 -- LD: 18 -- MD: 7 --

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +0 -- EN: +1
((12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3))

---

Combat Phase:
Wild Boar: 2/6 HP -- DMG: 3 -- MIT: 1
Basic Attack: ((7-2EVA)) MISS!

Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 3 --
Basic Attack: ((8)) HIT! -- ((2-1MIT)) 1 DAMAGE!

---

Results:
Wild Boar: 1/6 HP (Attacking Lycan)
Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 3 --

 

"Come on! Just die already!" Lycan roared, again taking the fight to the boar. This time, his mark began to burn.

Lycan bolted to the boar's side, startling the swine. A fire of rage in his own eyes, Lycan dipped his blade low and back up, catching the beast into the gut and sending it rolling away. The boar tumbled in the grass and came to a stop... still alive.

Lycan let a few words slip his lips that would have made his mother cringe and readied his sword.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

 

Spoiler

 

Rollbot Engaged!

 ID# 49266: -- BD: 8 -- CD: 1 -- LD: 1 -- MD: 8 --

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +0 -- EN: +1
((12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3))

---

Combat Phase:
Wild Boar: 1/6 HP -- DMG: 3 -- MIT: 1
Basic Attack: ((8-2EVA)) HIT! ((3-9MIT)) 1 DAMAGE!

Lycan: 11/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 4 --
Basic Attack: ((8)) HIT! -- ((2-1MIT)) 1 DAMAGE!

---

Results:
Wild Boar: 0/6 HP (DEAD)
Lycan: 11/12 HP -- EN: 1/3 -- HATE: 4 --

Loot: ((LD: 1))
+1 Material

 

The wild beast charged, head lowered for a strong blow. Lycan tired of dodging, the boar was almost dead. Instead, he braced his feet and reversed his grip with both hands on the hilt. Lycan was going to skewer the bastard if it meant taking the hit.

The boar roared, Lycan raised his sword high.

Tusks slammed into the teen's stomach and with all the force he could manage, Lycan brought the blade down. It hit flesh and kept sliding deeper until it yielded into the grass below. The youth stared insistently into his foe's eyes and the red hue faded from them. Ripples of fragmenting data spanned across the animal's bluish black fur.

"That's for Alastar..." Lycan hissed, remembering the player who fell to the boars just outside city limits.

Then, the monster exploded into a spray of glimmering digital fragments leaving just the boy, his blade, and a small wrapped item on the ground.
 

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

Spoiler

Rollbot Engaged!

 ID# 49267: -- BD: 3 -- CD: 5 -- LD: 15 -- MD: 1 --

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +3 -- EN: +1
((12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3))

---

Mat Search: SUCCESS!!!

+1 Material

 

Panting, blade still stuck in the grass and stomach sore, Lycan let out a deep sigh.

"Get rekt," he mouthed with a grin.

The boy pried his blade from the grass when his amber gaze fell on the odd package on the floor.

"Odd..." Lycan muttered as he plucked the item from the ground. Immediately, a small info window appeared over his grip.

Material Item
Name: Cut of Pork
Rarity: Common
Description: A shank of boar meat carved from the rear leg.

Lycan grinned, knowing exactly what he was going to do with that thing. He hit accept and the item dashed to the wind into his inventory. Confident with his recent solo victory, the boy hustled to the eastern flower fields.

When he arrived, Lycan double checked his quest screen.

"Herbs, huh?" he mumbled. "The hell do those look like?"

With a shrug and dismissal of his interface, Lycan dropped to his knees. He checked to make sure the coast was clear before sifting through the grass, wild flowers, and miscellaneous vegetation. 

"Maybe this?" he asked as he plucked a broad leafed plant from the earth. Another window appeared over his hand.

Material Item
Name: Herb
Rarity: Common
Description: A common herb either used in cooking
or rendered down into a salve.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

"Nailed it!" Lycan exclaimed with a smile. "I'm having a fantastic day!"

With a quick press of the accept button, the herb transferred to his inventory in the usual flashy manner.

"Y'know..." he mumbled to himself. "Maybe I should check and see if I can score some more of those things. If he's going to open up Alchemy, I might need a few mats to get started..."
 

Spoiler

ROLLBOT ENGAGED!!!

ID# 49286: --BD: 6 -- CD: 12 -- LD: 15 -- MD: 4 --

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +3 -- EN: +1
((12/12 HP -- EN: 3/3))

---

Mat Search: SUCCESS!!!

+1 Material

Lycan sifted through the flora once again. Occasionally, he popped up to check for monsters, all of them luckily far out of reach. As he returned his eyes to the ground, he caught a glimpse of a similar plant. Quickly he plucked it.

Material Item
Name: Herb
Rarity: Common
Description: A common herb either used in cooking
or rendered down into a salve.

"Aw yiss," he exclaimed as he hit accept. A huge grin plastered his features.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan

[Lycan 0]

"Let's keep on truckin' until I hit a wall," the boy muttered to himself. Outwardly, he would clearly look like a crazy person. In actuality, well... yeah, he may have a few screws loose. Loose screws give character though, am I right?
 

Spoiler

Rollbot Engaged:

 ID# 49287: -- BD: 7 -- CD: 10 -- LD: 2 -- MD: 10 --

Regen Phase:
Lycan: HP: +0 -- EN: +0

---

Combat Phase:
Wild Boar: 6/6 HP -- DMG: 3 -- MIT: 1
Basic Attack: ((10-2EVA)) CRITICAL HIT! -- ((3+2-9MIT)) 1 DAMAGE!

Lycan: 12/12 HP -- EN: 2/3 -- HATE: 1 --
Basic Attack: ((7)) HIT! - ((2-1MIT)) 1 DAMAGE!

---

Results:
Wild Boar: 5/6 HP (Attacking Lycan)
Lycan: 11/12 HP -- EN: 2/3 -- HATE: 1 --

 

Lycan searched for a while, before he found another similar plant. This time, when he plucked it, the plant shattered into data fragments.

"Sunnufa..." Lycan began to swear before his vision focused through the sparkling fragments at the board charging headlong his way.

"This gunna hu--"

The beast rammed its head right against Lycan's face sending him rolling through the flower fields in a spray of pedals. He kicked out an arm and a leg to catch himself into a skid. On his burning forehead leaked a red glow and exposed avatar frame.

"You deserved that one," he mumbled to himself. "But you deserve this one!"

Lycan broke into a sprint from his crouched stance, this time leading with his blade's pommel. The boar made a squeal at his approach to which the teen cut short with a dull thud against the beast's noggin. Now the two bore similar red marks on their heads. 

Edited February 25, 2016 by Lycan