[SP-F1] Starting Without a Bang [Completed!]

[Shirien 0]

On this day Shirien was spending some idle time in Horunka Village, staring at the ceiling of the tavern room he was renting while day dreaming about how his favorite series were progressing. He had made assumptions based on the genre and format, but maybe they had pulled some kind of twist? In either scenario he'd have a huge backlog when he got out of this game. He would occasionally stroll out to the noisy capital of the floor to check the news, and he felt he would be waiting for some time until the final floor got cleared. He couldn't help but let out a sigh as the sun shone through his window, finally reaching his face and making him groan in slight annoyance. Reaching down to his side he idly drew his knife from its holster and held it up, placing it between the virtual star and his eyes so the shadow would return things to bearable. As he used his weapon for something beyond its purpose, he found himself glancing to it with a sigh. It may as well have been a butterknife in his hands, it was so rusted and worn down it could scarcely be called a knife in his opinion. Well, he considered it rusted and worn, when in truth that was the weapon's natural form. No blacksmith or repair technique would make it any less a hunk of junk meant to tide newbies over until they got a real weapon to use. He let out another annoyed sign as he reached a conclusion he had already stumbled onto long ago. "Well, at least I'm alive." He mutters to the dagger absently with his eyes half closed.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Shirien

[Shirien 0]

An hour later a grumble in his virtual body caught his attention. The ones and zeroes were telling him he was supposed to consume food, a sigh going past his lips as he stretches himself out. "Man... Either this thing isn't synced to my body, or the hospital staff is underfeeding me... I should not be this hungry every day." He grumbles as he pushes himself up and onto his legs, glancing down at himself to ensure he wasn't forgetting to wear clothes or something foolish like that. He thought it was good to be safe rather than sorry in any case. After confirming he had all his gear and his dagger had been put back into its holster he headed to the door of his room. Stepping through and eventually out of the tavern entirely he squinted his eyes at the bright light of day while pulling his hood up and over his head. He smiled to himself as the shade blocked out the blinding light and he could go about his business in peace. Idly he walked towards a bakery in town he knew that had cheap prices. Living off a diet of bread wasn't so bad once you got used to it. He did miss steak but that would burn a hole in his wallet he couldn't afford. As it stood he simply wandered out into the wilderness to gather herbs to sell and berries to eat when he felt his col dropping below acceptable levels. His dagger hadn't really be used for much else, more an accessory to show he did have a weapon that they couldn't fully see than one to fight with.

[Shirien 0]

After having gotten himself lost in thought he realized he had passed the bakery, a flush slightly crossing his face as he reached up to grab the front of his hood, tugging it down a bit to better hide his face as he kept walking forward. Nobody may know of the dark truth. Desperate to have an alibi and not just immediately turn around and show the world he had messed up he started to glance around at his surroundings. Swiftly he noticed some straw training dummies with health bars. A smile crossed his lips and he angled his path towards one of the dummies. "Well, at least I'll get some practice in..." He mutters while fully aware he had yet to gain single point of XP. Hell, he had no idea how to use his knife. As he drew it he found himself trying for figure out what the proper way to wield it was. For now he held it tightly in his hand like someone about to chop a hardboiled egg in half. He couldn't even pretend he had a stance, just putting the right side of his body towards the dummy and thus the knife in his right hand. He began to stab and hack at the dummy with a little effort, wanting to really play out the training as if it were his plan to brush up. The dummy had infinite health but still cut like a monster would, so he was getting minimal feedback at the very least.

