[F4-SP] The blade of the heart (Grandmaster)

[Baldur 0]

Baldur found himself out in the middle of nowhere on floor four. Around him falling snow obscured the scenes of the distant villages and mountains. There were no cursors where he stood, and his footprints quickly faded into the bank of white.

The mist of his phantasmal breath misted from his body at regular intervals. This deep into the fourth floor Baldur wondered if he would be incurring damage due to the climate if it wasn’t for his survivor skill.

His steel blue eyes surveyed the blueish-white landscape as the hem of his own blue and white haori laid around him in a pool on top of the bank. His left hand rested on the handle of his katana. Ever since she had disappeared, Baldur had found himself unable to draw the blade. When he finally did draw it, in the floor fourteen boss room, he had been unable to help anyone.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

The blade had been an extension of his body. He had practiced with one in the real world, as well as his entire time here in Aincrad. He had been dead set since the beginning that he would master this blade, but he found himself gripped with indecision and inaction.

It was time for him to conquer the blade once more.

As he let out a breath, four <<Enraged Dire Wolves>> spawned around him. Baldur focused his steel blues on the first one, and the red crystal appeared above the wolf’s head. Crouching down, Baldur took his <<Charge>> stance as he prepared to activate <<Gen Getsu>>

Baldur’s sword glowed with a sapphire light as he disappeared for a moment as the <<charge>> skill took hold of him. He shot forward and slashed with a crescent moon strike that hit all four of the wolves, shattering them into millions of pieces.

 

---

ID# 56292 BD: 5+3 (hit) MD: 10 LD: 18
<<Gen Getsu>> (8+2)*6=60 (AoE) -12 MIT = 48 DMG

Baldur - 92/92 HP
Enraged Wolf #1 0/47
Enraged Wolf #2 0/47
Enraged Wolf #3 0/47
Enraged Wolf #4 0/47

Gained 1,000 col, 4 mats

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

A window popped up with his 1,000 Col and materials but he ignored it while he sheathed the sword with almost a meditative reverence. His hand shook, but he had done it. He had taken down digital monsters. He shook the blade to the side as if to clear off blood that wasn’t there, then he slowly drew the back of the blade along his hand before slowly sliding it back into the saya. As the blade took only a final push to hear that faint clicking sound as it locked to the saya, Baldur rested his hand on the kashira.

He thought back to when he first got the blade. He got it from her; he got it from Tyger. The blade was at odds with the rest of his gear. It was futuristic, while the rest of his clothing was traditional, though at the time it had been medieval. Each piece of his clothing had reflected an aspect of his life he had left behind IRL.

Click.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

Baldur slowly slid his hand down the tsuka and then as if flinging water from his hands, he threw the memory aside and out into the snow.

His breath created another cloud in front of him. His body gave no real warmth, but it would have been strange had that detail been missing. It would have made the world seem less real… or would it? He had gotten so used to many things while trapped in this floating castle, that it seemed this was the real world and the other was a dream.

Again, Baldur was alone in a field of snow while the moments counted away in meditative silence. The snow here, just as in the real world, muted the sounds of everything around him, yet there it was in the background. Music. He had often wondered, in the real world, what it would be like if life had a sound track. Now he knew, and he missed moments of silence.

[Baldur 0]

Tapping the menu to clear it from his vision, Baldur waited in silence once more. There would be a rhythm to this. It was the heartbeat of Aincrad. Internal calculations that were beyond any of their senses were the little clockwork gears that ran everything in this castle. He watched as slowly his energy ticked ever higher on his bar. He would only take damage from these creatures if he missed, and both him missing as well as them hitting were unlikely. His concentration was supreme at the moment.

He wouldn’t miss. This is what he was meant to do. Often, in the real world, he had felt as if his was the soul of a warrior without a war. The business world was the not the war he was meant to fight, but instead he wielded his blade for perfection and pushed staplers to find meaning.

[Baldur 0]

With a shimmer of light, four more <<Enraged Dire Wolves>> appeared before him, and the battle music of Glacial Cove started to play in the air around him. It was a strange sensation to hear music change like this, but it was another in a long list of things that the denizens of Aincrad had gotten accustomed to.

