[SP - F14] Moving Forward, Pt.1

[Takao 0]

"Floor fourteen, Stonewall.", Takao muttered from the lowly third floor of Aincrad. An encasement of light illuminated his body, whisking him away from the underpinning floor to the highest available. Not many seemed interested in the floor itself for recreational purposes. The ground was wet and covered in mud, the scent of blood and death burned the air, and the constant overcast skies did little to elude the depressing atmosphere. Luckily for him, however, Takao resided on one of the more pleasant floors. Brief excursions into the nightmarish hellscapes they'd unlocked thus far were a nonissue, perhaps even a nice change of pace, depending on how far one was willing to stretch the definition of nice.

Spoiler

 

Equipped
Inundator // +6 Damage
Hands of Midas // +3 LD
Iron Aegis // +2 Accuracy, +1 Evasion

On Hand
Huntsman's Set // +36 Mitigation, +1 Evasion

Active Buffs
Fiber // +2 LD
Alcoholic // +1 Damage / -2 Evasion
Damage Crystal // +3 Damage

 

Edited March 20, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

Takao was immediately met with the aforementioned influx of senses as the light around him faded, and the landscapes of the fourteenth floor blurred into view. His jade eyes focused on the various movement around him as he surfaced, and noted the unsurprising lack of players. If he were to be honest with himself, he couldn't blame them for staying away. It wasn't a pleasant floor to traverse, nor was it one to visit. Its existence seemed designed as a hindrance and perhaps even a deterrent to players, which piqued Takao's curiousity. Why design a floor so foul if there weren't hidden treasures to be found?

[Takao 0]

The moment his boots hopped from the relatively clean stone platform, they were met with sodden earth. Mud covered everything in sight, a product of the heavily armoured NPC's incessant trudging through the settlement of Stonewall. He grumbled, despite knowing fully well that any kind of debris that clung to his digital clothing would simply fade away and despawn after a certain period of time had past. Before long, the mud would be gone from his clothing, much like how he would be gone from the fourteenth floor if things went his way.

[Takao 0]

His boots immediately sank into the earthen sludge upon leaving the stone teleportation platform, and the brunette immediately set about trudging through the camp. A plethora of stimuli flooded his senses, from the sounds of chatter and shrill banging of hammers against steel ringing in his ears to the faint smells of ash wood and cooking meats. He swiped the air and listened for the familiar chimes of his menu opening, yet the pleasant knelling was drowned out by the ambient noise of the floor. The map was then opened and examined. A large portion was unexplored and rightfully so, given the sheer size. But there was a single straight line from the settlement to the castle revealed, with varying levels of elevation and markings of known monster spawns dotted along the way. "Alrighty... Straight there, then."

[Takao 0]

The surrounding noise of the settlement he'd come to learn was called Stonewall disappeared into obscurity, they were replaced with the wet squelching of his boots trudging through mud. He referenced his map every hundred meters or so, if only to sate the thoughts in the back of his head that suggested he was going the wrong way. Jade eyes remained vigilant, watching for any potential threats to show their face whilst he made the journey toward his destination. "It's always so muddy here but it never even rains." He muttered quietly to himself, eyes idly glancing from one side to the other. "Seems like the designers should think these sorts of things through more thoroughly."

[Takao 0]

"Ugh," Takao groaned, glancing down at the mud covering his boots and clothing. It made walking that much more of a chore on the rather unpleasant portion of Aincrad. Despite not needing any sort of convincing that the hellish floor was a nightmare to navigate, the fact that something as simple as wet dirt would be the thing to slow him down to a snail's pace was frustrating. Perhaps it was an environmental effect, much like what was common on the twelfth floor. Or maybe it was just the personal technical aspect of it and he was manually slowing himself.

[Takao 0]

"Should've guessed I'd come across a few of you around here." Takao muttered as his jade eyes set upon the four skeletal warriors rising from the mud. Sodden earth clung to their bleach-white bones and the ragged remnants of their clothing, as well as their rusted or outright broken weapons and armour. He didn't think about his actions nor did he present the four monsters with an opportunity to strike. He charged using a skill of the same name and cleaved through the four with a few precise strikes, reducing them to pixels.

- -

» ID : [[ 52367 ]]
» BD : [[ C.HIT  (10 + 3(ACC)) ]]
» MD : [[ C.HIT (9) ]]

» LD : [[ 15 (8 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

« Takao »
[[ 177/177 HP ]]
[[ 31/43 Energy ]] «Sharp Nail» used. (-12 Energy | +1 Energy)

« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]

Rewards

4 Materials
2200 Col

Edited March 20, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

Four more warriors of skeletal nature appeared before Takao mere moments after the previous grouping had been culled. Jaded jade eyes didn't bother to blink as the same sword art as before was prepared. It was optimal for his energy levels and for the monsters that spawned at his level to use a lesser sword art in comparison to the higher levels abilities available to his weapon choice. Takao stepped forward and, utilizing a mixture of his own speed and the charge skill, minced the monsters before they had a chance to react.