[Shirien 0]

After spending a good five or so minutes hacking at the dummy he sighed and tucked the dagger back to its home on his hip. He figured that he had done enough to convince the nonexistant stalker in his mind that he had actually just come here to train a little and was only now going to get something to eat. While walking his way towards his missed opportunity he considered the fact that his technique was lacking at best. He was sure that the higher floored knife users were doing all kinds of flips and cartwheels while he could barely connect with the tiny thing. Combat experience would help but it was something he both didn't have and had no desire to gain. He shut his brain off as the bakery came into sight so not to accidentally bypass it this time. He turned smoothly into the shop and browsed the magically restocking inventory that was on sale before settling on some bread that was going for cheap. it seemed fairly basic but it had a little sugar added in for flavor. This was a major boon for him as he passed the col to the NPC owner and began the walk to his room once again. He kept his food safe and fresh in his inventory to be safe.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Shirien

[Shirien 0]

On the walk back to the inn he stopped in place at one point and brought his face into the palm of his left hand. "I don't have enough col to afford rent..." He confirms, realizing his room was about to expire and that it would then be up for the taking. He was penny pinching when he could but little things like his bread were constantly holding him just on the brink of homelessness. With a defeated sigh he walks straight past the tavern and towards the forests which surrounded the village he resided in. He figured he should do some gathering and such to help refill his wallet. He kept his eyes low to the ground as he stepped into the wilderness, searching around for something he could use. Or rather, another player could use. He himself had no profession to speak of, making materials useless to him unless he needed something made. As a non-combatant that was not the case and anyone who made food would have prices he couldn't afford. As such he accepted his lot in life and continued to scan the horizon for any signs of a gathering point.

[Shirien 0]

After a few minutes he did indeed discover what looked like an herb which stood out. A smile crossing his lips barely as he approached and squatted down to grab the plant, giving it a good tug to try and uproot it. To his disappointment however the plant merely shattered apart from being separated at its base. Shirien just shrugged his shoulders and began his search for the next plant, humming a tun to himself as he lazed along his usual gathering path. Occasionally he would kick at the ground as if thinking 'boy, there might be ore juuuust under the surface, better check!' when in fact he was just bored. He had the willpower to accept tedium for the rest of his life, but that didn't mean he found it to his liking. He used to at least have a game release to spice stuff up. It took him an hour of searching but he did in time discover another herb to snag up, and this time it was even a success. He smiled as he item went into his inventory for him to sell later. "Sweet..." He mumbles before standing up to keep looking. He never bothered to check the prices on the herbs and such he sold, but he knew just logically that one would not be enough.

[Shirien 0]

Eventually his belly grumbled again as a reminder of his hunger, making him sigh and simply plop down where he was, relaxing in the shade of a tree as he took out the bread he had purchased. He takes a big bite of the bread, smiling softly since it was soft instead of hard, and the slight sweetness made him wriggle in his seat a bit until he took the next bite. It was the best thing he'd eaten in months, no part of him had any reason to complain as he consumed the hunk of bread. When the final bite was in his mouth and entering his virtual body to end up who-knew-where he smiled and laid himself back with a sigh, taking a short break to just watch the leaves move in the gentle breeze of the forest. "Damn... So much effort..." He mumbles for what felt like the thousandth time. There were likely all kinds of wonders to be seen, but it was also possible they only put effort in the lower floors to hook you. That was one excuse he made for staying this low this long. It wasn't a good one but he himself needed very little convincing to begin with.

[Shirien 0]

With a defeatist groan he eventually got himself back onto his legs to keep looking around, walking a somewhat erratic path through the trees while occasionally checking his map to make sure he wasn't going back to the village or something stupid like that. While he wandered along he heard a snort and he groaned in response while drawing his dagger. One might think he was getting ready to fight, having heard a monster nearby that was likely going to aggro him soon. One would be mistaken. He turned on his heel towards the nearest tree and jumped, impaling the dagger high into the virtual wood and pulling himself up by it, helping himself get into the branches as he tugged the knife free and sheathed it. With another dramatic sigh he laid his back against the wood of the tree and glanced down to see the boar. He shrugged his shoulders and laid back against the wood while waiting for the beast to pathfind to another part of the floor. He had no desire to get involved with the grim reaper via pig. "If only powerlevelling was a thing... Could just toss some coins at a nice high level player, jump up a few levels, and never even glance at a boar again... just let it bounce off me harmlessly as I go about my business..."

