[SP - F5] Symphony of Steel [Dagger GM | COMPLETE]

[Takao 0]

The darkness of night had just begun to secede, scared back over the horizon by the warm orange glow of their digital sun. Takao, per the usual as of late, had found himself without sleep for the night. He had stayed awake and found himself occupying his time simply by thinking. Mulling over ideas and thoughts. Some were interesting, and most were not. His leg had been bouncing restlessly for what felt like hours, and only came to a stop when his jade eyes caught sight of the window. He stood slowly, as to not disturb the slumbering reptile behind him on the back of the couch, and approached the window. His gaze lingered for a short time before he turned and walked back to the couch, having finally made a decision. "I'll be back in a little while, Oto." He said simply, patting the cat-like dragon on the head before he headed for the staircase.

- -

Golden Apple consumed. (2 remaining)
Vodka consumed. (4 remaining)
Lamb Haunch consumed. (5 remaining)

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 58429
BD: 5 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD (5)
LD: 19 ( 11(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) )
( +8 Materials | +4480 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (43/57) (-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) = 25 * 7(SA) = 175 DMG)

Sand Worm 1: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 2: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 3: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 4: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]

Takao descended the staircase of his two story building and left out the front. He rarely found himself assuming the responsibility of looking after the shop in present times since his familiar had taken an interest in doing it himself. Takao didn't mind it in the slightest, especially since it allowed him to simply work solely on crafting, and if not crafting then he could spend the majority of his time hunting. It was his intention to do the latter today, as his progress had become stagnant recently. As he walked, Takao equipped himself with his hunting gear and whisked himself away to the fifth floor via warp gate, immediately setting out into the wilderness and beginning the dull task of grinding.

          Total Rewards
8 Materials
4480 Col

Edited May 7, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 58430
BD: 4 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD (4)
LD: 16 ( 8(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) )
( +4 Materials | +4480 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (30/57) (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) = 25 * 7(SA) = 175 DMG)

Sand Worm 5: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 6: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 7: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 8: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]

One group of monsters had already fallen in the short time Takao had been in the hellish desert that covered the fifth floor. He had a knack for gathering groups in manageable quantities, as well as only finding monsters he was capable of killing in a single blow. It was curious really, perhaps there was a higher authority watching over him, carefully deciding every little number and scenario to his benefit. One day it would all come crashing down, he imagined, but for now he'd just enjoy the ride.

          Total Rewards
12 Materials
8960 Col

Edited May 7, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 58433
BD: 2 + 3(ACC) + 1(Concentration, 5/5)
MD: DEAD (4)
LD: 17 ( 9(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) )
( +4 Materials | +4480 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (17/57) (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) = 25 * 7(SA) = 175 DMG)

Sand Worm 9: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 10: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 11: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 12: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]

"Alright..." Takao grumbled to himself, exhaling an unsteady breath as he stood upright. "Got one more of those left in me. Then its... break time." He glanced from east to west, then turned and looked from north to south. The desert was remarkably inhospitable between the abundance of heat and scarcity of safe havens from the blistering sun. The dunes are large, the sand was coarse, and it was generally just an uncomfortable, unpleasant section of Aincrad. It didn't help that, much like the heat, there was an abundance of monsters looking to do him in one way or another. These monsters often met their end upon approaching him, specifically through a shocking wave of electricity.

          Total Rewards
16 Materials
13440 Col

Edited May 7, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 58445
BD: 9 + 3(ACC) (Concentration, 4/5)
MD: DEAD (4)
LD: 22 ( 12(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) + 2(Vitamins) )
( +8 Materials | +7540 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (4/57) (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) + 1(Critical) = 26 * 7(SA) = 182 DMG)

Sand Worm 13: 0/145 [ 182(DMG) - 37(MIT) = -145 HP ]
Sand Worm 14: 0/145 [ 182(DMG) - 37(MIT) = -145 HP ]
Sand Worm 15: 0/145 [ 182(DMG) - 37(MIT) = -145 HP ]
Sand Worm 16: 0/145 [ 182(DMG) - 37(MIT) = -145 HP ]

More shifting sand beneath the dunes under his feet were yet another clear indication of the undesirable presence of monsters lurking nearby. Takao rolled his neck to one side and exhaled a breath. His legs tensed, the charge skill was subsequently activated as a result, and his sword arm was poised in such a way that the blade began to shine blue. The sword art, combined with his charge skill, forced his body into a leap and flip, then returned him to the ground where the tip of his sword emitted a large wave of lightning to electrify the monsters lurking below. The only thing he saw was a few remnants of their colourful polygons fluttering out of the sands.

