[SP - F01] Absolutely the Fuck Not, Evangeline <<Earning a Living: Alchemist>>

[Oz 0]

With the Fishing Skill out of the way, it was time for the next venture. Oz had desired to set up a shop of his own for quite some time now - somewhere he could relax as well as conduct business. It'd be easy enough to attract folks, so long as he stylized his potions like booze. Far too many Aincradians who were jonesing for their fix in a world that was as dry as the Mojave Desert. He couldn't give them a buzz, but he could at least provide a taste.

One he wouldn't mind partaking in himself, at that.

As he entered the alchemist's shop, light flooded the hovel and a glare against one of the several bottles which dotted the room got caught against his eye. He winced, and by the time his grey hues had the time to adjust to the scintillating glow, the NPC was upon him.

There was some brief back and forth. But in the end, the mission was clear. Go out and find me mats, Green Boy. Yes ma'am. At least this one was more attractive than the last.

OOC Note: Consumables used detailed in "Buffs" spoiler, inside the spoiler below.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 60/60 | EN: 24/24 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 4 | LD: 4 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 20 | Quality 2 
Level: 3

---

Equipped.

• Verglas Thorn. (+2) [T1 Perfect Throwing Knives - ID: 225118-B]
  • Frostbite I | DMG I | Keen I
     
• Kindle's Wrath. [T1 Perfect Shield - ID: 225124]
  • Flame Aura I | Thorns II
     
• Mischievous Eye. [T1 Perfect Trinket - ID: 227020]
  • Quality II | LD I

 

Battle-Ready Inventory.

• (5) Crystal of the Blood Dragon Horde.
  • Tierless Mass Healing Crystals - Heals user and each member of Party for 10% of Max HP
  • IDs: 222918, 222918-1, 222929, 222930, 222931
• (5) Crystal of the Blood Dragon Horde.
  • Tierless Mass Healing Crystals - Heals user and each member of Party for 10% of Max HP
  • IDs: 222932, 222933, 222934, 222935, 222936
• (5) Crystal of the Blood Dragon Horde.
  • Tierless Mass Healing Crystals - Heals user and each member of Party for 10% of Max HP
  • IDs: 222937, 223187, 223187-1, 223187-2, 223185

---

Skills.

Spoiler

• Searching [Rank 3]
  • +3 LD
  • +3 Stealth Detection
• Throwing Knives. [Rank 1]
  • +3 DMG when wielding Throwing Knives

Guild Buffs.

Spoiler

• Lucrative.
  • Reduce LD needed for Salvage rolls by 5
  • +2 Alchemist crafting EXP per crafting attempt
  • +1 crafting attempt per day at Rank 9
  • +2 crafting attempts per day at Rank 10
• Col Deposit.
  • +5% bonus col from mob loot
  • +10% bonus col from treasure chests

Housing Buffs.

Spoiler

• Well Rested.
  • -1 EN for the first three expenditures of each combat
• Squeaky Clean.
  • First time suffering DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
• Hard Working (Alchemist).
  • +2 Alchemist crafting EXP per crafting attempt
  • +1 crafting attempt per day
• Filling.
  • Increase effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot
• Storage Closet.
  • +1 Battle-Ready Inventory slot
• Dining Hall.
  • Turn 3 identical food items into a Feast, containing 6 portions for party members to partake in
• Living Room.
  • Increases out of combat HP regen by 5xTier
  • Reduces full EN regen to 2 out of combat posts
• Skylight (Searching).
  • +1 Expertise to Searching
• Practiced Angler.
  • +2 Fishing EXP per fishing attempt
  • +1 LD and +1 CD to fishing attempts
• Advanced Training.
  • +10% EXP to a thread once per month
• Multipurpose.
  • +1 LD to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post per thread, applied retroactive to the roll

Consumable Buffs.

Spoiler

Mega Slime Farm used 08/19/2024: +10% EXP to this thread.

Consuming:

• Focused Dog. [Tierless Rare Meal - ID: Unknown - acquired here.]
  • +2 ACC
• Gelato. [Tierless Perfect Dessert - ID: Unknown - acquired here.]
  • +3 LD >>> +4 LD [Filling House Buff]
• Mousse. [Tierless Perfect Dessert - ID: Unknown - acquired here.]
  • Prosperity III
• Liquor of Light. [Tierless Perfect Potion - ID: Unknown - acquired here.]
  • +3 DMG
• Divinity's Wait. [T1 Perfect Potion - ID: Unknown - acquired here.]
  • +15 MIT
• Immolation Potion. [T1 Potion - No ID - acquired here.]
  • +10 Thorns
• Langue de Chat. [Tierless Perfect Dessert - ID: Unknown - acquired here.]
  • Ambition III

Resolved Stats:
Oz | HP: 60/60 | EN: 24/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

 

 

Edited August 26 by Oz

[Oz 0]

Luckily, this time Oz had come prepared for what lay ahead. A somewhat cowardly sort, he wanted to avoid running into the same ordeal as he had the time before, wherein an ungodly quantity of boars descended upon him with all the begrudging tenacity of a bitter enemy on crack. No - not only had he come prepared with better gear, a higher level, and more consumables than the previous instance, now he had something important.

Knowledge.

