[SP-F6] The Shadow's Pride Rises <<Deforestation>>

[Vale 1]

[This sequel's a story to be shared at a later date.]

The sun had yet to near the horizon, the only sound able to be heard is the waterfall in the near distance leaving a lull over the mansion. Vale opened her eyes, long before the man who lay next to her would even come close to waking. She lifted herself slightly and gave a soft but meaning kiss on the man's forehead. The panther girl used her natural mean's of movement to let the Shadow Stalker get his deep nights rest after a very eventful day. The Neko adorned her gear, due to it being made mostly of cloth and fur, the sound was non-existent. With everything accounted for including a plethora of potions she kept in her inventory. The girl made way out to continue her training, despite always pushing herself to the limit the Catgirl was able to immediately return to her usual routine. Dark and early at five in the morning across Aincrad. The now self-described as the Shadow's Pride, made her way out to prove her place worthy.

As she went for the bottom window, in a flurry of haste she noticed Eclipse running with her at the same speed and quietness. Without making a single sound throughout the entire house, the Purranther and her Panther were making it out of the home's area borderline. Immediately exiting the zone Vale looked at Eclipse, "You're just uncomfortable that he is there aren't you. It's not that you're actually excited to run with me is it?" She said with a blank look on her face. The Beast whimpered to try and act like it was making an excuse for not wanting to be there. Vale chuckled, "You're pathetic you anti-social butthole." The beast roared at her. Vale saw a low hanging branch that had some berries she was after to make a jam-like healing ointment. She did a quick stop jump to collect some in her herbalism bag. Then continued on her route.

ID: 89024 LD: 10+6=16 (Material Found)

Materials Gathered: 1

Edited October 2, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

As she and Eclipse ran in unison at high speeds, Vale always managed to make slight stops to scan the area for any usable material for her craft. A technique with her eyes she had been developing so she could continue to collect a plethora of materials while she darted way around the world. She needed to grand master her Search and Detect skill in order to do it flawlessly on the move. Not that her vision wasn't already adept at isolating fungi and other various forms of flora and fauna that would all come into assistance. She saw a specific Wildthorn flower growing off the side of a tree, a useful material that would assist with ones ability to fortify their defenses. Vale flash stepped the entire distance at incredible speeds, collecting the material and returning to her standard path back at high speeds, inserting the material into her inventory while she continued on the move.

ID: 89051 LD: 13+6=19 (Material Found)

Materials Gathered: 2

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Eclipse finally had enough running and slowed his movement down an incredible amount, now losing the speed of her partner Vale needed to return her speed down to normal human pace. As long as Eclipse was nearby, she felt her damage was empowered. The rare beast had the feeling of ferocity alone, the random beasts that would normally aggro onto Vale saw the Shadowpride panther and immediately turned tail. The creatures new the sheer power that resided within the mighty beasts. Their innate rage that was attributed to the moon was felt within the creatures of their surround, since there was nothing that needed to be fought. Vale searched through various bushes to see if there was any more things she could use to increase her craft load for the week. Which to her credit there was a fair amount.

ID: 89053 LD: 12+6=18 (Material Found)

Materials Gathered: 3

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

With the two of them now walking peacefully through the forest that lead back to the town of the 8th floor, the girl hummed tunes that were in her head. Every now and again looking in the direction that made a sound whenever her ears would twitch. Eclipse roared at Vale to get her attention, it looked up and a apple that sat way high up. Vale looked at him plainly, "You really want me to get that Apple for you?" She asked her panther. The beast nodded but never turned it's attention away from it. Vale sighed and began to flash step her way up the tree until she was beside the apple Eclipse wanted. Vale extracted the seeds which could be used for flavoring in the drinks she crafted in the bowels of her Shop. Another thing yet hidden from the populace until she felt close enough to consider her craft mastered.