- -

» ID : [[ 52405 ]]
» BD : [[ C.HIT  (10 + 3(ACC)) ]]
» MD : [[ X (8) ]]

» LD : [[ 11 (4 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

« Takao »
[[ 177/177 HP ]] 
[[ 20/43 Energy ]] «Sharp Nail» used. (-12 Energy | +1 Energy)

« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]

Rewards

4 Materials
2200 Col

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

"Yeesh. You guys just keep coming, don't you?" He grumbled to himself. Another four had appeared where the previous had fallen, replacing them one to one in numbers yet these four seemed lesser in strength. Regardless of such, Takao still attacked with the same ferocity as he had previously. Charge was used to augment damage output, and a carefully selected sword art was used to annihilate their health gauges into nothingness.

- -

» ID : [[ 52407 ]]
» BD : [[ HIT  (4 + 3(ACC)) ]]
» MD : [[ X (9) ]]

» LD : [[ 19 (13 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

« Takao »
[[ 177/177 HP ]] 
[[ 9/43 Energy ]] «Sharp Nail» used. (-12 Energy | +1 Energy)

« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -101HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -101HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -101HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -101HP ]]

Rewards

8 Materials
2000 Col

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

The last of the horde that rose from the sodden earth was a single skeletal warrior, armed in the same rusted equipment and tattered clothing that its previous brethren had fallen in. This monster would be no different. Takao prepared a sword art that he oft practiced in private, but rarely found use for in practicality. It would serve well enough for the single monster, but he was sure his energy reserves would be low afterward. The brunet unleashed the art upon the monster and drained its health with ease, leaving him alone in the barren wastelands of the fourteenth floor yet again.

- -

» ID : [[ 52435 ]]
» BD : [[ C.HIT  (9 + 3(ACC)) ]]
» MD : [[ X (6) ]]

» LD : [[ 14 (7 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

« Takao »
[[ 177/177 HP ]] 
[[ 1/43 Energy ]] «Star Quint Prominence» used. (-9 Energy | +1 Energy)

« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]

Rewards

1 Materials
535 Col

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

Takao grimaced as he wiped a glob of mud from his sword. Several habits from the real world translated over to his digital persona, including his tendency for blade cleanliness. Having some experience in historical martial arts had given him a certain way of caring for his equipment that was likely unnecessary within the limitations of the game, yet they provided him with a sense of fulfillment none the less. "Guess I'll keep looking while I wait." He muttered quietly to himself, caring oh so very little for whomever or whatever might be lurking nearby.

- -

» ID : [[ 52436 ]]
» LD : [[ 19 (12 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

Rewards

1 Material

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

Takao cast his jade gaze skyward and watched the dark grey clouds roll by for some time. No matter how dark they got or how likely a storm seemed, even as lightning illuminated the pastel puffs of condensation, rain never came. It was almost a bit frustrating, but Takao surely wasn't upset that it wasn't storming. Traversing the muddy floor was difficult enough as it was. Adding another element to factor in was entirely unnecessary, in his honest opinion.

- -

» ID : [[ 52437 ]]
» LD : [[ 19 (12 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

Rewards

1 Material

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

The brunet swung his blade up onto his shoulder, letting the bi-coloured flat rest on his coat as his gaze fell landward. He glanced out across the landscape, taking in the vast amounts of nothingness and lack of interesting landmarks and milestones to mark his progress. Breath escaped in a huff, and before much time passed he was setting out again. There was still plenty of the fourteenth floor to be explored and mapped, even if doing so wasn't his original intention.

- -

» ID : [[ 52437 ]]
» LD : [[ 19 (12 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

Takao slowly pushed his hand into the puddle of thick, viscous mud. His search and detect skill had located something beneath the sodden earth and, upon closer inspection and searching, the brunet pulled a chunk of mud covered ore from the ground. He shook the digital dirt from the chunk of unrefined metal and glanced over it for only a few brief seconds before stowing it away within the safety of his inventory. Maybe it'd come in useful someday, or maybe it'd just be thrown onto the ever growing pile.

- -

» ID : [[ 52449 ]]
» LD : [[ 22 (17 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

Rewards

1 Material

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

A deep rumbling beneath his feet brought Takao to a halt. He glanced down and immediately jumped back after seeing the remains of a skeleton slowly reassembling in preparation to ambush him. The brunet was quick to evade such an event from transpiring, and had already prepared his sword art when the four skeleton themed monsters rose from the mud. He was quick to put them down, one swift motion of his blade all the more effort it took.

