{SP-F22} New Rules, Same Murderer

[Pinball 1]

The sounds of his footsteps were the only thing that filled the silence. 

Everything was eerily still. In comparison to this hissing and clicking and clattering of buggy limbs across the stone floor like in the first room, this was quite literally like sitting on the moon. There was no sound. There was nobody or nothing in sight, aside from him, and he was the only one there for as far as the eye could see. 

Luckily for him, he had Night Vision, and the darkness didn't inhibit his capabilities to fight or see in front of him. Anyone else attempting to raid this dungeon would either have to bring a Glowstone, have Night Vision as well, or suffer in silence as they fought what were mostly hidden enemies. 

He paused. For a moment, he could have sworn he saw something - the glint of something shiny in the engraved wall beside him. But when he looked over his shoulder towards where he thought it had been, he found nothing. Running his fingers across its surface, he found nothing but cold rock and the suffocating, humid air of the underground passage. With a look of resignation, he turned and continued down the passage. 

                                                                    

Searching for Treasure Chest: 
ID#187534 LD: 4+5= 9 LD (Failure)  

Out of Combat Recovery: 
  HP: 665+80= 745/970 HP 

Edited April 3, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

Two pairs of glowing red eyes in each corner of the room ahead of him. 

Pinball stopped between the both of them. 

And they rose to the challenge. Their forms were massive - bulbous yet dense muscle made for an intimidating wall. They had large, nasty white pincers and big red eyes. Their bodies were entirely black save for their arms: where the previous monsters had had scythe like appendages like a Praying Mantis, these creatures were completely made from fantasy, and in place of hands were humongous lance-like protrusions that they held at the ready. At the same time, they let out an ear-shattering screech that caused debris to fall loose from the ceiling. Pinball grimaced, but stood his ground.

He took a stance. Held his weapon at the ready as they charged. 

Closed his eyes. Exhaled as they jabbed at him, ice coalescing across his hands, his chest, his cheeks. A breath of frosty white air escaped his lips. 

His eyes opened. He flowed from one movement to the next like the winds, deftly evading the stab of the first bug before swirling over to the other. A lance aimed to punch a hole through his skull was caught and redirected by his Cold Fervor. The weight of the blow far exceeded the strength of his slash, and so he could only push it down to where it raked against his side instead before the sword finally glanced off their arm, and he brought it up in a decisive slash that carried the full force of winter winds. Specks of ice and snow whipped up across and consumed the insectoid warrior before filling the room in its entirety, a maelstrom of cold. 

The attacking mob had been left frozen in place, frost seeping through its joints and natural armor. 

                                                                           

Action Taken: PARRY [-8 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Buggy Boy 1: ID#187535 MD: 3 (Miss) 
Buggy Boy 2: ID#187536 MD: 10 (CRIT+2) ~ 227/2 = 113 // Justified Riposte 

Pinball: 632/970 HP | 106/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase |
   Cooldowns: Parry (0/3)  

Buggy Boy 1: 450/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT 
Buggy Boy 2: 450/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT {STUNNED} 

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

But he wasn't done there. After the shit show he had left behind him? Not a chance. 

"Zomekko!" At his call, his companion burst from its jar and curled around his weapon like a shadowy mist. Pinball took comfort in Zomekko's presence. If he had one friend left in the world, it was his ghostly familiar. Rushing towards the other Buggy Boy, Pinball let his weapon go loose in his grip before tightening the moment before impact. He'd launched himeself into the air, raining bursts of color and ice and shadow from a more even level, and just as he felt the Sword Art nearing its finish, cried: 

"Now!" 

Zomekko's mist leapt from the sword to the Buggy Boy, wrapping and curling around it many times over -- black fog then condensed into something else entirely, shadowy tendrils binding the creature in place. It struggled to get free but couldn't as Zomekko's ghastly bindings pulled and compressed the monster's form like black rubber bands, leaving it completely harmless for the time being. At the sight of it, Pinball couldn't prevent the violent laughter escaping his lungs, even as he soared through the air. "Good kitty-!" 

He hit the ground and rolled, bouncing to his feet almost immediately after landing. 