ID: 89054 LD: 14+6=20 (Material Found)

Materials Gathered: 4

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

It looked like the eighth floor was left mostly alone when it came to materials gathered. Vale looked at her yield and found only a small gathering of five materials. She frowned, "If I use an average of twelve or more materials, gaining just one at a time during my quest travels is not doing me much good. I need to improve my material gathering skill." She told herself. It prompted her to bring up her inventory as she input yet another couple apple seeds to be credited toward her material total. She looked at her left over skill points she could invest and saw that she wasn't too far from the Gatherer skill. Putting her inventory away she clutched her hand and looked toward the direction her and Eclipse were walking. Toward town, she was determined to eviscerate yet another beast that walked with flames.

ID: 89055 LD: 10+6=16 (Material Found)

Materials Gathered: 5

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Vale looked around and notice a small little cluster of shiny rocks, not hard or crystalline enough to be anything more than that. But the properties that lie within the shiny rocks were worth more to her than the actual value of the rock. Putting another usable material into her inventory, Vale was on a hot streak. She had never found so many materials like this in a short span of time. But if she could obtain another ten more materials, she should have enough to craft for two straight days. But after a week of non-stop grinding her skills to the finite limit they could be pushed. She actually went a day without crafting any materials in her home. She spent a wonderful twenty four hours with Hikoru and another twenty four with him as well to start returning to the work schedules. And now it was time for Vale's twenty hour training sessions that always left her exhausted and broken.

ID: 89056 LD: 12+6=18 (Material Found)

Materials Gathered: 6

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

As Vale neared the city she noticed that the amount of collectible materials she could use for her craft dropped drastically. Vale knew the proximity to the main settlement of the floor that withheld her mansion would have the fields over run and completely cleared of all their caches. But the feline fighter didn't particularly care too much about it. She had everything she honestly needed for atleast this one day's worth of crafting. Something she might dig her hands into when the sun would begin to descend over the horizon. But there was still plenty of time before Daybreak, and if she were to get prepared in the fastest instance possible. She would do so by making her way to the quest giver with extreme haste. Vale picked up her speed regardless of the fact that Eclipse was being a Lazy Grump, "I'll see you in town Eclipse!" She shouted back as she left her Familiar behind.

ID: 89057 LD: 8+6=13 (No Material Found)

Materials Gathered: 6

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Vale was getting far too close to the city, the land even showed just how much the players had stripped the land clean of it's natural resources. Yes they would respawn, but normally just a lush and beautiful view was picked apart until it was just a scattering of tree's and bushes with nothing growing upon either of them. It somewhat displeased the Panther woman as she strolled into the town so too did Eclipse who ran desperately to try and catch up, "What Eclipse... Can't handle the outside world by yourself?" She taunted the cat that seemed to grumble under it's breath. Moving her attention away from the Cat, the Neko made her way to the main teleportation gate of the eighth floor so she could make her way down to the sixth floor.

ID: 89058 LD: 1+6=7 (No Material Found)

Materials Gathered: 6

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Upon arriving on the sixth floor, exiting the blue light as she faded into existence in the town of Rhoemeia. She looked around to see the plethora of Amazon's in the skimpy outfits, this was a floor that Vale absolutely treasured and loved. She still had a burning passion that females ignited within her, and with the sexiness the ladies brought. Vale always ended up enjoying it to her hearts content. Shaking her head, she needed to get the images of the ladies and possibly herself mixed among them and focus on the task at hand. Vale needed to look for the quest giver so she could deal with the Tiger of Flame that terrorized the forests of the sixth floor. Vale began to walk around town with her map open in her HUD following a path that would lead her where she needed to go.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

After a small amount of roaming, Vale noticed a little hut that had some smoke coming from the woman-made chimney. Vale moved aside the long leaves that were used in order to create a make shift door. There Vale saw the partially charred face of the woman who would give the quest to stop Byakko one of the essences of Fire. Something deep down within Vale made her feel as though if she took this quest, she wouldn't be facing the same creature the quest giver wanted defeated. Instead she would be seeing the beast corrupted in an eternal essence of Rage. Vale had the feeling very deep down in her stomach that she was still be watched by the essence. It was something she was constantly battling against, doing everything in her power to keep the chills from sliding down her spine.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

