[F16-SP] Let's Get Ready For Tier Three!

[Astreya 0]

The girl gave a small breath as she arrived fresh on the sixteenth floor, looking around a bit at the wide area here.  She'd been here previously, when she'd made her way up to the various floors as high as she was willing to go, but this was still one of the ones that had kept her interest.  Things here were quite interesting, and there was all sorts of crazy things to see.  But most of all, there was a lot of open area that needed exploring.  And that's where she and Frosty came in.

"Heyoh!" she called out to the dwarf-like people around, who all regarded her with a cheerful wave as she came forth, looking around Venrough with a curious gaze before she glanced back down at her pet.  "All right.  Are you ready to go exploring?" she asked with a grin, earning a loud 'caw' in response to her words.  "That's what I thought!  Let's go!" she cheered, before beginning to use the items she'd picked up before her adventure, just in case!

[Used Field Rations: +12% MaxHP]
[Used T2 Immolation Potion: +20 Thorns]

Spoiler

 

--Level 19
--HP: 459 (410 + 12%) 
--NRG: 56

--Base Damage: 9
--Mitigation: 62
--Regeneration: 2% (Currently 8)
--Accuracy: 3
--Thorns: 38 (18 Base + 20 Immo)
--Taunt: 1
--Prosperity: 1

Skills:
Battle Healing: Journeyman
Fighting Spirit
Howl
|-> Focused Howl

Familiar: Hunting

2H Straight Sword: Expert

Heavy Armor: Grand Master
|-> Impetus
|-> Iron Skin

Concentration

Gear:
»Silver Frost [2H Straight Sword] | Rare T2
[Damage] - Gain +2 base damage per slot.
[Accuracy] - Add 1 onto your BD rolls (Cannot cause crits)

»Battle Dress | Rare T2 Heavy Armor
[Mitigation] - Prevent 12 damage from successful attacks against you.
[Thorns] - Successful non-critical attacks against you deal 18 unmitigated damage to the attacking enemy. Only activates on damage dealing, melee attacks.

»Hoya of the West | Perfect T1 Trinket
[Accuracy II] - Add 2 onto your BD rolls (Cannot cause crits)
[Prosperity] - Gain +1 to the base multiplier when receiving col from killing an enemy.

»Spotlight | Rare T2 Trinket
[Taunt] - Adds 1 Hate generated from successful attacks, Howl and Furious Howl.
[Recovery] - Regain 2 additional energy on natural CD rolls of 7+. 

Consumables:
»Starter Healer Potions | Heals 50 HP
[3 Total]
»Tier One Damage Potion of Uncommon quality. (+1 Damage)
[1 Total]
»Tier One Health Potions of Rare quality. (+10% HP)
[3 Total]
»Tier One Immolation Potion (+10 Thorns Damage)
[1 Total]
»Fixer Upper (Salve) | Antidote I
[1 Total]

 

 

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #191211
LD: 13 (Failure!  1 Gatherer XP Gained!)

Free Action: Hunting Familiar
ID: #191213 (380 * 3 = 1140 Col)
CD: 8 (760 Col) | LD: 11 (2 Materials)
Rare T3 Weapon (1)
Uncommon T3 Consumable (1)
 

---

Astreya found the wild and untamed nature of the 16th Floor to be quite interesting.  She wasn't really ready, she didn't think, for any full adventuring out here or anything majorly dangerous that would occur if she got jumped by more than one enemy at a time, but she felt that, as long as she were able to stick close to the town for now, she could get a good feeling for what was here, and what she could deal with as far as an enemy.  The woman lifted her hand back to her blade, peering around her as she set foot into the wilds beyond.

 

The blade rang free of its holster after a moment as she finally pulled the blade out, before looking back over to where Frosty had flown off to.  "Let me guess- you've already found something, haven't ya?" she called out toward the bird who gave a caw from where it was, before dropping a cloth sack at her feet.  "What is all... you're wild, you know that?" she asked, looking at the bird while she added the items to her inventory.