          Total Rewards
24 Materials
20980 Col

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

Takao's breathing was heavy and his body was in a state of absolute fatigue; his knees were weak and arms felt like limp noodles. He pushed the tip of his sword down into the sand to keep it from falling and dropped down onto the slope of the dune with a hollow thud. A low groan escaped his throat as he tried to catch his breath. The consecutive usage of sword arts, especially his hardest hitting area of effect skill, was an incredibly draining task. His eyes focused on the clear, deep blue sky, and watched the clouds float by as he awaited the systematic restoration of his energy.

[Takao 0]

Takao slowly sat himself up and hunched his back over, still rather tired despite his breathing entering some semblance of a rhythm. His energy hadn't quite restored in force yet, with only a few minutes of rest remaining before he'd be back in action. He placed his wrist onto his knee and slowly hefted himself to stand, his offhand grasping the handle of his sword and pulling it from the ground. "Might as well try to find this thing instead of wastin' time." He muttered, blinking once to activate the «Reveal» skill. In the lush jungle of the sixth floor, being able to see through massive trees and foliage was an enormous advantage. The area in which he knew the sub-dungeon to be was large, which meant it would take a good deal of searching to find.

[Takao 0]

"Nothing..." Takao said aloud, huffing out a sigh as he deactivated the skill. His grey, mechanically overlayed eyes returned to their usual emerald colour. The shift in how he perceived the world was sudden and forced him to squint to readjust to the brightness, yet even that was quick enough. He planted his foot at the summit of the sand dune he had ascended in search for the dungeon and looked out upon the expansive desert, his eyes following the rolling hills of sand as they stretched on in every conceivable direction. The settlement of Armadillo was nothing more than a speck in the distance now, so far that whatever solace it boasted seemed like little more than a mirage.

[Takao 0]

ID: 59136
BD: 8 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD (4)
LD: 27 ( 17(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) + 2(Vitamins) )
( +8 Materials | +7280 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (46/60) (-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) + 1(Critical) = 25 * 7(SA) = 175 DMG)

Sand Worm 19: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 20: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 21: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 22: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]

Takao wasn't given much of an opportunity to continue the search for the dungeon because the sands beneath him began to shift and churn. He huffed out a breath and, much like the countless amounts of monsters he had slain before them, prepared himself for combat. Takao leapt into the air, as he had done at least five or six times already, and twisted his body to perform an unnecessary back flip, courtesy of the developer's less than impressive knowledge of proper sword technique. He landed, slammed his sword into the ground, and annihilated their numbers beneath the sand with a wave of crackling electricity.

          Total Rewards
32 Materials
28260 Col

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 59137
BD: 3 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD
LD: 15 ( 5(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) + 2(Vitamins) )
( +4 Materials | +4480 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (33/60) (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) + 1(Critical) = 25 * 7(SA) = 175 DMG)

Sand Worm 19: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 20: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 21: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 22: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]

Not long after Takao finished defeating one group of monsters and set about continuing his dungeon searching journey throughout the fifth floor, the ground beneath him began to rumble. With an eyebrow quirked upward with interest, he had a pretty good idea of what would be bursting from the sand in the following moments. He huffed and tensed his legs just as the large monsters appeared from underground, piercing the sand beneath his feet in their ascent. Takao jumped backward just as it began to turn, and utilized his charge skill to reverse his momentum. As a result, he leapt forward with a sword skill prepared, and tore through the monsters with a field of electricity.