Once again Baldur crouched down. His legs were in a wide stance and his hand was on the tsuka of the blade, ready to be drawn. He felt the gentle tug of the system pulling at his limbs, but he waited for the right moment. His eyes met the red digital orbs of the monster, and the cursor popped into life above its head as Baldur released his <<charged>> <<Gen Getsu>>. Flying through the air as he draw the sword, the blade cut a blue crescent through the air, extending beyond the tip of his blade to slash through all four of the wolves. There was, somewhere inside of him, a moment of sadness at the canine whelp of pain just before they shattered like a stained glass window.

 

---

ID#56293 BD5+3(hit) MD 1 LD 4
<<Gen Getsu>> (8+2)*6 = 60 – 12 = 48

Baldur - 92/92 HP
Enraged Wolf #1 0/47
Enraged Wolf #2 0/47
Enraged Wolf #3 0/47
Enraged Wolf #4 0/47

Gained 1,000 col, 4 mats

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

Once again, with a practiced motion that bordered on reverence, Baldur repeated the exact same motions, at the exact same speed as she sheathed the blade in a form called noto. There were many ways to sheath the blade, each based on how you drew and used it. This, however, was the basic way you learned in the beginning.

As he did so, his mind wandered. He remembered the pride he finally felt when they had unlocked the katana skill.  Tyger had constantly been by his side. She was the tank, and he the DPS. They had perfected their tag team skills. They knew exactly what they could and couldn’t take. They weren’t just formidable, they were indomitable.

[Baldur 0]

Tyger wasn’t just his partner, however, she was also his crafter, and when he had unlocked the katana skill, she had had a surprise for him. She had a beautiful katana ready for him. He had been touched, and committed at the same time. Moving on to a katana from his curved blade had been a set-back in their damage, but the gear somewhat made up for it. Still, he would have to work twice as hard to catch up to where he had been.

He had treasured that blade for many years, until they had decided to join the front line and she had crafted a masterpiece for him. The blade he now carried.

Click.

The blade he held. Baldur didn’t just hold the handle of the sword, he gripped it with the fervor of a man haunted by his memories. Unable to go back, and unable to move forward.

[Baldur 0]

There was an upbeat in the tempo of the music that gave Baldur pause. Something had changed. Had he crossed a zone boundary without noticing it? Was the system responding to him farming these wolves? Or had he triggered an event, perhaps, and caused something new to be spawned?

Again, his breath misted before him and again, with a chime and a flash of light, four more wolves appeared. They were the same <<Enraged Dire Wolves>> but the music was a queue he had learned to pick  up on. They were not quite in range of him, so he took the moment to breath and judge what was going on around him. Nothing changed. Still the unending landscape of slowly rising and falling snow drifts and the curtain of falling snow blocking out anything more than a few dozen yards.

I should be on my guard. Something doesn't feel right.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

Baldur took a few heavy steps through the snow to get closer to the <<Enraged Dire Wolves>>. He was still well out of the aggro radius, but he needed to be within range to <<charge>> them. It's what gave him the edge he needed to one shot these monsters. Still on edge, Baldur hesitated; his hand was hovering over the tuska, his steel eyes waiting for something to happen. When nothing came, Baldur let out a pent up breath and <<charged>> forward, his crescent moon slash once again shredding the wolves and sending them back into the either with a heart wrenching whine.

 

---

ID#56300 BD:7 LD: 1

<<Gen Getsu>> (8+2)*6 = 60 – 12 = 48

Baldur - 92/92 HP NRG 11/23
Enraged Wolf #1 0/47
Enraged Wolf #2 0/47
Enraged Wolf #3 0/47
Enraged Wolf #4 0/47

Gained 1,000 col, 4 mats

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

Immediately, Baldur saw that the field was beginning to fill with <<Enraged Dire Wolves>> and four spawned on top of the four he just killed. Unfortunately, being as low level as he was, he couldn't keep up the energy requires to deal with them all. Turning, he immediately focused his eyes and targeted one in a small pack at the edge of the field he had been hunting. Without wasting a moment's time, Baldur slipped into the pre-motion of <<charge>> and let the system take him the second it was ready. For the first time, it felt like the old days with the ease with which he slipped into the motion, and the familiar sensation of movement has he flew through the air.

The whine of wolves erupted around him as the crescent of blue light left red mesh gashes through their models, visible only for a second before they exploded into a shower of color.

Baldur whipped his blade into the noto has he looked back onto the field now overflowing with <<Enraged Dire Wolves>>. Just beyond his sight, obscured by falling snow, was a beast three times the size of any other wolf. At least, that's what the silhouette seemed to reveal.