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 0/5

Edited April 29, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #191216
LD: 8 (Failure!  1 Gatherer Exp Gained!)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 1/5


 

"Okay, like that's cool and all, but look- you and I are here to beat up some monsters and try to get some better gear.  I know you're not gonna help when it's time to fight so just make sure to stay out of my way, you hear?" the woman spoke, fussing at her Familiar.  The bird gave a small caw at her, before adjusting itself onto her shoulder once more, and Astreya sighed slightly as she rolled her eyes, beginning to pick her way deeper into the area outside of the town.

There were a few monsters nearby, but one that particularly caught Astreya's eye as something would (hopefully) not pose too much of a challenge.  She swallowed, a little hesitant (as she always was) to start up a combat with a monster she had never fought against before.  The woman shifted her left shoulder a bit and allowed Frosty to fly up and away as the young woman readied her blade.  Time to see what she could do.

Edited April 29, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: SA: Fight Blade @ Giant Ant 1
ID: 191219
BD: 8 (Hit! 9*11 = 99 Damage Dealt + Stun!)
MD: 8 (Stunned!)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 46/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 1/5
Fight Blade: 0/2

Giant Ant 1 | HP: 281/380 | DMG: 114



 

She shifted forward, her stance low as she looked on at the creature in front of her.  The giant ant had an orange marker which  meant that it was hostile- but she wasn't about to go in without a plan.  She was fairly certain that things like insects would have a full group around it somewhere, but this one seemed to be off on its own.  Maybe it was just pathfinding and trying to find more food for its hive?  She didn't know, but she almost felt bad for assaulting it when it was on its own.  

But she didn't have much choice unless she wanted to get better gear and level up.  "Okay... let's go!" she called out loud as she lowered her stance and sprinted forward, before ensuring once more that there wasn't anyone else around as she began to activate one of her new Sword Arts she'd acquired, the blade flashing in her hands as she began to cut through the ant, surprising it and keeping it from attacking her.

Edited April 29, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: SA: Astral Hell @ Giant Ant 1
ID: 191220
BD: 4+3 = 7 Hit! (9 * 12 = 108 Damage!)
MD: 5 (Miss!)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 38/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 2/5
Fight Blade: 1/2
Astral Hell: 0/2

Giant Ant 1 | HP: 173/380 | DMG: 114



 

With the ant reeling away from her after the attack, Astreya didn't let up the advantage, pressing it as aggressively as she could.  This was the only way that she could actually make sure to stay one step ahead of her opponents.  She knew that she was supposed to be setup more for tanking, and she would probably get there... eventually.  But as far as right now went, there was very little that she could do besides her very best.

She'd gotten a chance to use this technique before when helping Zero with the Hoya, but she needed to keep pushing to make sure she didn't have to deal with any reprisal from this giant bug.  Each slash fed into the next, and she could see that it was maneuvering in a chance to bite at her, but she shifted her steps around, beginning to dart easily away from the creature's mandibles before she closed the distance once more!

Edited April 29, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: SA: Back Rush @ Giant Ant 1
ID: 191305
BD: 4+3 = 7 Hit! (9*8 = 72 Damage!)
MD: 5 (Miss!)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 32/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 3/5
Fight Blade: 2/2
Astral Hell: 1/2
Back Rush: 0/2

Giant Ant 1 | HP: 101/380 | DMG: 114 | Stun Cooldown 2/3



 

As she drew close, the ant seemed like it was starting to get tired of her stick and move tactics, and let out a roar of annoyance at her.  The loud clicking sounds of its frustration were clearly made known as it did so and she had to use her weapon more like a defensive style, parrying the incoming attacks with it and knocking her back several steps until she found herself being forced to turn away from the monstrous thing.

She immediately braced one foot, going back to one of her old fallbacks as she began to activate the Back Rush Sword Art, spinning sharply on her heel as her weapon soared upward, slamming up against the creature's body, causing one of its mandibles to go flying, disintegrating into data as it flew.  She was doing well so far, but she couldn't let it go to her head.  She had to keep focused- one slip-up and she'd end up having a whole new world of hurt.

