[SP-F1]Making a living (complete)

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko was walking through the town of beginnings, exploring the many twists and turns the massive city that could hold the entirety of SAO's population within it. Combat was fun and all, if a bit dangerous in nature, but he felt like he needed something to occupy him when he was not in the mood for a fight or just needed to rest.

As he walked, something caught his eye and his eyes nearly started to glitter. Gold, diamonds, rubies, and silver was before him! His inclination to greed had risen up and he bit his lip, hands on the glass of the shop which held these jewels and precious metals hostage! He must have been staring for quite some time because he soon heard a voice say to him "You interested in jewelry?" It took a second for the words to settle in but he nodded softly and said in turn "Well, yes. I can't much help it, they are just so beautiful!" His eyes were drawn upward, looking at the NPC. He saw none of the familiar symbols that noted an enemy or a player, so he assumed it was just another part of the system. The NPC, a male with a well-trimmed beard and a strong body said to the considerably smaller player "In that case, how would you feel about learning how to make your own? You'd be able to tinker and toy with as much gold and jewels as you want if you play your cards right!"Trinoko did not hesitate. The words had left his mouth before he had even thought them up. "I would love to! Please, teach me how!" With that, the man nodded and gestured for Trinoko to follow, entering the shop before him.

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko was more than happy to accept the man's invitation and was on his heels, entering the store to the sound a bell ringing as the door shut behind them. He was then lead into a back room, a workshop it seemed. Trinoko was doing his best to remain still, fighting so hard not to just start looking at every scrap of metal and stone around him. "Now then..." The man snaps Trinoko's attention back to him "I suppose we should start with the simple stuff. Trinoko's eyes blink in surprise as a menu appears in front of him. It was a quest, detailing him learning a skill as a reward. He eagerly hit the accept button, fairly sure he had a clue as to what was going on.

"First you will be making a simple copper ring." Trinoko was openly saddened to only be working with a lesser metal. "Hey, you must learn to walk before you can run." The man laughs mightily before placing a small ingot of copper before him, and gives him a small hammer. It was clearly meant for more delicate work than the mighty ones the blacksmiths used. "Hammer it down a bit while keeping in mind what you want to make. Don't break the hammer or the metal by going too hard."

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko nodded softly while being lead towards a small anvil, another reminder of how much smaller his work was to be compared to a smith's. He set the small piece of metal atop the anvil and looks at the hammer he now held. He carefully rested it atop the metal and started tapping away at it, mindful not to snap either. As he hammered the metal started to glow and change shape with each hit. It slowly but surely curled and rounded until finally he had a ring of uncommon quality! He himself was surprised at how well it shined and the wonderful little marking that covered it, making it seem even more ornate that it was!

The NPC swiftly snatched it up, looked it over, and pocketed it. "Well done. Especially for your first work, this will sell for a pretty penny I think" Trinoko was ready to burst out angrily when the man said "Hey, it was in the quest description. You don’t get anything except the rewards at the end of the quest." He shakes his head with a smile and said next "Anyways. This proves you at least know how to make something. Now we will see if you have any potential at selling things." Trinoko hesitated. It had never occurred to him that he would be required to sell the things he made! He took a breath, keeping his heart calm and he nods. He rationalized that with enough Col he could simply buy shinier things. He nodded to the Artisan trainer and is lead back out to the front, and is then sat down behind the counter. "I will be going back to work. You stay here and mind the shop." He points to a plaque on the wall "Prices are there." He winks and pats him on the back before heading to the back of the shop to leave Trinoko alone with his new job.

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko sat there awkwardly. He had forgotten about the 'dealing with customers' aspect of crafting and selling. He already was not that amazing at interactions, and now he had nowhere to go he figured. He stared at the door as if trying to will it to remain shut and the Artisan just tells him he did good enough and the quest gets completed!

