[SP - F17] Muse <<Challenge of Olympus: Performer>>

[Kura 0]

It was early in the morning when Kura stepped onto floor seventeen for the first time. He was here due to an invitation by someone named "Zeus" for a challenge regarding his profession, performer. Interested in the reward, that being an item that would assist his crafting, Kura would walk through the streets of Athenaia. It was a beautiful city with architectural wonders based off greek culture, awe inspiring on how they were able to translate such a place into a game.

Kura however, sadly cared little. Like with everything he does, he tends to only focus on the goal he's set out for. And while that objective can change depending on the circumstances, it would always take priority over something like beauty or relaxation. While useful in a game of monsters and battle, crafting wise it strangled his progression in his craft.

Changing that would be Apollo's, god of medicine and music, next pet project.

QUEST ACCEPTED

(Player Stats)

Spoiler

Kura | Lv. 3 | HP: 60/60 | EN: 24/24 | DMG: 8 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 

Equipped Items:

• | "Betsy” | Warhammer | 2 Handed Weapon | Tier 1 | Rare | Damage/Damage | 
• | "Small Peppermint Sack" | Trinket | Tier 1 | Perfect | Accuracy/Accuracy/Accuracy |
• | "Gold Rings" | Trinket | Tier 1 | Perfect | Evasion/Evasion/Evasion |

Skills:

• | “War Hammer“ | Rank 3 | Weapon Skill | Passive | 

Battle-Ready Inventory:

• | 3x “Starter Healing Potions” | Potion | - | Heals 50 HP |
• | 1x "Teleport Crystal | Crystal | Use a post action to activate a teleport crystal. Teleports the player to the town or designated teleportation area they specify.
• | 1x "Coffee" | Potion | Consumable | Tier 1 | Perfect | HP Recovery/HP Recovery/HP Recovery|

 

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

Making his way through the city, Kura planned to walk through the whole entire floor until he stumbled into Olympus. Luckily for both Kura and the god that was waiting for his arrival, a satyr guard would intercept Kura before he meandered too far off course. Raising a hand, the satyr guard would grab Kura's attention.

"Hail player. I am here to escort you to Olympus. If you would, follow me."

With Cardinal perhaps getting used to Kura's antics, the satyr guard was to the point as possible as to lessen the chance of Kura going off randomly. And for once, Kura didn't walk off while the NPC was talking, and dutifully followed. One would hope this was due to a desire to not run into a situation with a half cocked plan, but no, he would absolutely do so if given the chance once more. Instead the reason why he listened this time was because his plan was to go with the first lead that popped up and follow it all the way through.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

Quietly, the satyr and player would travel on the road to Olympus together. There was no conversation between the two, with Kura happy for it to stay silent, and the satyr guard simply viewing this as another escort mission. Idly, Kura noted the broken shields and spears as he walked passed. Wondering whether it would be a wise idea to search for a farming spot on this floor, the satyr would clear their throat.

"We are here player. Up these steps you will find the challenge you seek."

And with that, the satyr guard would begin to head off. Kura would thank the guard for escorting him, then begin to climb the steps of the ornate building. Even more awe inspiring than the buildings in Athenaia, this placed looked fitting for the realm of gods, a literal heaven on earth. Kura once more didn't care, as he continued up the steps, eyes only focused on completing the objective he set out to do.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

As Kura made his way through the building, the faint playing of a violin rung throughout the sanctified halls of Olympus. It called to Kura in a way that he could not describe, and unconsciously he began to make his way towards the source. Beautiful was a understatement when trying to find words to describe of the melody, one could even describe the skill being displayed as god like.

Before Kura himself realized it, he found himself in front of the musician who was creating such beautiful notes. Apollo was his name, and Kura refused to interrupt his recital, for once not doggedly pursuing his objective. It was just that mesmerizing that Kura forgot himself for a few moments.

However, like all good things, the song came to an end. Kura's clapping would immediately fill the silence. With a bow, Apollo would receive the applause with a polite demeanor. He did not smile however, and turned to regard Kura.