Edited April 29, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: SA: Scooped @ Giant Ant 1
ID: 191306
BD: 5+3 = 8 Hit! (9*3 = 27 Damage!)
MD: 1 (Miss!)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 32/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 5/5
Back Rush: 2/2

Giant Ant 1 | HP: 74/380 | DMG: 114 | Stun Cooldown 3/3

 

---

 

The woman darted backwards before her stance shifted and she used the  momentum she'd gained as her blade swung backward, and then up and overhand before it began to crash down against the giant bug.  Astreya frowned as she saw it cleave through part of its antennae, the broken piece merely turning into data as it disappeared.  She was somewhat glad that there wasn't blood and guts and that sort of thing in this game.  She didn't think she'd actually be able to do very well with it if there were.

Her footsteps took her around to the side of the creature, watching it as it began to scramble its six legs to come toward her once more.  The lack of antennae was starting to do its work however, making the ant struggle to be able to keep her on target as it managed to try to clumsily launch a biting attack at her, which didn't even come close.  

Edited May 5, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: SA: Astral Hell @ Giant Ant 1
ID: 191316
BD: 5+3 = 8 Hit! (9*12 = 108 Damage!  Ant Defeated!)
MD: 3 (Miss, but dead anyway)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 24/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Astral Hell: 0/2

Giant Ant 1 | HP: 0/380 | DMG: 114 
Loot Roll:
ID: #191970 (1520 Col)
CD: 2 (760 Col)
LD: 10 (760 Col) 
T3 Uncommon Consumable

Free Action: Hunting Familiar
Loot Roll:
ID: #191971 (1140 Col)
CD: 5 (2 Materials)
LD: 14 (760 Col)
T3 Rare Weapon
T3 Uncommon Consumable

 

"All right, here we go!" the girl called out as she slid back, the Sword Art at the ready as she let the energy from it flow through, and she whipped her blade toward the creature, beginning to skewer it on the end of the weapon.  It managed to pierce through its defensive plating and the creature let out a scream of pain as it was defeated, and Astreya stepped back, whirling her blade around once before sheathing it back upon her back.  

"Not too bad," she agreed to herself, beginning to move forward to loot the creature, before she realized that her familiar hadn't returned back yet.  "Hey, Frosty!  Where'd you go you chicken?" she called, only to hear a call from the bird as it fluttered forward, happily depositing the items it had found while flying around.  "Hey, that's not too bad, Frosty," the woman spoke, giving a small grin toward the bird who gave a small, happy chirp.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #192265
CD: 12 (Bonus!)
LD: 19 (2 Materials Found!  5 Gatherer EXP! 44/49)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 26/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Astral Hell: 1/2
Hunting Familiar: 1/5

The girl glanced through the stuff that Frosty had gotten, but didn't bother to see if she could use anything yet.  After all, she wasn't an Appraiser- she didn't have any way to actually start to figure out what these items were.  Maybe one of them could be a cool new one-handed weapon for her to use!  Then again, she didn't have any SP available yet to spend on that.  Maybe she'd just have to wait, after all, and just continue using her main sword until later.

She shook her head before she glanced out at the distance.  There were a lot of creatures roaming around the mostly synthetic environment, and she wasn't entirely sure where to go next.  She hadn't been on this floor for very long, but she supposed she might as well keep looking to see what she could find.  Maybe there was something cool here after all.  Like this rock with '2 Materials' she just found.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #192266
CD: 12 (Would be bonus)
LD: 7 (Failure!  1 Gatherer EXP! 45/49)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 28/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Astral Hell: 2/2
Hunting Familiar: 2/5



 

She glanced off into the distance, the young woman's eyes settling onto what looked like something organic out here in this random, artificial floor.  "Is that like a whole... green hill?  Grass?  Out here?" the girl asked, tilting her head to the side as she looked back at Frosty.  "What do you think, Frosty?  Should we go out that way?" she asked, glancing back out to the green field that seemed to be rolling in the distance.