                                                                           

Action Taken: Sword Art - Meteor Break | GRAPPLING FAMILIAR [-15 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Buggy Boy 1: ID#187537 BD: 7 (Hit) ~ 20*16= 320-90= 230 DMG + STUN 
Buggy Boy 2: ID#

Pinball: 632/970 HP | 91/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
   Cooldowns: Parry (1/3) | Grappling Familiar (0/5) | Meteor Break (0/2) 

Buggy Boy 1: 220/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT {STUNNED} 
Buggy Boy 2: 450/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT {STUNNED}

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

By then, however, the second Buggy Boy was thawing out. He didn't have much time to celebrate before the mob was back and angrier than ever. 

With another roar, it thundered towards Pinball with murder on its mind. Pulling its arm back, it threw another wicked jab towards him that would inevitably hit the spot where he had been just an instant ago -- because as he'd seen it coming, he'd thrown himself into a showy, acrobatic backflip to get to safety. While it worked on pulling its lance out of the earth it had impaled, Pinball charged it once more, charging a Sword Art as he did. 

On impact its torso exploded with energy, causing it to shriek, but this time in pain. Pinball landed, bounced once, twice, and then finally came to a stop, spinning around with his blade up. Meanwhile, the noises coming from the other Buggy Boy were becoming more and more aggravated as it tugged and tore at its bindings... 

                                                                           

Action Taken: Sword Art - Shadow Explosion [-13 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Buggy Boy 1: ID# 
Buggy Boy 2: ID#187538 BD: 3+5= 8 (Hit) MD: 8-5= 3 (Miss) ~ 20*15= 300-90= 210 DMG 

Pinball: 632/970 HP | 79/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
   Cooldowns: Parry (2/3) | Grappling Familiar (1/5) | Meteor Break (1/2) | Shadow Explosion (0/3) 

Buggy Boy 1: 220/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT {STUNNED} 
Buggy Boy 2: 240/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

Until it finally broke free. Zomekko's binding bands snapped and reverted to miss, where they coalesced and reverted into a puffy cat-like cloud floating above the monster's head. But it didn't care for Zomekko - it wanted Pinball, and fueled by the bloodlust it came crashing down with both lances, aiming to slam Pinball into the dirt. Sadly for the mob, it wouldn't have that pleasure. Dashing to the side, Pinball was quick to unleash a counterattack in the form of Nova Ascension, the temperature in the room dropping significantly. 

He'd frozen it solid. The ice glittered softly in the darkness, illuminated by the glow of his yellow gaze. 

Pinball didn't have much time to admire his handiwork, however. The other one was still up and active, and it wanted revenge. One, two, three stabs were dodged by a bobbing and weaving Pinball. He was in the groove. He was living in the moment. He wasn't plagued by thoughts or worries or questions of what happened next. Cold Fervor was held limply in one hand, his one and only concern being the attacks in the present moment, and his eyes followed them as they came and went, darting from lance to lance. In that moment, he was completely relaxed and his mind was completely empty, and that was when Pinball fought at his absolute best. 

                                                                           

Action Taken: Sword Art - Nova Ascension [-12 EN/+1 EN] 
Buggy Boy 1: ID#187539 BD: 8 (Hit) MD: 5 (Miss) ~ 20*13= 260-90= 170 DMG + FREEZE 
Buggy Boy 2: ID#187540 MD: 8-5= 3 (Miss) 

Pinball: 632/970 HP | 68/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
   Cooldowns: Parry (3/3) | Grappling Familiar (2/5) | Meteor Break (2/2) | Shadow Explosion (1/3) | Nova Ascension (0/1) 

Buggy Boy 1: 50/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT | -1 EVA | {FROZEN} 
Buggy Boy 2: 240/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

Meteor Break was off cooldown. 

In between the flurry of stabs, the only thing Pinball could do was look up to that magnificent wall of muscle and relentless endurance and smile.

Basing his hypothesis purely off memory, Pinball was fairly confident that landing that shot would be more than enough to finish off his infuriated adversary. Humming softly, Pinball let the Sword Art activate, positioned and aimed himself, and then let Cardinal take over as he was thrown into a chain of vibrant attacks that cut through far more than it sparked off of the beastie's dense armor-plated muscle. When all was finished, the Buggy Boy had been thoroughly shredded in the process, its form littered with a series of scrapes, cuts, and heavy gashes. But its HP dropped into nothingness, and it was no more than a burst of sky-blue pixels as he turned away. 

Oh? Pinball readied his sword. This one's in worse shape than I remember. 