[Shirien 0]

He waited for the sound of snorting to disappear into the distance, his eyes cracking open as he glanced around using his vantage point to confirm no more mobs were around before he let himself drop. He was at least somewhat happy not to take fall damage as he continued his search for supplies. Apparently good things come to those who wait, as he soon stumbled upon something that lit him up like he had discovered a gold mine. It was simply a bush full of berries. With the excitement of a small child he clambered up to the plant and started to pick berries into his palm, licking his lips and soon slamming his handful into his mouth. He munched on the sweet fruit with a blissful smile glued to his face from the taste. "Mmm... Free food is the best~" He says cheerily. Once the bush was bled dry he stood himself up and happily began going about what he had been doing before now. Trying to find stuff to sell. He could have sold the berries he supposed but sating his carnal desires was a bit higher on his priority list than getting a room oddly enough. His priorities to the side he did find an herb eventually and pulled it up with a smile since it hadn't shattered in his grasp and went into his inventory. "Whoo." He says softly to nobody in particular.

[Shirien 0]

With the gears in his mind barely creaking he counts two herbs in his inventory. He supposed he should at least get a third, just to be on the safe side. It's better to be a little overpaid than underpaid. One would leave him homeless, the other would leave him with a few extra coins for food tomorrow. He idly gives his neck a good crack and continues on his way to locate what he thought would be the final herb of the day. He walked through the forest with a sign until he heard a commotion up ahead. His curiosity got the best of him and so he stalked forward, peaking around a tree and finding the source. Two players were locked in combat with a wolf! Shirien immediately considered altering his path if he was far enough out that wolves were spawning. He did spend a moment watching their technique. One was a spear user and the other used a mace. It was a very clear strategy even to him. The man with the mace was the tank and the spear guy attacked from a distance. They eventually destroyed the monster and he smiled for them before slinking back into the shadows and closer towards the village. He didn't feel like getting involved with any of that right now. He hadn't participated in the fight, he'd probably just be seen as an opportunist or trying to take from their hunting grounds. Nothing but trouble for a non-combatant like himself.

[Shirien 0]

He walked around for a while longer absentmindedly, not even noticing what he had been looking for until it was threatened with being crushed under his foot. He took half a step back and knelt down to pluck it from the earth. The gods smiled on him as he had obtained three bits of supply in a row, enough to cover his living expenses at the very least he figured. He sauntered back into town with a pleased look about him which nobody could see thanks to his hood. He made a straight line towards a certain junk vendor he knew about, ignoring the flavor text and waiting for the NPC to quiet down before he handed over the herbs and got his minor col reward. He raised his hand in thanks and waved before he left out of instinctual courtesy. He had heard the same speech routine time and again, he didn't need to go through that again so he just shut his brain off until it was his turn to speak. This routine repeated when he reached the tavern, having made it just in time for his room to not be auctioned off to someone else as he passed the money into the hand of the owner. This bought him a little more time to live peacefully on the first floor.

[Shirien 0]

With his room for the night secured he worked his way up the stairs happily, his belly fuller than usual so he should be able to tide over for another day he figured, stretching his shoulders behind his head once he had returned to the inside of his room and locked the door behind him. He pulled his hood back and made a half-jump into his bed, laying face first into his pillow for a while before turning his head to the side and shutting his eyes. "Ahh.... Life could be far worse." He says idly while tugging the blankets over himself and curling into the fetal position, one hand under the pillow to rest beneath his head. Fully clothed he shut his eyes for a nice long nap as a personal reward for going outside and 'adventuring' as he chose to put it. He wondered how long it was going to be before the final floor was cleared. He had been living like this for a long time, his boredom reaching critical levels as he debated if he would be doing better with his RPG know-how. Most of these types of games followed a format, and if he obeyed it, he figured he'd be decently safe or at least not about to get eaten by a mimic. He still recalled the days where his sister would watch him play a game and he'd just stop and look to her. "That's a trap." He says matter of factly, a boss appearing a second afterward to his pride. The images in his mind turned blurry as sleep started to take over him.