          Total Rewards
36 Materials
32740 Col

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 59145
BD: 4 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD
LD: 17 ( 7(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) + 2(Vitamins) )
( +4 Materials | +4480 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (20/60) (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) + 1(Critical) = 25 * 7(SA) = 175 DMG)

Sand Worm 19: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 20: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 21: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 22: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]

The dry air of the fifth floor desert wasn't the most unpleasant climate. Very few floors could boast pleasant environments and weather, and they were a small minority of what had been unlocked thus far. Ironically, he'd found the nicest climate to be in one of his least favourite of the floors; the thirteenth was generally inhospitable to the presence of players, but it was oddly cool... like a nice autumn evening. Takao shook his head and refocused. There was a quest to be completed, and it wouldn't be done by daydreaming about his weather preferences. The brunet shook the meaningless thoughts from his head and refocused on eliminating the next four monsters to approach just as he had the ones before them, utilizing yet another wave of electricity.

          Total Rewards
40 Materials
37220 Col

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 59147
BD: 8 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD
LD: 30 ( 20(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) + 2(Vitamins) )
( +8 Materials | +7280 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (7/60) (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) + 1(Critical) = 25 * 7(SA) = 175 DMG)

Sand Worm 19: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 20: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 21: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 22: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]

"I wonder if PETA would care about giant worm things... 'cause I bet they're be flippin' their lids over this." Takao commented dryly as he yanked his sword from the sand. His eyes focused on four more individual sources of shifting sands who, like the dozen or so before them, would soon find themselves meeting a shockingly sudden end. He exhaled an unsteady and fatigued breath, preparing to use the remnants of his energy to end the four monsters. He leapt, he flipped, and he slammed his sword back into the ground a fourth time, emitting a fourth wave of electricity to destroy the wave of monsters. It was simple, it was effective, and it was efficient.

          Total Rewards
48 Materials
44500 Col

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

A long breath escaped Takao's lungs as he hefted his sword from the ground. He waited for a moment... and then another... and another. No more shifting sands, no more obvious queues of monster presence, just silence. It was simultaneously a relieving sensation, as well as a worrisome one. Either something big scared the rest of the monsters off, or he had killed everything in the area and the system just hadn't queued up the next respawns yet. A quick check with his reveal skill to glance beneath the sands provided him with some solace, and showed that nothing was in his immediate area at the very least.

[Takao 0]

"Okay then... Got a few minutes to myself. Let's see if we can't find this thing." Takao muttered to himself as he sauntered freely and unopposed through the deserts of the fifth floor. No sand snakes or other hellish desert beasts had leapt from the underbrush since the last group had been slaughtered, even though he couldn't shake the feeling that such an anomaly would come to pass. Takao shook the thoughts from his head and continued onward, his eyes closing for a moment to activate the Reveal skill. As he reopened his eyes, their green colour had been replaced with a icy grey hue, and adopted a mechanically styled overlay to them, a clear indication of the skill's activated state.

[Takao 0]

As was usually the case with sub-dungeons hidden within the rolling sand dunes of the fifth floor, Takao spotted the entrance nearly buried by sand. Large sandstone pillars were erected through the sand, whilst the actual entrance itself was partially submerged. The brunet slid down the dune he had been perched upon during his search and approached the entrance, the reveal skill deactivating as he blinked and his eyes returning to their natural green hue. "Alright. Let's get on with it."

Intermediate Dungeon Found.

ID
59150

LD
31
18(LD) + 5(S&D) + 2(Reveal) + 1(Detect) + 3(HoM) + 2(Vitamins)

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 59157
BD: 5 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD
LD: 27 ( 17(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) + 2(Vitamins) )
( +8 Materials | +7280 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (56/60) (-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) + 1(Critical) = 25 * 7(SA) = 175 DMG)

Sand Worm 19: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 20: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 21: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 22: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]

6/10 Remaining

Takao began his sub-dungeon dive as he began all of his other sub-dungeon dives. He was surrounded by monsters within the first ten steps he took into the instance, each of their glowing red eyes staring daggers upon him and his own jade hues glaring back with equal desire to kill. Takao didn't waste time with glaring and thinly veiled attempts at intimidation; he had a group of monsters to slay and a boss to defeat. Without missing a beat, Takao launched into a sword art that involved a system-assisted back flip and destroyed the four monsters with a wave of electricity, as uniquely as the hundreds of monsters before them.