                                                                           

Action Taken: Sword Art - Meteor Break [-16 EN/+1 EN] // PHASE
Buggy Boy 1: ID#
Buggy Boy 2: ID#187541 BD: 10 ~ 22*16= 352-45= 307 DMG + FREEZE 

Pinball: 632/970 HP | 53/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
   Cooldowns: Grappling Familiar (3/5) | Meteor Break (0/2) | Shadow Explosion (2/3) | Nova Ascension (1/1) 

Buggy Boy 1: 50/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT | -1 EVA | {FROZEN} 
Buggy Boy 2: 0/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

"Let's just finish you off there then, buddy." 

Buggy Boy snorted and growled in response. He wasn't really that much of a talker. Sad. 

This time it ran to greet Pinball in a headlong bull rush, but that was unfortunately not the way you should go about attacking the more nimble players. Pinball stood in place, as he was, the shadowy form of the gigantic creature looming over him as it got closer and closer -- and in the end, Pinball was quicker on the draw. Unsheathing his blade and activating Nova Ascension and one fluid motion, Pinball was thrust into the Sword Art's execution before Buggy Boy had even managed to wind up its strikes. 

At the end of it, Zomekko floated down besides him, and Pinball was left alone in the room with a drawn weapon, icy flecks drifting through the air around him and mingling with the polygonal shards the monsters had left behind. 

                                                                           

Action Taken: Sword Art - Nova Ascension [-12 EN/+1 EN] 
Buggy Boy 1: ID#187542 BD: 6 (Hit) MD: 3 (Miss) ~ 20*13= 260-90= 170 DMG 

Pinball: 632/970 HP | 42/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
   Cooldowns: Grappling Familiar (4/5) | Meteor Break (1/2) | Shadow Explosion (3/3) | Nova Ascension (0/1) 

Buggy Boy 1: 0/450 HP | 225 DMG | 90 MIT 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

This time, Pinball saw the outline of the door shifting before he heard it. It scraped and moved away to reveal another tunnel, this leading, of course, to the final room of the dungeon. The boss was ahead of him, but Pinball settled down on the ground for a moment to let his energy and health recover for a moment. 

Zomekko drifted down to the ground beside him and stared up at him with empty white eyes. A faint smile spread across his lips as the sassy ghost cat flicked its tail and padded silently away, seemingly interested in investigating the surrounding tribal carvings and paintings in the room. But as far as he could tell, there was nothing of interest. 

He flicked his wrist and opened his menu. He wasn't about to go into the fight without first ensuring that everything was in working order. If his teleportation crystals weren't in his battle ready, or his HP Recovery just the same -- well, the last thing he wanted was to get caught in the boss's room with his pants down. 

Pinball made sure to double and triple check that everything was working properly. He would take no chances with the final boss of a dungeon, whether it was a tier below him or not. 

                                                                                              

Out of Combat Recovery: 

HP: 632+80= 712/970 HP 
EN Recovery: 1/2 

Battle Ready: (because i forgot to write it down here in the previous rest phase) 

Shifting Hummus Dip out in favor of x5 Lacrimosa - HP Recovery III Crystal {Instant} 

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

Once he was satisfied, Pinball stood up. 

"Come on," he called to Zomekko. She quickly followed suit, swiftly moving through the air, swirling around him, and coming to a rest within the jar he carried on his waist. Pinball began to walk down the dark corridor. Again, the silence was deafening, and he dared not break it for fear the whole place would come crumbling down around him. 

The hall stretched on for what felt like about a minute or so. Eventually the smooth, cut stone beneath his feet turned sticky and soft. Glancing down he saw webs stuck to his boot, and then he looked ahead and the floor was layered with them to the point the path had turned completely white ahead of him. 

So the final boss was some sort of spider.

That was pretty standard for a bug-themed dungeon. He wondered briefly what mutated monstrosity he'd face in the battle ahead until he was staring it in the eyes. 

                                                                                              

Out of Combat Recovery: 

HP: 712+80= 792 HP 
EN Recovery: 2/2 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

To call the chamber massive was an understatement. It was the size of the previous two put together and then double that even still, columns of intricately carved stone laid throughout as support, covered in a thick layer of silky webbing, a fate that absolutely none of the room had escaped. And in the center of it all, the monstrous beast that called the place its home... 

"Squee!" 

"What the fuck?" 

...was a cute little spiderling a third the size of himself with bulging six pack abs. Before the normally hazy state of his mind cleared up to deal with the task at hand as it normally did, Pinball was almost a bit jealous of its wickedly masculine body. And then the delusion wore off, and Pinball was in shock. Was this it? What he'd worked up to? The climactic final boss he'd risked life and limb for? Pinball hesitantly threw up his guard and glanced around the room. Surely, there had to be some giant monster that was about to drop on and crush the spiderling like the cliched introduction to a kaiju movie. But there was none such danger lurking in the shadows. He'd made sure of it with his Searching. 