[Shirien 0]

He awoke several hours later to the moonlit room that he called his own. The sun had long since set and he rolled out of bed with a groan, almost taking the blankets with him as he forced himself onto his legs. "Man... I was hoping I would sleep way longer..." He mutters while bending backwards and then twisting, feeling two distinct cracks to which he responded with a pleased sigh. "Well... Time to go back out I guess..." He preferred venturing out at night. The players were asleep, and the low light made him harder to detect. He truly enjoyed the fact that there were aspects of this game he could take advantage of to remain undetected. He hadn't invested any points into the related skills, but then again people on this floor also hadn't put points into the counter skills. He pulled his hood up over his head as he considers how he should spend his SP. From the day he entered Aincrad he hadn't used any of it. He shrugs his shoulders and puts that thought to the side while heading out of his room and out of the tavern. It was a good hour for some exploration.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Shirien

[Shirien 0]

As expected the streets were empty, leaving him to walk through the tranquilly quiet streets with a smile on his face, his head held high It was nice when the game stopped being an MMO now and then and became a simple RPG. He brought his hand to his chin in thought and grinned. "Ooh... I know what I am doing today..." He turned on his heel and stared at the building of the village, finding a good one with a low roof. He approached the unlit window and climbed up before jumping and grabbing onto the roof, pulling himself up and walking silently across the roof before breaking into a run, grabbing a higher roof neighboring the one he stood on and climbing himself up. He smiled as he put his body to work, jumping and climbing from roof to roof around the village, working himself up to the tallest building in town. The mayor's, or rather the NPC who called himself the mayor's home. Standing at the highest point in the village he looked around at the horizons available to him. He lets out a soft whistle as he takes in the night time view, illuminated only by moonlight. He settles down to sit while silently watching the town from up high. He had plenty of time before people would start waking up, so he was very relaxed.

[Shirien 0]

Shirien stretched himself out a good twenty minutes after he had begun watching the village, standing back up with a grin as he said "Time to put the safe zone system to work." With a smirk he took a few steps back and broke into a sprint, stomping hard with his final step to send him soaring off the house he had been on and towards the hill! He tucked his arms and legs, feeling a distinct impact and laughing as he rolled down the grassy hill unharmed, ignoring the notice reminding him that he was in a safe zone until he hit the back of another building that was on the bottom of the hill. Dismissing the warning he listens closely and smiles as the owners of the home hadn't heard or at least reacted to him hitting their home. He snickers quietly while getting up and brushing grass off of himself. He had given himself a moment of fun so he was in a pretty good mood as he chose to begin walking through town regularly as just a hooded adventurer that nobody knew. A part of him kind of hoped someone was going to peak through their window and see him. He would be sure to pull down his hood forward to appear way more suspicious if they did. He couldn't help but smile as he thought about his mischief.

[Shirien 0]

True to his hopes he soon noticed a lit window with a couple looking out. He put on a wicked grin as he grips the front of his hood and pulls it lower to hide his face, seeing one shush the other and tug the curtains over their window, making him laugh to the night sky while working his way back towards his inn room. The running around and rolling about had him just tired enough to pretend he was in need of a rest, still enjoying the adrenaline high and the rush of a good laugh. It was these small things that made him happy even as a waste of data in a game server. He wasn't of use or help to anybody, he was literally just a parasite leeching off of the system. For the moment however, he was fine with that. He didn't exactly walk out to get shanked by a goblin in the real world, or swam through the ocean to get eaten by their inhabitants. He'd just be asking for trouble if he became a proper adventurer. All the NPCs referred to him as such, but the meaning behind that word was a bit contrary to his actual situation, giving him a hit of irony every time it was stated.