The bird gave a caw in response to her, and that was enough for Astreya who grinned, giving a nod toward the bird.  The Frost Vulture cawed once more, and Astreya began to make her way out toward the hills.  She didn't doubt that there was likely to be something in her way here eventually, but maybe if she was careful she wouldn't run into anything too dangerous or crazy for her to deal with.  "Let's go!" she cheered.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #192267
CD: 7 (Bonus!)
LD: 19 (2 Materials!  5 Gatherer Exp Gained!  Level up!  50/199)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 3/5

---

 

The girl began to step forward, making her way up into the green hills that were in the distance, but as she began to make her way out toward it, she realized there was something glinting on the ground, and she paused, the vulture on her shoulder chirping as the girl began to look down on at it.  "This looks interesting," the girl murmured as she knelt down next to it, reaching down and poking it it the gemstone.

As she did, a pop-up appeared on her screen for '2 Materials' which was about what she had expected, but then another pop-up appeared in her UI as well.  'Gatherer Level Two Achieved!' 

"Oh awesome!" she cheered, raising her hands up above her head in her excitement.  "Okay so... what does that do?" she asked aloud, looking over toward Frosty who merely cawed at her in response.  That wasn't very helpful.  "Well then let's hang on a sec and let me figure this out..." she murmured.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #192268
CD: 10 (Bonus!)
LD: 15 (Success! 2 Materials Found!  +5 Gatherer EXP! 55/199)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 4/5



 

"Okay... so let me see if I can figure out what this Gatherer Level Two does," the girl murmured to herself as she began to open up several different inventory windows.  She hadn't ever really explored the menus before, and she took a moment to go through and find her Skills before she settled on Gatherer.  "Okay... Makes it easier to locate Materials for Crafting.  What, that's it?  That's all you're gonna give me?" the girl asked, frowning slightly in response to the information given.

She looked through everything again, making sure she hadn't missed anything, before she looked over toward the Frost Vulture, frowning slightly.  "So that didn't help me at all, Frosty.  I guess maybe they just stand out slightly more?" she asked, before she turned back over to look at her menu, before realizing something else was glittering.  "Ohhhhh okay.  So that's how it works," she spoke as she reached down, picking up the item and getting the '2 Materials' pop-up.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #192269
CD: 3 (Nothin')
LD: 11 (Failure!  1 Gatherer EXP gained! 56/199)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 5/5



 

Astreya glanced around once more, just to make sure that there wasn't anything else around, but try as she might, she couldn't see any more of the materials around.  She must have already cleared out everything there.  "Okay, Frosty.  We need to get out toward that field.  I'm kinda sick of all this weird not really real stuff that's around here.  I mean, this whole world isn't really real.  And neither are you, but you know what I mean," the girl spoke, shaking her head.

The vulture merely cawed at her, and Astreya snorted.  "Yeah, yeah I know," the girl spoke, even if she had no idea what the bird was on about.  "C'mon, back onto the shoulder," the girl spoke, already well used to the heavy weight of her armor as she allowed the creature to settle in on her left shoulder.  Astreya nodded to herself them before beginning to trek up toward the green rolling hills.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #192355
CD: 5 (No Bonus)
LD: 8 (Failure! 1 Gatherer EXP gained! 57/199)

Free Action: Hunting Familiar
Loot Roll:
ID: #192356 (1140 Col)
CD: 11 (2 Materials)
LD: 19 (2 Materials)
Perfect Weapon (1)
Additional Col (1520)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 0/5

---

 

The young woman began to set her mind to going along the path to get to the rolling green hills in the distance.  She was a little less lonely now, especially since she had Frosty to keep her company, but she had to admit she would greatly prefer to have someone else along for the ride too.  She closed her eyes for a moment as she thought of the others that she had run into on her time here, and felt that maybe she should try to reach out to one of them again.  She knew a few of them were still on her Friend's List... but she felt weird reaching out to them.