---

ID# 56302 BD:6 LD:16
<<Gen Getsu>> (8+2)*6 = 60 – 12 = 48

Baldur - 92/92 HP NRG 0/23
Enraged Wolf #1 0/47
Enraged Wolf #2 0/47
Enraged Wolf #3 0/47
Enraged Wolf #4 0/47

Gained 1,000 col, 4 mats

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

Baldur stalked slowly through the snow around field now filled with wolves. He wanted to get a better vantage point with which he could see, but the veil of white kept obscuring the distant form he was seeing. Up ahead he saw a small hill that terminated in a cliff face overlooking the field. Slowly he made his way up, keeping low more out of habit than advantage. He didn't have any hiding skills, but crouching low and moving slowly was how one did it IRL, and so he instinctively and unknowingly mimicked it here.

As he crept up to the ledge of the small cliff, he had a slightly better view of what looked like a giant wolf. He focused his eyes on the shape, but it was too far away for him to target still. He cursed softly under his breath and looked around the field. There were 12 more wolves. More than he had the energy to kill, but if he could kite one pack away from the others, then he could probably take them... but that also left the giant wolf at the center.

[Baldur 0]

Baldur slowly climbed over the edge of the cliff. It wasn't a sheer cliff, nor was it far down, but he should be able to slide down the cliff face without taking any damage. Lowering his legs over, Baldur dropped onto the icy slope. He had planned to land on his feet and skate down, but the castle had other plans in mind. As soon as he hit, his feet went out from underneath him and he sat down hard on the cliff before tumbling down the short face.

"Pfffbth" Baldur tried to spit cold snow out of his mouth as he pushed himself up out of the drift. He was now in the middle of all the different packs of wolves wandering the field. Creeping forward slowly, Baldur eventually saw what it was he had come to investigate.

His eyes didn't need to focus on it to see what it was. It was a giant wolf with rune forged chains broken yet dangling about it. Fenrir. He knew it even before the targeter showed up. Had he triggered some kind of event?

He had never heard of anything like this before.

 

[Baldur 0]

Now that he had seen what he was up against, Baldur began to slowly creep around the field towards a position where he could charge one group, and immediately follow up with the second. Then he should be able to break free of the field and regen his energy before engaging the mob known as fenrir. Creeping along towards the first group of wolves in a round-about way to keep clear of any aggro radius Fenrir might have, Baldur began to wonder what kind of foe he was up against. Was it some kind of Field Boss? If he was the first to fight it, that would be exciting.

Keeping his left hand on the blade, Baldur reflected back to the first time he had fought wolves on the first floor. One or two had been fine, but he had quickly been overwhelmed and had had to retreat all the way back to town. He had been very close to death that time, and he had learned patience because of it. One mistake here and you were dead.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

ID# 56364 LD 18

As Baldur was stalking through the snow, he found something curious. Reaching down, he picked up a material. When he looked at it, it appeared to a tier 2 blacksmith material, <<Chain of Odin>>. The link of the chain was larger than Baldur's hand, and made out of some strange blackish material with runes that seemed to constantly change color. Could this be part of the event? Was there a chain of Tyr here as well? What was this piece of mystery for?

Baldur couldn't put the pieces together yet, so he continued on his way, but something was rolling around in the back of his head. This meant something.

+1 Event Mat

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

Baldur smiled as he finally got within range of the first pack. His eyes focused slowly on the closest wolf. Packs like these were perfect because they were AoE-able, and it was something he was going to exploit. Dropping down once more into his familiar crouched position, Baldur activated his <<charge>> ability and flew into the wolves, spinning into his <<Gen Getsu>> sword art, and slashing through all four of the <<Enrage Dire Wolves>>. The red mesh gashes hung there for moment before the wolves exploded into shard of polygons and pixels. He did not pause, however, and prepared to charge into the next group of wolves when suddenly something caught his eye.

More <<Chains of Odin>> appeared in his inventory.

"Strange..."

This definitely meant something.

 

---

ID# 56365 BD: 8+3 (hit)
<<Gen Getsu>> (8+2)*6 = 60 – 12 = 48

Baldur - 92/92 HP NRG 0/23
Enraged Wolf #1 0/47
Enraged Wolf #2 0/47
Enraged Wolf #3 0/47
Enraged Wolf #4 0/47

Gained 1,000 col, 4 mats

Edited April 12, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

Baldur crouched down once more and activated <<charge>>; he had to admit, the sensation was exhilarating, it was the closest to flying he could get. Once more, the crescent cut of <<Gen Getsu>> sliced through the four wolves, but this time instead of skidding to a land in soft snow, he felt the ground give from under him.