As if on cue, the door swings open and another NPC enters the room, a merchant from the looks!... but why? Was it part of the quest? The merchant approaches the front desk and says in a rather proud and arrogant sounding voice. "Hello. I have come with the request for a golden ring placed with a Ruby. I trust you can provide?" Trinoko blinked and caught himself, standing up and forcing a smile. "Absolutely, sir, just a moment." His eyes shot around under the table, success! He finds a ring and snatches it up, bringing it up to show the man and he smiles happily. "Here you are, sir. That will be -" He glances to the side for a split moment and then says the price listed "-col." The merchant nods and then places several shining coins on the table of the shop. Just as Trinoko moved to take them, they vanished! He fought the urge to pout, denied once more. He hoped for the sake of his name's green tint there was a Col reward by the end of this. "Very well, have a good day, sir, come again!" He hands the ring off to the man and watches as he leaves, letting out a loud but pleased breath as the door shuts. He collapses back into his chair, recomposing himself from the experience.

[Trinoko 0]

As Trinoko worked to calm his nerves, hours started to go by, and at long last, as if a mercy sent from god himself, the Artisan came back out from the workshop and said "I see you managed to make a sale, fine work. That's all the work I have here for you... But you may be displeased to hear your work is not yet done." Trinoko blinked and tilted his head curiously as he tried to puzzle the man's words. How could he have no more work but Trinoko's work was not yet done? His question was soon answered. "Now you need to find some metal, refine it, and prove you can be self-sufficient as an artisan. Shouldn't be too hard, most monsters will have a chance at dropping a metal." He grins "Quality doesn't matter." Trinoko sighed dramatically. It seems until he had someone to supply him, he did have to fight in order to make a living. "Very well... So get my hands on a piece of metal and come back?" The artisan nodded, Trinoko stood, and he left the store while grumbling a bit. At least the knowledge was good, he thought to himself as he headed out and into the untamed fields where the monsters roamed.

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko started the long walk through the fields of the first floor, eye glancing along the horizon for any shapes that did not belong. It took around fifteen minutes for him to finally spot an enemy in the distance. He smiled happily as he moved towards it, drawing one of the three throwing knives he keeps on his belt. He stayed towards the creature's back, ensuring it did not see him. When he felt he was near enough, he held the throwing blade at the ready. A pale blue glow coated the weapon until it was thrown from his hand!

He missed! Not even close, the knife had flung past the creature, into the branch of a bush the boar was about to take a berry from, and making the berry fall to the ground as well as crushing it under the branch. The creature turned around, revealing itself to be a boar with a look of anger in it's eyes as it stared him down and began its charge!

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko cursed his bad luck as the boar charged towards him! He draws a second blade from his belt, waiting for the first one to finish its cooldown. He makes use of <> to obtain a burst of speed, dashing past the boar and out of its way! Once out of the boar's range he stopped sprinting and turned, not having time for another sword art he turns and flings his second throwing knife at the boar! Trinoko curses aloud as once again the knife misses! He draws the third and final throwing blade. It seemed he was not as safe from the boar as he thought. Suddenly the beast kicks back with its hooves, hitting Trinoko square in the chest and sending him straight off his legs and onto the ground, thankfully still gripping his weapon.

Boar:3/3

Trinoko:4/5

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko takes a deep breath as he rolls himself onto his front, getting back onto his feet as fast as he could before the boar had time to turn and charge again! When he turned back towards the boar he stared it down, double checking to make sure both of his blades were still despawned. He had no choice though, having to throw the third and final one while leaping off to the side! He thanked the gods that it was only a first-level foe and only knew to charge in straight lines! Trinoko's inability to hit the wall of a barn was once more made apparent. The weapon fell uselessly past the boar and leaving him unarmed, without even the martial arts skill to defend himself with!