"Are you the one who Zeus sent for?"

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

Remembering the reason why he was here in the first place, Kura snapped out of his daze and replied to the greek god.

"Yes, specifically for some sort of challenge."

"Perfect. Well come now, allow me to hear your melody.

Being put on the spot, Kura immediately began singing without hesitation. Giving it his best shot, his song of choice was the one that allowed him to pass the "Earning a Living" quest. And this time it was much more refined, with Kura having practiced the fundamentals every day after gaining his profession. It was by no means perfect, however it was leagues better than his earlier attempts.

Ending on a soft note, Kura would look to Apollo for his reaction. While he was mulling over what to say, the greek god still looked as indifferent like earlier. As moments passed, Kura wondered whether or not he failed. That was when Apollo began to speak.

[Kura 0]

"I now know what I'm working with. A mechanical bird who still wishes to fly, that mimics the process yet unable to achieve flight due to their nature itself."

After that metaphor about Kura's rigidness impacting his singing, Apollo would step forward and continue to observe Kura with that same impassive gaze. Internally however, Apollo's passion as a teacher had been lit, and he looked forward to making sure that this bird would soar under his guidance.

"We will not waste time with fundamentals, at the rate that your progressing in your studies, you will have a strong foundation to build your masterpieces upon. And yes, I know about your efforts in your inn room, I am a god after all. Anyways, we will instead be focusing on this."

Then, Apollo would place a finger upon Kura's heart. Kura would tilt his head at this action, though not for the reason you would think.

"I already do breathing exercises."

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

Remembering exactly what he was working with, Apollo would simply shake his head.

"If you believe that all song is just simply air being expelled from your lungs, you would be mistaken. Beyond the physical process of training your voice, while still a very important part of singing, there is also your heart to consider. You must find the passion to decorate your song with, your muse if you so will. But before we continue, let us speak."

Taking a step back, Apollo would snap his fingers. Light surrounding them coalesced into two ornate chairs and a fine table. Gesturing to sit down, Apollo would take one a seat of his own. After Kura followed suit, he would wave his hand over the table, with two golden goblets of wine appearing. Taking one into his own hands, he would sip and smile.

"While Dionysus's raves are simply madness incarnate, his taste in drink is quite refined. Now then, tell me about yourself."
 

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

From an outsiders perspective it would be an odd question that had no relevancy to the subject at hand. It would not be wrong to be confused about being posed with seemingly random query. Kura, either not perceptive enough to grasp that or just simply not caring, took the other goblet into his hand and spoke.

"My name is Fuji Kuramoto, and my player tag is Kura. I was born in the United States and raised in Connecticut. My father's name was Clark, and my mother's name was Malfina, with both of them Japanese. I moved to Japan when entering high school due to them missing their homeland. Exiting high school, I got a job, and due to recent events I am currently here."

Apollo blinked, then took a long draught from his goblet. After finishing the drink whole, he would place it down and wave his hand once more above it to magically refill it. He sipped his drink while looking Kura straight in the eye.

"Not exactly what I meant."

[Kura 0]

"I am not looking for your past player, instead what I seek is how you will shape your future. Everyone has a reason they continue to go on, whether it be from social pressure, personal beliefs or whatever motivates them. So tell me player, what drives you? Is it to fulfill a dream of yours? The weight of expectations? I will not judge, for mortal desires are as varied as the number of stars. It only matters whether the pull of it allows you succeed whatever you do."

Kura sipped his wine while mulling over Apollo's words. His drive had always been apart of him, something that he had never questioned. Digging deep, Kura looked back into his past. He began to wonder exactly why he was like this. Slowly, he pieced his memories together, eventually coming to a conclusion that he was confident in. And then Kura spoke once more, a nostalgic tone honeying his words.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

"I could not do anything else. Talentless in all manners, whether they be physical or intellectual, I was unable to grasp concepts at the rate my peers could. However, I still wanted to achieve things, regardless of how good I was at them. And with the only variable that I could control was my mental state, I began to throw my whole entire being into everything that I wanted to do. It was the only way I could barely keep up."