And the Needlessly Swole Spiderling slowly scuttled towards him with an insatiable bloodlust. 

                                                                                              

Action Taken: PARRY [-8 EN] {Well Rested} 
Needlessly Swole Spiderling: ID#187558 MD: 5 (Miss) 

Pinball: 792/970 HP | 106/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase
  Cooldowns: Parry (0/3) 

Needlessly Swole Spiderling: 1,200/1,200 HP | 270 DMG | 150 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

"Squee!" 

Pinball fidgeted. He was still in disbelief and wasn't at all sure how he was supposed to be reacting. 

But it leapt at him with unprecedented speed, latching onto him and clamping down on his neck. Grunting, Pinball backpedaled, grasping the spider and yanking it free of his throat, then tossing it viciously to the side with a quick swipe of a frostbitten sword as a parting gift. Winter winds buffeted the creature and filled the room around them, causing the webbing in the area to glitter like hundreds of thousands of tiny diamonds. 

Stunned and struggling to recover its footing, the roided up arachnid convulsed on the floor while Pinball stood heaving, still shell-shocked from its reveal. 

"Sq-squee," it lamented, cursing the gods who had made it so. Pinball brushed off whatever shakiness still plagued him and leveled Cold Fervor. If this was what it was going to be, then so be it. He had to get past it if he wanted to leave, and there was no swapping opponents with some other dungeon. God, what I would do for a different one right now though.

It was with heavy heart he steeled himself for the battle ahead. 

                                                                                              

Action Taken: Sword Art - Meteor Break [-1 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Needlessly Swole Spiderling: ID#187559 BD: 1 (o) MD: 9 (ok) ~ 300/2 = 150 DMG to Pinball // Justified Riposte 

Pinball: 642/970 HP | 106/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase | 
  Cooldowns: Parry (0/3) |  Meteor Break (0/2) 

Needlessly Swole Spiderling: 1,200/1,200 HP | 270 DMG | 150 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA {Stunned} 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

"Sq-squibbers!!" 

"Oh-?" 

The Spiderling practically leapt for joy as the effects of the stun left it. Pinball took a measured step back, angling himself for his next attack. He wouldn't give the Wave 3 monster any time to rest, because that mercy had never been given to him, even by creatures outside of the sub-dungeon's confines. His sword glowering miasmic blackness, Pinball charged up Shadow Explosion before remembering Shatter, and then a grey outline surrounded it. 

Unleashing the Sword Art as normal, a visible effect would occur as a sickly crunch filled the room and the air was filled with a spiderweb of gray energy fracturing the very air around it. Pinball felt his sword cut a great deal deeper into the shell of the bug he was attacking and was almost immediately pleased with the new skill. 

Something he wouldn't notice until it was too late was the exponential energy cost increase. 

                                                                                              

Action Taken: Sword Art - Shadow Explosion [-13 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Needlessly Swole Spiderling: ID#187560 BD: 7 (hit) ~ 20*15= 300-150= 165 DMG 

Pinball: 642/970 HP | 94/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
  Cooldowns: Parry (1/3) | Meteor Break (1/2) | Shadow Explosion (0/3) 

Needlessly Swole Spiderling: 1,035/1,200 HP | 270 DMG | 150 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA {Stunned} 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

Silence. 

Pinball hesitated. 

The spiderling didn't move. Instead, it stared at him, and Pinball could have sworn he saw some glimmer of intelligence... somewhere in its many, many eyes. Pinball moved forward slowly. Carefully. Calculating every twitch of movement the Spiderling produced in response to the sudden approach, but there was none, and Pinball paused again. 

He hesitated again. 

Why wasn't it moving? Why was it just staring at him? It'd stopped making noise, too. Was something about to happen? Had he triggered some sort of event in the fight like he'd secretly expected to? Or was Cardinal lagging? This thought process repeated itself in his mind like an endless loop, and it would seem that Pinball would never get to know the truth behind it, because just as Pinball was about to lower his weapon and go up and poke it or something, the Needlessly Swole Spiderling jumped to life as if nothing had happened in the first place. "Squee, squee!"