The quest giver and Vale exchanged a small conversation, one that was rather routine when it came to listening to a quest givers plight and information required in order to perform the job. Including the location, capabilities, and power of the mob. None of the information truly mattered to Vale excluding the location, she had another date with destiny that she needed to overcome and one she wouldn't let best her. Vale had the definitive feeling that this was just another step in her journey to finding out more about this mysterious essence and the mysterious character known as Dom. Jomei and Macradon were two men that Vale knew she could trust in the information that they gave her. And despite they might not actually ever be apart of the same guild, she could rely on them always being there for her to rely on when she couldn't just lean on Hikoru.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Vale began to leave the building and the feeling of being watched was overbearing once again. She had that affirming feeling, it was much different from the usual feeling of being watched. The feeling was pure sinister and a collection of agonizing evil. Vale thought about Hikoru for a moment just then, she hadn't shared the information that she had been looking into the death of Ssendom. And she was very much tied into a situation that was probably far more magnanimous than she could honestly handle. Vale hadn't even expressed the essence that had been following her since the fight against the Gemini, the only thing she had ever shared with Hikoru about this entire thing. It was about time to show the Shadow Stalker something extremely important, something that only Jomei has been showed.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

In order to hide as much information as possible, Vale had even kept the information she wanted to share with most. Vale didn't like the idea that she was withholding information from the person who brought her the most happiness. But at the same time, she didn't want to worry the man. Vale was making as many strides as she possibly could in order to be strong enough for the man who had stolen her heart. But, she couldn't ever bring that item even in safe zones. The amount of attention she would garner with it from Front Liners who know precisely the story behind the item. She knew from Jomei that Hikoru was around when Dom was around, it seemed like it made complete sense to finally ask Hikoru about the Berserker. And what he would be willing to share with Vale.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Vale began to exit the settlement with Eclipse walking in a slow stride right beside her, keeping the fatigued mind of the martial artist at a slight amount of peace. No longer on these travels would she be truly alone. Vale would rather bicker and argue with her own familiar for days over spending another minute without another soul to share time with. Despite Eclipse was just a system generated entity, in the idea that this was a world of it's own. Eclipse had a soul of it's own, it's own personality, it's own feelings, and emotions. That thought brought Vale down to earth with a smile, "Despite the fact that you're a rude, grumpy, and moody all the time Eclipse." She began to saw as the Cat began to growl at her, "I am far happier that you're in my life than not." She said with a smile, the oversize panther shrugged and looked away causing Vale to chuckle as the beast didn't want to share in it's feelings.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Vale sifted through her inventory for anything that might be handy in the upcoming fight she was about to partake in. Since she had used her Claws of the Beast potion a while back with Jomei against the Monkey King. She was left with a good six or seven Spark Sharp potions that would barely increase her damage. But enough to come in handy. Vale withdrew a single Spark Sharp potion out of her inventory materializing in front of her. The Panther woman spread out her arms and withdrew the claws that lie hidden inside the cat-like paw gauntlets that she had equipped. As the potion finished materializing, the Neko slammed her hands together shattering the potion and sparks flying to empower her damage a slight amount. She had enough in the reserves and they were test potions anyways. So she wouldn't lose too much from using it.

[New Damage: 15(20)]

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

She stood in the middle of the forest to the north west, the last sighting of the beast known as Byakko. Vale looked to the sky, and slowly but surely the color in the air began to morph ever so slightly. From the usual blue, to a redish hue. Suddenly the heat in the area began to rise, Vale's ear twitch as she looked over at the large source of light that was making it's way through the tree's. Little time did she need to wait in order to see a charging flame beast coming straight for her, coated in that hideous red energy that had eyes, ever glaring at the martial artist. Vale closed her eyes and listened for the beasts movements, just before it would reach her. She Flash stepped to a branch that sit far above, the beast unsure of where she went. Another flash step to place herself right above the head of Byakko with a full charged right arm, slamming down upon the cranium of the beast with virulent force.