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko angrily hissed at himself and his terrible luck. He watched the boar as it turned back towards him. He still had a few seconds before his first blade would return to his belt. He glanced around and saw the second knife he threw laying nearby. He watched as the boar scraped its hoof against the ground in challenge, huffing at him angrily. Seeing few other options, Trinoko made use of his <> once again to collect the discarded blade! Even the boar's simple AI could see what he was doing and started its charge, intending to hit Trinoko before he could attack again.

As Trinoko scooped up the blade from the ground and gripped it tight he saw the boar approaching, risking getting damaged again he throws the blade while aiming between the boar's eyes! A critical hit! It was about time that lady luck offered him a good hand. Not only did the attack land where he wanted, stopping the boar in its tracks as it squealed, but doing two hits worth of damage!

Boar:1/3

Trinoko:4/5

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko finally felt like he was in the lead. Not only had he landed a nice strong attack, but he heard the soft chiming noise of his first throwing knife respawning! His second blade was on the timer again, he had to make this one land or end up weaponless again. He takes it a bit more cautiously, having a handle on the boar's AI by now. He waited for the beast to begin its charge once again, no longer needing to use his sprinting skill, he simply side-stepped the beast like some men would do with a red cape. With the boar running past him once again he lets his throwing knife fly from his grip towards the heavily wounded boar! He was right back where he started, and this time without a nearby blade. The knife had missed its mark and left him in wait for his third blade to return itself to him. He readied for the boar once again, ready to dodge it as he usually would. Of course this time the AI does something unexpected. It not only stops before Trinoko, but slams its tusks upward at an angle! Right where Trinoko was dodging! The boar gores him, impaling Trinoko on the razor sharp tusks.

Boar:1/3

Trinoko:3/5

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko was in shock, feeling the tusk entering, and the exiting him through the back. There wasn't any pain, the game didn't give that option, but it was the furthest thing from a pleasant feeling. In panic he slammed his hand into the boar, trying to pull himself free of the wound before the damage over time kicked in! As the boar flung its head again he was removed violently, on his back with blue pixels covering the wounded area. Trinoko quickly moves onto his legs, panting and panicking as he holds his hand over his stomach. He turns on his heels and make a run for it, hoping his <> would match the boar as he moves to run away until his blade respawned.

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko was running as fast as his skill enhanced legs could carry him, glancing back at the charging boar now and then as it gained distance towards him. He smiles happily as he hears the pleasant chime of a throwing knife returning to his belt! He grabs the blade and finds that his sprint had worn off! He had only a split second decision to pour his weight to one side, stumbling onto the ground to the boar's left and rolling as he grit his teeth. He managed to land onto his knees, readying the blade and throwing it towards the boar, hoping for just a single hit more! "I'm going to be killed by a boar. This is how it happens." He mutters under his breath as the blade flies uselessly past its mark. He gets back onto his feet and watches the boar, pure frustration in his eyes as he tries to think of what to do before the boar up and murdered him.

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko hurriedly did some scanning around the corners of his vision. He had more chance than he expected because just then he heard another chime! He had lost track of when he threw his blades, too caught up in the fact he was impaled to have counted the seconds! He draws the returned throwing blade from his belt and, with a simple prayer, throws it at the boar which threatened his life more and more as the battle moved on! As the blade moves, just barely, past the boar and behind it, Trinoko sighs in despair and gets back onto his legs. His morale was at an all-time low. Sure, he still had enough hitpoints to survive some more hits, but it was starting to seem like it wouldn't matter!

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko took a long breath, calming himself as best he could. He needed to focus and not worry so much. He still has a fair amount of hitpoints while the boar had precisely one. He waited for the boar to lunge at him once again, hoping this would be the last time he needed to, and he jumped! This time he didn't try and dodge, this time he landed onto the back of the boar, fingers digging into its fur as it started bucking and running to shake him off! He rode him for some time until finally he heard the chime confirming his blade had returned to him and he grasped it into his hand, trying to stab downward into the beast! The blade buried itself into the boar's back and the monster squealed in pain before shattering apart, making Trinoko gasp as the thing holding him up vanished in an explosion of pixels! He had won! He takes a long break, sitting back and basking in his small victory, looking over the enemy defeated page and seeing the quest item. He hit accept and stands up, patting any dirt off himself by instinct before he started the walk towards the town.