          Total Rewards
56 Materials
51780 Col

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 59159
BD: 8 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD
LD: 18 ( 8(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) + 2(Vitamins) )
( +4 Materials | +4480 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (43/60) (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) + 1(Critical) = 25 * 7(SA) = 175 DMG)

Sand Worm 19: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 20: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 21: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]
Sand Worm 22: 0/140 [ 175(DMG) - 35(MIT) = -140 HP ]

2/10 Remaining

Four monsters lay slain behind him, and a quartet more stand before him, obstructing his way forward. Takao hefted his blade from the ground without breaking eye contact with their glowing red orbs, each pair staring daggers back into his own jade hues. They wanted him dead for no other reason than it being their sole purpose, and he wanted them dead because they presented a threat in some capacity. At the end of the day, he was the protagonist of his story, and by sheer stubbornness, he would ensure that his end was not at the hand of a handful of negligible monsters. As such, they were torn through just as easily as the four before them.

          Total Rewards
60 Materials
56260 Col

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

ID: 59160
BD: 10 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD
LD: 21 ( 11(Roll) + 5(S&D) + 3(HoM) + 2(Vitamins) )
( +8 Materials | +7852 Col ) (+3 Prosperity)

Takao: 233/233 (30/60) (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «Lightning Fall» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) + 1(Critical) = 27 * 7(SA) = 189 DMG)

Sand Worm 19: 0/151 [ 189(DMG) - 38(MIT) = -151 HP ]
Sand Worm 20: 0/151 [ 189(DMG) - 38(MIT) = -151 HP ]
Sand Worm 21: 0/151 [ 189(DMG) - 38(MIT) = -151 HP ]
Sand Worm 22: 0/151 [ 189(DMG) - 38(MIT) = -151 HP ]

0/10 Remaining

The last of the dungeon's henchmen impeded his path forward, standing guard in front of the door. He rolled his wrist and spun the sword within his grasp, jade eyes not once leaving the sauntering figures of the felines. In an instant, he leapt forward and launched into a sword art, decimating their numbers with a wave of crackling and sparkling electricity. They fell and shattered into polygons, as easily as that. With the last of the monsters slain and turned back to their natural state as data, Takao opted to open up his inventory.

          Total Rewards
68 Materials
64112 Col

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao

[Takao 0]

Takao slid his hand through the air and called forth his menu. He swiftly navigated to the inventory window first and scrolled through its contents until he located the weapon he was searching for, a dagger named "Serpent's Bite". The Inundator disappeared, and Serpent's Bite took its place horizontally across his lower back. After that, he navigated to the skills menu, and his eyes stared at the list. "...Alright then. Looks like this is it. Fifty skill points dropped on dagger." He said, exhaling a long sigh. It was an investment, one that would undoubtedly be useful simply by nature, but still a hard choice to make. He replaced the oxygen he lost with a deep breath, then pressed the button.

[Takao 0]

ID: 59161
BD: 7 + 3(ACC)
MD: DEAD

Takao: 233/233 (15/60) (+1/-16)
Sword Art: «Eternal Cyclone» (13(Base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Alcoholic) + 1(Ferocity) = 26 * 16(SA) = 416 DMG)

Alaskan Bull Worm: 0/300 [ -416 HP ]

Takao slammed the sole of his boot into the door and kicked it open his eyes, jade eyes immediately setting upon the monster that laid within. A large worm, pulsating and undulating in an uncomfortable manner yet still completely above ground. He reached to the dagger on his back and pulled it free of the scabbard, its rough metal shimmering ever so slightly with the remnants of light that bled through the ceiling. "Okay Azide... Let's see what all the hype was about." Takao said, flicking his wrist and spinning the dagger in his grasp so that the blade faced backward. With the proper pre-motion stance assumed, Takao leapt forward utilizing his charge skill and positively annihilated the monster with four powerful cuts. The result was that the boss monster fell and shattered into polygons, leaving only Takao remaining in the dungeon.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Takao