Like maybe it wasn't as weird as she thought, but cold-calling someone and asking them to come and- 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud caw from Frosty and she blinked, the girl seeing the Frost Vulture holding onto what looked like a very fancy weapon.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #192441
CD: 8 (No Bonus)
LD: 8 (Failure! 1 Gatherer EXP gained! 58/199)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 1/5

---

"Where did-" she began, but she had long since learned (even in the short time that she and Frosty had been working together) that there wasn't much reason to ever question what the bird could do.  The Frost Vulture had been able to go and locate things that would be deemed as 'shiny objects' fairly easily.  That apparently included this fancy looking weapon that she was now holding.

She shook her head, and instead reached up a hand to pet the bird in response, giving the Frost Vulture a grin.  "Thanks Frosty!" she called cheerfully toward the creature before she took the weapon (and some of the other stuff the bird had found) and added it to her inventory for later on.  "We're not too far from the hills and then we can really get rolling with something fun!" the girl spoke, not really sure what she was going to be looking for but all the same, she was curious at what was out here.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #192442
CD: 5 (No Bonus)
LD: 6 (Failure!  1 Gatherer EXP gained! 59/199)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 2/5

---

The ground steadily began to change from the somewhat artificial-looking hellscape (in Astreya's opinion) to something a little more green.  It started with small tufts of grass appearing here or there, with the grass seeds seeming to struggle to take root and actually break up through the ground where she stood, but as she drew closer and closer to those green hills, there came more and more of that greenery, with large swaths of green grass appearing for a moment before it faded as she drew closer to the hill.

However, the unmistakable scent of greenery was on the horizon, and she couldn't help but to feel a slight excitement in her step as she drifted forward, the young woman's excitement nearly palpable as one of her mailed boots didn't 'click' when it touched the ground and instead was softly cushioned by the greenery of the hills.  "Wow... it's so pretty.  I wouldn't have thought this would be here on this Floor," she mused.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #194015
CD: 11 (Would be a bonus but)
LD: 12 (Failure! 1 Gatherer EXP gained! 60/199)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 3/5

---

 

The young woman's steps continued across the rolling green hills, and she couldn't help but to give a small laugh of her own excitement at the area.  Not that there hadn't been other pretty areas here in Aincrad, but they were either stock-standard or there was a bit too much going on, such as all the forestry on the... fourth? floor.  She wasn't sure which floor was which, even now (and frequently used the teleporters incorrectly when she went to a place she didn't mean to).

But this area was like a whole different world amidst the rather inorganic areas that had been around prior to.  There was something about it that just made her heart a little giddy to see.  She smiled, her hand momentarily coming down from her blade's hilt, something that showed her guard was down a bit more than she normally allowed it to be as she stepped up one of the hills, standing at its crest.  "Wow..." she breathed, looking over the rolling greenery.

Edited May 23, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #194016
CD: 8 (No Bonus)
LD: 6 (Failure! 1 Gatherer EXP gained! 61/199)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 4/5

---

She wondered if maybe part of the reason she found it so alluring was the fact that there was so much non-green that the Floor had, that when in comparison, this area was something special and magical.  The smile on Astreya's face grew a little bit as she began to walk down the hill a little, curious to see what she might be able to find out here.  It was curious to know what there might be out here, away from the rest of the more industrial landscape.

She glanced back at Frosty, who seemed to be getting a little bit froggy, sitting on her shoulder for so long.  "If you wanna get out and fly around, you can go," the girl called, smirking at her bird.  "You don't have to stick around if you need to get some wind under your wings," the woman continued, and the bird gave a caw before unfurling her wings and leaping skyward.

Edited May 23, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Gathering
ID: #194017
CD: 4 (No Bonus)
LD: 11 (Failure! 1 Gatherer EXP gained! 62/199)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 5/5

---

Astreya watched the bird fly off into the distance, heading out to wherever the bird was going to go.  The young woman smiled as the bird went higher skyward, before she turned around her attention to the greenery, the number of small animals abound here was rather surprising to her, given the rest of the floor.  It seemed like they all congregated right here in this area, which made sense to her.

As she moved, she could also see a few faeries here and there, the creatures flitting around like giant insects.  They were very pretty to look at with their enormous, insect-like wings, but the faces of the creatures were also just a little bit insectile as well, with large, multi-faceted eyes that darted this way and that.