Taking a moment too reflect, Kura looked into the goblet of wine, his reflection staring back at him. He saw that he was smiling, like he was talking about a old friend or lover. After the momentary pause, Kura continued.

"There is no room for hesitation, I cannot afford that disadvantage when I'm already so far behind. My drive is from necessity, as well as a desire to achieve the goals I've set out for myself."

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

Apollo listened with an impassive expression to Kura's tale, organizing the new information brought to light. This player was in a interesting predicament, in his dogged pursuit of success, it only brought him failure. He was the picture of trying to hard, at least in terms of singing. Placing his goblet of wine down, he stood and gestured for Kura to do so as well.

"I've grasped your situation. Now stand, the time for talk is over."

Kura would get up from his chair, as soon as he would his chair would dissolve into light, along side Apollo's seat as well as the table and drinks.  Looking at Kura, Apollo quietly wondered if Kura would be able to overcome this next obstacle.

"Your challenge will be thus. You are to sing without trying your best to achieve some goal. Allow your voice to spill out without worrying about how it sounds. Sing for singing's sake."

And for once, Kura actually hesitated.

[Kura 0]

For a normal person, this task would be trivially easy. However, asking Kura not to give it his all while doing something is like asking someone to defy gravity. Pigs would never fly, and Kura would always try. To sing for fun, while he understood the concept, Kura knew if he tried that every single cell in his body would cry out in rebellion. After a few more moments passed, Kura steeled himself and tried his hardest not to try at all.

It splendidly backfired.

His previous issues from his Earning a Living quest reared their ugly heads. Kura wasn't as bad as before, but the same problems still plagued him. He couldn't fully relax when singing normally, much less when actively straining his voice in a vain attempt to "casually" sing. And this time, he wouldn't have the get out jail free card he got like when he was last faced with this predicament. 
 

[Kura 0]

Unlike when he was practicing when Landon, Kura knew he already messed up. Though just because he is aware of the issue doesn’t mean he couldn’t necessarily fix it. The man was always high strung when he had a goal in mind, and for the most part it has served him very well in many of his past adventures. This is not however one of those times that sheer brute force will give him the edge he needs to overcome his problem.

He wracked his head for ideas. Once more he thought about how his earning a living quest, and how he was able to solve his problem there. Yes, there was no way he could replicate it with any sort of consistency, it was both too random and depended on variables far out of his control. But he was not looking for that, instead he wracked his mind about what he had done fundamentally, and if he could use that knowledge to make a method to the madness known as singing.

[Kura 0]

Apollo meanwhile looked on from the sidelines. He knew as well as the player did that his attempt would not be able to pass as a success for his challenge. But before Apollo could call him out on his failure, he halted himself as he saw Kura closing his eyes, trying to figure a solution.

It was progress that Kura is actually taking his time with a problem instead of just smashing his head against it until it fell apart. Apollo, while stoic faced on the outside, smiled internally. To have a student with the level of drive of Kura was never a bad thing, even if said drive impeded their own abilities. He knew how much energy Kura dedicated to his craft in such a short time frame, which is the main reason why he bothered Zeus in the first place to contact Kura.

Inside his heart, Apollo quietly cheered on the hammer wielding player as they pursued the solution to this challenge.

[Kura 0]

Meanwhile, Kura was wrestling with his own mind in order to find a clue to this challenge. This sort of thing was foreign ground to him, actually thinking through the problem instead of trying to ram himself through it as per normal. But being out of his element didn't mean he wouldn't give it his all, which is ironic due to that same very determination is the reason he has to solve this problem in the first place.

Going back through his memories, a certain part of "Earning a Living" quest caught his attention. It was the feeling of peace he had when singing that nostalgic song from long ago. It was strange that he felt relaxed remembering that piece, since that music reminded him of when he poured countless hours into grinding in a MMO, not exactly the most peaceful of experiences. But it did regardless, but the reasons why eluded Kura.