                                                                                              

Action Taken: Sword Art - Nova Ascension [-2 EN/+1 EN] 
Needlessly Swole Spiderling: ID#187565 BD: 1 MD: 1 

Pinball: 642/970 HP | 93/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
  Cooldowns: Parry (2/3) | Meteor Break (2/2) | Shadow Explosion (1/3) | Nova Ascension (0/1) 

Needlessly Swole Spiderling: 1,035/1,200 HP | 270 DMG | 150 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

And all of a sudden the fight had regained some miniscule semblance of normalcy. 

The Needlessly Swole Spiderling jumped to attack him again, but with a far superior sense of dexterity and agility Pinball sidestepped, unleashing a furious barrage of sword strikes against the spiderling as it hung suspended by the force in mid-air. As it was pressured backwards Pinball pressed forward, slamming it up and down and around like a ball he was juggling across the edge of his sword, but instead of juggling he was trying to kill it. Finally the Sword Art reached its conclusion, and as Pinball's body registered that brief moment of delay between the usage of such arts, the boss mob's body went ragdolling across the room, kicking up clouds of glittering silver webs as it went. 

But it jumped back to its feet with that same "no thoughts, head empty" enthusiasm about it and started skittering towards him again unprompted. 

                                                                                              

Action Taken: Sword Art - Meteor Break [-16 EN/+1 EN] 
Needlessly Swole Spiderling: ID#187566 BD: 2+4= 6 (Hit) MD: 7-3= 4 (Miss) ~ 20*16= 320-150= 170 DMG

Pinball: 642/970 HP | 78/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
  Cooldowns: Parry (3/3) | Meteor Break (0/2) | Shadow Explosion (2/3) | Nova Ascension (1/1) 

Needlessly Swole Spiderling: 865/1,200 HP | 270 DMG | 150 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

Shatter was an Extra Skill unlocked with the completion of that one quest he couldn't remember the name of. 

But he knew it was the one that he'd finished with Reinholt all that time ago, and he knew what it allowed him to do. It went as follows. 

First, Pinball willed Shatter into the blade. Cold Fervour would begin to glow bright as though he were activating a Sword Art, but that effect would only last until the conclusion of his next successful attack. So, to get the maximum oomph out of it, he activated Nova Ascension with it. As the spiderling mindlessly charged its opponent, Pinball eagerly laid another series of strikes into its already riddled-with-wounds body, mercilessly cutting through its natural defenses all the easier. To the sound of crunching, fractured air, Pinball drove the monster's HP further and further into dangerous depths. 

Although the same could be said for his Energy. He noticed its significant drop now out of the corner of his eye. 

                                                                                              

Action Taken: Sword Art - Nova Ascension [-12 EN/+1 EN] 
Needlessly Swole Spiderling: ID#187567 BD: 7 (Hit) MD: 8-4= 4 (Miss) ~ 20*13= 260-150= 110 DMG 

Pinball: 642/970 HP | 67/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
  Cooldowns: Meteor Break (1/2) | Shadow Explosion (3/3) | Nova Ascension (0/1) 

Needlessly Swole Spiderling: 755/1,200 HP | 270 DMG | 150 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

He unleashed Shadow Explosion. There was no point in letting it go to waste. 

Oh, boy, now he was sweating bullets. 

"Squee!"

And that annoyingly persistent fucker really wasn't helping. Since when had his total Energy values been that low? He was practically scraping the bottom of the barrel now. There weren't exact numbers listed beside those two important bars, but Pinball had gotten pretty damn good at mathematical approximation by just looking at it since his time spent in the game. He had two, maybe three Sword Arts left at his disposal, tops, before he hit empty. And that third strike was pushing it. By then, his Shatter stacks would have been burnt up and used completely, and he had little to no faith in that last strike's ability to finish the job. 

Pinball grimaced. Dodged another attack. Now just what was he supposed to do now? Shit. I'm...

                                                                                              

Action Taken: Sword Art - Shadow Explosion [-14 EN EN/+1 EN] 
Needlessly Swole Spiderling: ID#187568 BD: 4+4= 8 (Hit) MD: 7 (Miss) ~ 20*15= 300-150= 150 DMG 

Pinball: 642/970 HP | 54/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
  Cooldowns:  Meteor Break (2/2) | Shadow Explosion (0/3) | Nova Ascension (1/1) 

Needlessly Swole Spiderling: 605/1,200 HP | 270 DMG | 150 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA {STUNNED} 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

One more attack. 