Astreya watched them move this way and that for a moment, before she noted a few different creatures beginning to head off in one direction.  Curiosity started to get the better of her as she followed.

Edited May 23, 2021 by Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Treasure Roll
ID: #194018
LD: 14 (Failure!)

Astreya | HP: 459/459 | EN: 56/56 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 62 | BH: 8 | ACC: 3 | THORNS 38 | TAUNT: 1
Hunting Familiar: 0/5

Free Action: Hunting Familiar
ID: #194019 (1140 Col)
CD: 9 (2 Materials)
LD: 6 (760 Col)
Rare Trinket (1)
Additional Col (380 Col)

---

 

Astreya felt like the creatures here had come to this particular area for a reason, and she was curious what that might be... but at the same time, she wasn't able to really go and follow them as they migrated en masse.  The insectile creatures that she'd been watching already had been a little wary of her, just from her proximity to them.  Maybe it was the fact that she'd cut down a few monsters from just before that were also some sort of insect?  

It didn't seem to matter how many times Astreya saw something new in this game she was always surprised by the depths of it.  That there were constantly new things being shown to her, letting the girl understand the vast depth to this game that went far beyond just the regular numbers and other things that provided her the ability to play this game.  This whole area alone was something she hadn't expected to find, and yet here it was, just before her like it had responded to her very real wish to see something more organic.

She smiled as she looked on at the creatures, her gaze following them in the direction that she was going to head into once Frosty returned, the young woman's sapphire gaze watching them curiously.  Even here at the fringes of this wide, green area, the creatures seemed to be called by something that she couldn't see or hear.  Of course, that made it a bit disconcerting and she wondered if perhaps there was some sort of monstrous entity just waiting for her nearby that was planning to fight her.

Thankfully, that line of logic didn't get very far as she spotted Frosty once more coming back her way, and just as before, the creature had found something else, the bag clutched in its talons as it fluttered closer.  "What'd you find this time?" Astreya called up to the bird, who gave a small chirp before it hovered downward, dropping the sack into Astreya's waiting hands.  The girl opened it up to find some Col and Materials, as well as a small little trinket.  "Dang, Frosty.  I'm getting super curious as to where you find all of this," the girl spoke, shaking her head as she watched her bird, who merely gave another small chirp before hopping upward onto the girl's armor.

Astreya watched the creature for a moment longer before she shook her head and glanced back out to where the creatures were going, before she noticed that the sky was getting dark.  And it was getting dark fast. She frowned, unsure what was going on as it almost seemed like a giant, yawning mouth was opening, beginning to devour everything on the way toward her from wherever the creatures were going.  

--Sword Art: Online Update Imminent.  Thirty Seconds Until Reboot.--

The words flashed across her HUD and echoed in her ears, causing the girl's eyes to widen slightly and she took an involuntary step back away from the darkness.  This... was kind of like what she'd seen before!  Granted, when it had happened before, she'd been in the middle of a town and that had helped her to not be quite as fearful for what was going to happen.  If there was an update, what if she popped back in here to find herself surrounded by monsters?  Or worse?  

She frowned, not sure that anything she could do was going to actually help, here.  The woman's form shifted slightly as she reached a hand back to grasp ahold of the hilt of her blade, staring daggers out into the encroaching darkness that rushed toward her.  This was going to be another change- she just hoped that whatever came after this wasn't too difficult for her to adapt to.  She had actually gotten a good bit stronger after the last update had taken over, but she didn't know if this was going to be the same this time around.

The darkness rushed like a dark wind, falling over her and then in a moment, the world faded around her, replaced with the lack of digitized environment.  In the few breaths following, that same shadow began to eat at her HUD, it seemed, until there was nothing left of it, leaving her floating in the darkness.  "All right update.  Do your worst," she spoke under her breath, the young woman finding a strange sort of amusement in being defiant toward something she had no control over.  Frosty faded a moment later, and then she felt as if she were drifting to sleep...

Edited December 22, 2021 by Astreya