Trinoko: 3/5

Boar: Defeated!

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko he smiled weakly throughout the entire trip back to the Artisan's shop. Proud of himself for his win, despite the circumstances. When he arrived at the store he happily walked in, seeing the familiar NPC sitting behind the counter. "Ah, you are back. Have you come with the metal, or did you come to buy something?" In response to his words Trinoko swapped through his menus and had the piece of copper appear in his hand, looking to be an unrefined piece of ore. The NPC nodded and stood, gesturing Trinoko with a finger into the workroom.

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko headed into the workroom after the NPC, smiling softly at his prize as he did so. Once inside he was lead towards a smelter of sorts. "Go ahead and pop that inside. Just be careful not to pick it up with your bare hands." He laughs softly and gives Trinoko a set of tongs, which he uses to place the metal inside the heated smelter. He watched with pure curiosity as the metal heated, glowing as the ring had while taking shape. It shifted into the form of a metal bar, still being heated by the smelter. "Alright, now take it out and set it down on the anvil as before." The artisan was holding the hammer at the ready. Trinoko nodded and took the metal out, walking towards the anvil and setting it down.

[Trinoko 0]

As Trinoko was handed the hammer, the tongs were set aside for now. He looked to the smith for instruction and he said "This time, focus on a necklace." To this, Trinoko nodded his head and made the image of a necklace formed of copper in his head, focusing on that thought as he hammered away at the metal in order to produce an unfortunate failure. The artisan laughed softly and shook his head as the metal which had been shaping reversed back into its ingot form. "Try again, as many times as it takes. Though, in an actual shop, you could lose your items." Trinoko nodded to the NPC, happy for the warning for the future.

[Trinoko 0]

Trinoko started hammering away at the ingot again, and again, as many attempts as it took for him to get it completed. When at last the ingot formed all the way into a proper necklace, just like the one in his mind, he smiled contently. When he looked to the Artisan for approval, he was greeted with a smile and a nod. "Very good, but remember, focus your mind on a specific look and it should take that shape. It helps if you have a sense of imagination, as you would imagine." He chuckles softly and pats him on the back a few times. "That is about all I can tell you. From here on out you are on your own. You'll get the hang of it." Trinoko nods happily, almost having forgotten that the person in front of him was an NPC by now. He stands up and in the corner of his vision he sees a quest completion screen appear! He hits accept. "Thank you very much for teaching me!" He smiles contently and begins to leave the shop, taking a moment to look at all of the works that the artisan had crafted on his way out.

[Trinoko 0]

As Trinoko walked through the town again, he hummed in thought. Now that he was to have the Artisan skill for himself, he would need a place to apply it. He moves to a nearby bench and takes a seat, going through menus and maps, trying to see what floor he would want his shop to be on. He didn't particularly like huge cities like this where people were constantly around him, possibly watching him. Perhaps a smaller one? He kept looking for a little while before making a decision.

[Trinoko 0]

After much consideration and thought, he had settled on a town. He had chosen Snowfrost Town as the place he would prefer to make a shop. The cold climate would remind him of home in a strange way, and a little cold wouldn't bother him. So he had the elements and the town's size to help make sure he didn't have to deal with noise constantly. He smiled as he closed all his windows, started walking though the Town of Beginnings and approached the teleporter that would lead to the fourth floor. As he was moved to the fourth floor, he shuddered. He was by no stretch of the word used to it. He had only teleported a handful of times. He now started exploring the town in search for the building that he could make into his shop, looking the town from top to bottom, and admiring the snowfall and the chill he felt through his clothes. He already loved the place!