[Shirien 0]

While considering his current situation in life he almost failed to notice four people in the distance. All of them were cloaked and suspicious looking, their weapons out and in their hands like stereotypical delinquents. Shirien felt a smirk crossing his lips at the resemblance and held it to not seem intimidated as he kept walking. He didn't shift to the side or anything, just kept moving forward or else they'd know he was intimidated. He slipped between two members of the suspicious gang prowling the night and barely catching wind of their whispers thanks to a gust of air. "Think we should torment him?" "Nah, not worth our time. Besides, he might just be wearing the newbie gear as a lure. He could be high level for all we know. Nobody comes out this far without a bodyguard." Shirien couldn't help but grin as his regular attire was confused with camouflage. He had gotten out of a situation by being inconspicuous once again. At least that is how he chose to think of it was he turned to enter into the tavern again. He returned to his room for another nap after his brief ordeal and emotional panic at not being the only person stalking the streets. Albeit he was the only one with innocent intents in all likelihood.

[Shirien 0]

Back and safe in his room with a locked door he laid himself out in his bed, sighing in relief as he pretended to be tired instead of lazy. He began shutting his eyes while idly daydreaming about various things. He wondered what his situation would be like if he were some chosen one or a main character for giggles. He imagined a beautiful maiden either kicking down his door and 'saving' him from his own sloth, or perhaps falling from the sky while he is adventuring or being chased by an elite enemy he would cut down like paper. Even he had to chuckle at how ridiculous it sounded for such events to occur for a regular guy like him. He didn't have godlike reaction times or even high stats. He was a 'failed' player in his mind. One who could have made a difference but didn't. At this point the effort to catch up to those who steadily moved forward from the beginning was an unreachable peak. He would be stuck on the bottom forever, that just felt like his role in this world. At the same time though, he didn't feel regret. In fact he wondered what the creator of this chaos would think when there was only a single player left to challenge him but he refused the call.

[Shirien 0]

While wondering if the creator of this game would pile the crestfallen players into a battle royale arena to decide who gets to leave as the last survivor several hours passed and the sun began to rise to Shirien's dismay. "Every day with this..." He mutters at the window which was without blinds or anything to hide the light of day from him. Idly he thought about the pros and cons of removing his shirt and hanging it over the window as a makeshift curtain. He quickly shook the notion from his mind, the blankets were too thin and the weather too cold for him to be as comfy as he is now without his shirt. Removing his pants would just be worse to his great displeasure. He idly grumbled at the fact he couldn't customize this room at all since it was 'public property' as far as the game cared. If he could afford his own house, he would be set for life. He wouldn't need to pay rent and he could just mooch off the local fauna for the rest of his days. Of course the main problem was finding/making a house and being able to afford furnishing it as well. That was far outside of his depth as a parasite of a player. "Hm... Maybe I could convince someone to let me crash in their house... I bet those top-floor players have more col than they know what to do with, maybe one is lonely..." He thought he would make an okay stay-at-home spouse. All he would need to do is clean up the house and make sure they had something to eat when they came home. Maybe run a bath and such. He weighed the pros and cons closely in his mind while trying to ignore the brightening daylight.

[Shirien 0]

Soon the light began to become insufferable to him, making him roll over but grumble as the uneven warmth to his body made him a little uncomfortable, flailing in frustration before wrapping himself into a blanket cocoon and rolling onto the floor behind the bed as shelter from the light. He didn't feel like doing anything and he was adamant about that lack of ambition. He spent a few more minutes like this, resting on the floor while wrapped in blankets before the air started to get thin and he had to poke his head out, gasping a bit for air as a rush of cool air enters his sanctuary and hits his face, making him grumble as the comforting warmth lessened from exposure to the outside world. Disgruntled he unwraps from the blanket and stands himself up with a sigh while tossing the blanket back onto the bed. "Tsk... Guess I should check the progress today..." He mutters to himself while straightening out his clothes and moving towards the door of his room with a distinct goal in mind for today's walk.