[Kura 0]

Not for long however, as Kura would doggedly hunted down the answer. And what he would piece together would leave him in a somber mood.

The reason why he felt so at peace was because that game was how he held off the growing sensation of loneliness he felt when moving to Japan. Those were not happy days, with his efforts of making friends failed due to his lack of cultural knowledge combined with his inability to learn social cues. In the United States, his friends grew up alongside him, and were already used to Kura's quirks, said quirks even endeared him to his peers.

There were no childhood friends that would accommodate Kura in Japan however. This is not to mention how he bumbled his way through learning Japanese as well as the simple stress of living in a place that was vastly different from where he grew up. And so when he remembered that song and that game, it reminded him of being relieved of that burden while he was playing.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

It felt bittersweet to relive those memories, and rather than pushing down his emotions like he normally would, he embraced them. It felt strange to him to allow these feelings to persist, with it normally distracting him from his objective. But he cherished the feeling and let it wash over him. 

Other emotions began to follow suit. Remorse from not being able to make any friends in Japan, homesickness from the United States, yearning from his desire to see his childhood friends once more. All of these feelings coalesced into one jumbled mess that Kura could not control.

He wanted, no he needed to express these feelings lest they overwhelm him. For once he did not care about whether or not the thing he was about to do would bring him closer to his objective, nor if it was perfect through some arbitrary guidelines. Kura just wanted to give a voice to these emotions.

And so he began to sing.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Kura

[Kura 0]

Those emotions manifested in a hauntingly beautiful melody. While his previous attempts with this song were better show cases of Kura's technique, none could even hope to match the sheer amount of passion that was in his voice. He ignored any desire to try and fix the imperfections in his tone, rhythm or pitch. Kura didn't even care about the challenge itself, the reason why he came in the first place.

All he wanted to do was sing for singing sakes.

Then, after he had sung his final note, exhaustion began to take hold of Kura. He had never felt so emotionally taxed before, with this being the first time he ever let himself be overwhelmed by his feelings. As he recuperated, the echo of polite applause rang in his ears.

Focusing on the sound, Kura would see Apollo with a small smile upon his face, and pride dancing in his eyes.

[Kura 0]

"That was a beautiful display of passion, player. I am glad that you have finally found your wings through this challenge. Now then, for your reward."

Apollo would snap his fingers once more, and light once more coalesced into a physical shape. It took form as a metronome. He would then hand Kura it, who would tiredly grasp on to the contraption and place it in his inventory. Seemingly amused at Kura's exhaustion, Apollo's smile would not fade as he continued to talk.

"Their is still a large journey ahead of you on your road as a performer. May this trinket of mine aid you in your pursuit of masterpieces. The only thing I ask of you in exchange is that you continue on this path of yours, and when you have mastered your craft, come back here and allow me to listen to your melody."

Kura would simply nod, too tired to give proper thanks as he dragged himself through the halls of Olympus to the exit. Apollo would watch him go, internally looking forward to that day Kura would return.

[Kura 0]

On the steps of Olympus, Kura would be found sitting down, recovering from his challenge with Apollo. Idly, he noted the setting sun in the distance, and almost began the routine of him pushing down his exhaustion in order to make it back to home by sundown. But he didn't, instead opting to lean back and take in the atmosphere.

The beauty of Olympus that Kura overlooked before, now was being admired by him. Kura allowed himself to be awed by intricate structures that dotted the area. Then once took in all there was for Olympus, he would rest his eyes upon Athenaia in the horizon, trying to make out the architectural wonders he once ignored from a distance.

He would eventually return back to floor one, and back to his busy lifestyle of grinding and adventuring. However right here, right now, he would simply just bask in the splendor of the world of Aincrad.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

(Summary)

Spoiler

Thread Summary

Kura:
+700 EXP [Total] | 500 EXP [Quest] | 200 EXP [Thread Progression]
+400 Col [Total] | 400 Col [Thread Progression]
+Apollo's Metronome [Quest]

 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Kura