- -

» ID : [[ 52459 ]]
» BD : [[ C.HIT  (9 + 3(ACC)) ]]
» MD : [[ X (2) ]]

» LD : [[ 14 (7 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

« Takao »
[[ 177/177 HP ]] 
[[ 31/43 Energy ]] «Sharp Nail» used. (-12 Energy | +1 Energy)

« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]

Rewards

4 Materials
2000 Col

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

"More of you guys already..?" Takao said. He grumbled under his breath and shook his head as four more skeletal warriors, dressed in ratty clothing and busted armour, ascended from their shallow muddy graves. The fourteenth floor, despite being the highest available to players of Sword Art Online, didn't offer much in the way of a challenge for Takao. It spoke wonders for the difficulty of the game sans boss raids, if one were to consider the brunet's damage output compared to more specialized weapon skills.

- -

» ID : [[ 52461 ]]
» BD : [[ MISS  (1 + 3(ACC)) ]]
» MD : [[ MISS (1) ]]

» LD : [[ 12 (5 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

« Takao »
[[ 177/177 HP ]] 
[[ 30/43 Energy ]] «Attack» missed. (-2 Energy | +1 Energy)

« Bone Knight »
[[ 100/100 HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 100/100 HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 100/100 HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 100/100 HP ]]

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

"You guys are startin' to become a real pain in my butt, y'know that?" Takao said as he prepared the same sword art which had dominated the skeletons on the floor thus far. His sword began to glow vibrant red, just as the monsters in front of him prepared their own attacks. The five of them struck out at once, with the skeletons taking the initiative first. Three swung and missed, whilst one managed to land a clean chop against his left side. In return, Takao annihilated their numbers, and was the last one standing when the metaphorical dust had settled.

- -

» ID : [[ 52463-6 ]]
» BD : [[ HIT  (3 + 3(ACC)) ]]
» MD : [[ HIT (8) MISS(5) MISS(5) MISS(3) ]]

» LD : [[ 27 (20 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]
» CD : [[ 3 ]]

« Takao »
[[ 147/177 HP ]] [[ 43(RAW) - 12(MIT) = -30HP ]]
[[ 19/43 Energy ]] «Attack» missed. (-2 Energy | +1 Energy)

« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]

 

Rewards

8 Materials
4000 Col

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

"Four more. It's always fours." Takao muttered to himself as another group of skeletons, four in total, began to rise from the mud they'd been buried by-- or rather, the mud they'd spawned beneath. "Every single time. Always four. It's either one or four." His frustration was beginning to build at the repetitiveness of the task at hand. The incessant grinding of Sword Art Online could, as the description might suggest, grind down the nerves and patience of even the most resilient players.

- -

» ID : [[ 52472 ]]
» BD : [[ C.HIT  (10 + 3(ACC)) ]]
» MD : [[ X (3) ]]

» LD : [[ 14 (7 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

« Takao »
[[ 147/177 HP ]]
[[ 8/43 Energy ]] «Attack» missed. (-2 Energy | +1 Energy)

« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]
« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/110 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 2(Critical) * (3*2) - 27(MIT) = -111HP ]]

 

Rewards

4 Materials
2200 Col

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

"And it ends with one. I'm starting to think I'm just caught in a loop for somebody's entertainment." Takao grumbled. He'd been grumbling for quite some time now; perhaps something was grating on his nerves. The monotonous task was too simple to frustrate him. He was perfectly capable of handling whatever the floor would throw at him, if the previous twenty or so monsters were of any indication to the future. Regardless of his confidence, Takao prepared a sword art and swiftly dealt with the monster.

- -

» ID : [[ 52476 ]]
» BD : [[ C.HIT  (9 + 3(ACC)) ]]
» MD : [[ X (6) ]]

» LD : [[ 20 (13 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

« Takao »
[[ 177/177 HP ]] 
[[ 0/43 Energy ]] «Star Quint Prominence» used. (-9 Energy | +1 Energy)

« Bone Knight »
[[ 0/100 HP ]]  [[ 13(DMG) + 4(Charge) + 1(Alcoholic) + 3(Damage Crystal) + 1(Critical) * (3*2) - 25(MIT) = -107HP ]]

Rewards

2 Materials
500 Col

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

Takao swung his blade up and rested it on his shoulder. He aligned the tip with the opening of the scabbard on his back and slid the blade down into the protective housing, adjusting the strap that held the equipment before leaving from the muddy graveyard filled with the disintegrating remains of skeletal themed monsters. "This floor is so... boring." Takao mused, his jade eyes one of the few vibrant sources of colour in the entire floor. He stuck out in the muddy wasteland, which was otherwise filled with muddled down earth tones and grey skies.

- -

» ID : [[ 52480 ]]
» LD : [[ 12 (5 + 2(Fiber) + 3(Hands of Midas) + 2(Search&Detect)) ]]

Meat Haunch consumed. +2LD(1) // +1 Damage/-2 Evasion

Edited March 21, 2016 by Takao