Or rather, he felt the lack of ground giving back to him.

What he had missed in the snow bank was apparently the entrance to a hidden tunnel. Tumbling, Baldur fell a dozen feet into an icy tunnel that stretched out before him in the direction of <<Fenrir>>. It took him a moment to get his bearings, sitting up slowly and putting a hand to his dazed head.

"Woah."

He was both in shock at what happened, as well as the beauty of the tunnel. He had seen pictures of similar ones that stretched beneath glaciers. He had always wanted to see one before, and now he was in the virtual world of Aincrad.

---

ID#56415 BD: 6 LD: 6

<<Gen Getsu>> (8+2)*6 = 60 – 12 = 48

Baldur - 92/92 HP NRG 0/23
Enraged Wolf #1 0/47
Enraged Wolf #2 0/47
Enraged Wolf #3 0/47
Enraged Wolf #4 0/47

Gained 1,000 col, 4 mats

Edited April 13, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

Baldur looked around him. The tunnel of ice was an amazing, ethereal color of blue more beautiful than he could have imagined. He slowly walked down the cerulean tube, his hand touching the ice and immediately feeling its bite. It didn't actually hurt, but the cold was such that his brain told him it should anyways. Following the tube down, Baldur came to a split in the path. One direction seemed to lead away from the field of wolves, while the other seemed to lead straight towards where <<Fenrir>> should be.

Baldur decided to take the path towards Fenrir and after walking a short distance, he found something startling: chains in the frozen ice. Coming from somewhere underground were runeforged chains, just like the materials he had found. Kneeling down, Baldur tapped the broken chains and was greeted with a new window.

"Use <<Chains of Odin>> to reforge?"

Baldur tapped yes and saw one of the chains leave his inventory. His body was suddenly grabbed by the system assist, and he reforged the chains of <<Fenrir.>>

-1 mat

Edited April 13, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

Baldur continued down the tunnel, but was shaken to the ground when everything seemed to lurch. Above him, he could see the feet of <<Fenrir>> pressed to the glassy like surface of the ice. It was a strange, distorted view, but the giant wolf seemed agitated since Baldur had repaired one of the chains. Quickly getting to his feet, Baldur suppressed the urge to dust the snow off of himself and ran down the tube. How many more chains were there? He didn't know, but was now more certain than ever that <<Fenrir>> needed to be chained before he could be engaged.

Turning another corner, Baldur found a similar setup to the past. Quickly sliding to a stop beside the broken chains, Baldur went through the motion of reforging the <<chains of Odin>>. Once he was finished he noticed that he was at the end of the tunnel. Taking a deep breath, Baldur made his way to the edge and prepared to climb out.

-1 Mat

Edited April 13, 2016 by Baldur

[Baldur 0]

The tunnel brought Baldur out facing nothing but snow.

"[censored]." Baldur cursed to himself into the white abyss.

"Foolish mortal."

A rumbling voice, as if someone were speaking through clenched teeth, called out to him. Turning slowly, Baldur faced the savage maw of <<Fenrir, harbinger of Ragnarok>>. The wolf was massive, easily as large as a floor boss... some 30 feet high at the shoulders. His jaws seemed to drip with eldrich energy, and a ring of chains ran around his neck, but was severed before it split to two chains which disappeared into the snow. So that was how it worked. He had reforged the chains underground, but they were not linked up to his collar.

"Now die!" The wolf howled and another four of his <<Enraged Dire Wolves>> jumped at Baldur. Deprived of his <<charge>> skill, Baldur was immediately at a disadvantage. Relying on his personal skill with Iai, rather than his SAO skill, Baldur drew the sword quickly and immediately stepped into <<Gen Getsu>> and carved an arc into the air of azure light which parted the heads from the four wolves, leaving them shattered crystals.

---

ID#56429 BD: 10 (hyper crit) LD: 4

<<Gen Getsu>> (8+2)*6 = 60 – 12 = 48

Baldur - 92/92 HP NRG 0/23
Enraged Wolf #1 0/47
Enraged Wolf #2 0/47
Enraged Wolf #3 0/47
Enraged Wolf #4 0/47

Gained 1,000 col, 4 mats

Edited April 13, 2016 by Baldur