Right. He'd unleash one last sword art, one last strike, and maybe - just maybe - if he got lucky enough, he'd be able to pull something out of his ass that would completely turn the tides of the battle. Oh how absolutely unaware the cutesy-but-undeniably-jacked spirderling was of Pinball's life or death predicament. Ignorance truly was bliss at times, and what Pinball would give to revert back into that shitty "I'll fucking kill everything" state of grief for just that moment. Just so he didn't have to deal with looking at the rotten bastard in front of him for a minute longer. 

Alas, Meteor Break came and went. 

In the end it was not enough. Pinball watched even as his most powerful available Sword Art but the Needlessly Swole Spiderling at a precarious level. Agonized over how if he just had that much more energy, that much more damage, he would have been able to conquer the dungeon's keeper and return to the surface stronger for that struggle. 

                                                                                              

Action Taken: Sword Art - Meteor Break [-16 EN/+1 EN] 
Needlessly Swole Spiderling: ID#187569 BD: 6 (Hit) ~ 20*16= 320-150= 170 DMG 

Pinball: 674/970 HP | 39/114 EN | 20 DMG | 5 ACC | 5 EVA | 8-10/FRZ | Phase 
  Cooldowns: Shadow Explosion (1/3) | Meteor Break (0/2) 

Needlessly Swole Spiderling: 435/1,200 HP | 270 DMG | 150 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA {STUNNED}

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

But it just wasn't meant to be. 

"Squee!"

"Fuck yourself." 

Flicking a TP Crystal from a pouch on his belt, Pinball lifted it high above his head. With a simple phrase, his avatar shone bright and exploded in a flash of vibrant color, briefly illuminating the dungeon's final chamber in a display the likes of which the sheltered little Needlessly Swole Spiderling had likely never seen before, and likely never will again, although mostly because it would probably despawn once most players left the areas around it. 

The whole TP Crystal business was old news. He'd said the first thing that came to his mind, which was Coral, the floor's main settlement, and so he hurried off towards the border of the Safe Zone before any of the haphazardly armed "guards" in the town saw him and decided to remove him forcefully. He didn't need to get the boot. It was a practiced song and dance for a PKer. At this point in his life, he didn't even have to think about where to go, how to go, and how quickly. The evasion of the authorities was a craft that he had perfected, for better or for worse. 

He left the area and resumed his leisurely stroll. 

                                                                                              

Action Taken: USING TP CRYSTAL 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Pinball

[Pinball 1]

"So, what did you learn?" 

Pinball walked the dirt path alone, though Zomekko floated lazily along beside him, staring up at her master with a blank gaze. If anyone had been around to see the player with an orange cursor walking near towns and muttering to himself, they'd surely give him a wide berth or attempt to apprehend the totally crazed murderer - but there were no such people nearby, and Pinball wasn't really all that crazed anymore. Just tired, and depressed, and very, very guilty. He closed his eyes and finally responded to his own question. 

"Well, for starters, I probably should have brought a damage potion. Or something with Protein. Probably both."

He scratched his neck and rolled his head, sighing.

"Yeah, probably both. I probably would have been able to finish it if I had. I also hate spiders now, so that's new. Super fun stuff all around."

That ever-present light breeze brushed against him now, causing Pinball to slow to a stop and the gaseous Zomekko to retreat to the jar at his waist for fear of blowing away. Pinball looked out across the burbling stream that ran alongside the path and breathed in the fresh air. He was getting frustrated over nothing. With a quiet exhale, he resumed the walk.

"Great update, Kayaba."

Alright, maybe he was still a little bit annoyed.

[Pinball 1]

While his walk had originally been intended as something aimless, he eventually decided to revisit a few of the new key locations of the floor. 

First was the Reclaimed Sentinel. He headed towards the giant statue and saw it looming in the distance before he got there. Once he was, Pinball simply stood in the center of the area, at the base of the destroyed golem, staring up at a statue that was as crumbled as it was still imposing. He brushed his hand against its cool, smooth cut surface and let him pull away at some of the vines that were particularly gnarled and overgrown in the area. He'd heard a couple of NPCs talking about it earlier, when he'd passed the farmer's market. Something about a benevolent guardian. 

It was at least something to think about. 

He turned around to leave, and as he walked beneath them briefly considered climbing some of the stone spires surrounding before dismissing the idea as childish and pointless. Pinball didn't look back and promptly returned to his dull and monotonous trek through the floor, his head down and his spirits low; of which was his normal state. His mind wandered as the breeze granted some reprieve from the intense sun up above.