ID: 89060 | BD: 6+3=9 | MD: 3+3-3=3

Vale: 820/820 | 65/82 -17 EN

incarnate of Rage, Byakko: 150/410 | 3 ACC | 40 MIT | 80 DMG (120 True Dmg on a 9, 200 True Dmg on a 10) [20*15=300-40=260 HP lost]
[True Damage IGNORES Mitigation]

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

The Beasts jaw was almost forcibly intertwined the ground, the eyes on the essence that enveloped the beast shifted to look directly at her, "You possess the fighting prowess... You possess the strength... but do you possess the Will?" echoed a voice in her head, the exact same voice she had heard multiple times before. Vale looked back into the essence, "I don't care what you send at me, use every last bit of your strength what ever it is you are. I shall not be defeated. I will fight you even if it takes my life." She shouted proudly at the essence smacking her clenched fist into her chest, before swinging the other charged fist into the beast destroying the last remains of it's health, all that could be heard with the shattering of the beast was, "Good..." In a deep and sinister voice.

ID: 89061 | BD: 4+3=7 | MD: 4+3-3=4 | LD: 12+6=18 (Loot)
ID: 89062 | CD: 3 (410*8 = 3280 Col)

Vale: 820/820 | 49/82 -17+1 EN

incarnate of Rage, Byakko: -35/410 | 3 ACC | 40 MIT | 80 DMG (120 True Dmg on a 9, 200 True Dmg on a 10) [15*15=225-40=185 HP lost]
[True Damage IGNORES Mitigation]

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Vale watched as the essence slowly pulled itself off of Byakko, again leaving behind only the remains of the creatures bones. She definitely saw the blue particles fluttering in the air, but they came through the essence that controlled it. This entity left Vale there in the middle of the forest, the feeling of being watched finally evaporating from the gut of the woman, at the least for today. Vale took a few deep breaths before she turned to look at Eclipse, the cat stood there looking at her with a sense of intrigue. It seemed as though Eclipse himself was interested in what it is that Vale had managed to get herself wrapped into. Despite that it dislike Vale and didn't really care if she was happy or sad... She was his source of delicious Minotaur Meat, and an evil spirit threatening that source of food irked the Cat.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Vale opened her menu, "Don't worry about it Eclipse, I will tell you about it later-" Before she finished speaking Eclipse roared at her showing a serious and demanding side that Vale had yet to see from the beast, "Why are you shouting at me? It's not a big-" Again she was interrupted by the feline roaring back at the feline-woman. She stepped back in a slight amount of shock, this was a completely different Eclipse than she was used to seeing, "Are you worried about me?" The beast shook it's head with intensity, Vale blinked and asked a different question, "You're worried about your food supply are you." The beast looked away and gave a not-so-shameful nod of his head. Vale sighed, "For a moment I thought you actually cared... You fat grump," Vale insulted Eclipse as she approached her familiar.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale

[Vale 1]

Vale began to pet the top of Eclipse's head gently and sweetly, even Eclipse himself couldn't resist a good head scratch from his master. The Panther was extremely happy to get pampered at times like this, there was nothing the cat wanted more aside from Food and a comfier place to sleep. All that was in due time, while the Martial Artist had her own grumpy pet subdued so it wouldn't interrupt her any longer. She sifted through the quest log and saw that she completed the requirement in order to turn in the quest. But, the Feline Fighter turned to look back at the decayed carcass of Byakko, something that is not normally suppose to happen. Vale felt genuinely sad for the beast, to be used like a puppet in a greater beings game was absolutely atrocious. Something that Vale herself couldn't stand for.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Vale