There was a patch of enemies not far from the Town of Beginnings. He wouldn't need to travel far, not out to boar country anyways. Here, the enemies represented small plants which spit acid at their attacker if provoked. Easy enough to handle. And, so, he revealed his icy throwing knives, primed for just such an occasion, and tossed the lot of them attempting to hit as many plants as possible. To his surprise, two of the barbs actually managed to make contact.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 58/60 | EN: 20/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 1-4 | 2 hits, -4 EN (EN expenditure reduced by 1 via Well Rested House Buff)

Rotfiend 1 | HP: 54/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227084 | BD: 2, Miss | MD: 3, Miss
Rotfiend 2 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227085 | BD: 7, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 10, Critical Hit, 14-19=1 DMG to Oz
Rotfiend 3 | HP: 17/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227086 | BD: 9, Critical Hit, 9x3=27 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns) | MD: 2, Miss
Rotfiend 4 | HP: 24/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227087 | BD: 2, Miss | MD: 8, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 4

 

Edited August 20 by Oz

[Oz 0]

As he tossed his throwing knives a second time, he got a much less desirable result. This time, only one plant was struck, and succumbed quickly to its accumulation of injuries. The curious thing about this game, was that even if an enemy didn't make contact, it would still trigger the Thorns Enhancement. All that needed to occur was for that attack to hit, and for that hit to not be critical. Not typically the sort for combat, Oz was pleased with what he'd learned thus far. Gaming the system was always a surefire way to stumble into some rare loot.

The one that died was not due to a combination of his Thorns and attacks, sadly. Instead, he had simply managed to strike it twice, with a Frostbite proc aiding in draining the remaining inkling of HP that would have remained between attacks. It failed to drop any Materials, though, so it seemed Oz was no closer to achieving his goal than when he'd started.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 57/60 | EN: 19/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 1-4 | 1 hit, -2 EN (EN expenditure reduced by 1 via Well Rested House Buff)

Rotfiend 1 | HP: 54/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227088 | BD: 2, Miss | MD: 9, Critical Hit, 13-19=1 DMG to Oz
Rotfiend 2 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227089 | BD: 3, Miss | MD: 5, Miss
Rotfiend 3 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227090 | BD: 7, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | Rotfiend 3 slain
Rotfiend 4 | HP: 24/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227091 | BD: 1, Miss | MD: 5, Miss

Looting Rotfiend 3
ID: 227092 | LD: 2+8=10 | CD: 10+2=12
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket acquired
594 col acquired

 

Edited August 20 by Oz

[Oz 0]

No big deal. He had all the time in the world, and he was nowhere near danger this time. If he started to feel threatened by the plants, he could simply walk away - not like that was even likely, given the vast disparity between their ability to deal damage and Oz's ability to soak it.

Another round of attacks, and now two more had fallen. All at once, Oz found himself in the possession of the Mats he'd gone there to find. Splendid. Now all that was left was to clear the remaining chaff so he could disengage from combat and return to the sexy Alchemist. If only he could hit with more of his attacks, he would be poised to exit combat quickly. But the art of attacking was still new to him, and though the plants were immobile, he couldn't seem to get the hang of throwing the darts their way.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 55/60 | EN: 14/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 1, 2, 4, 5 | 3 hits, -6 EN (EN expenditure reduced by 1 via Well Rested House Buff)

Rotfiend 1 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227096 | BD: 5, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 4, Miss
Rotfiend 2 | HP: 6/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227097 | BD: 5, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 4, Miss
Rotfiend 4 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227098 | BD: 3, Miss | MD: 7, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 4
Rotfiend 5 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227099 | BD: 4, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 7, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 5

Looting Rotfiend 4
ID: 227100 | LD: 9+8=17 | CD: 11+2=13
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket acquired
4 Mats acquired (these go into the quest)
486 col acquired

Looting Rotfiend 5
ID: 227101 | LD: 19+8=27 | CD: 1+2=3
2 Unidentified T1 Perfect Consumables acquired
2 Unidentified T1 Perfect Armors/Shields acquired
4 Mats acquired (1 goes to quest, the other 3 directly to Oz)
324 col acquired

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

It wasn't for lack of trying, mind you. He had understood when he chose throwing knives as his weapon of choice that it wasn't going to be the easiest weapon to get a handle on. But he figured it would be worth it if it meant that he could distance himself from the danger. Time would only tell if that was the right choice, or if he'd only chosen to make things harder on himself.

That being said, he had no intention of being in the thick of it very often. Sure, he'd slay some boars (when they encircled him by the literal DOZENS), or the occasional immobile plant, but those were easy. Bosses? Raids? He'd leave those to the heroes, or find heroes to carry him through the accompanying quests.

Another toss of the blade, another plant down. Now only one remained. If he played his cards right and focused on throwing a single dagger as opposed to a flurry of them, perhaps he could make his next attack his last.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 55/60 | EN: 12/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 1-2 | 1 hit, -3 EN 

Rotfiend 1 | HP: 6/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227135 | BD: 5, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 5, Miss
Rotfiend 2 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227136 | BD: 6, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG

Looting Rotfiend 2
ID: 227137 | LD: 9+8=17 | CD: 3+2=5
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Consumable acquired
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Armor/Shield acquired
4 Mats acquired
324 col acquired

 

Edited August 20 by Oz

[Oz 0]

Bingo. When throwing one knife at a time, things became a lot more simple. The dagger whistled through the air until it made contact with the plant with a thud, draining its remaining health to zero and prompting it to disintegrate into a cloud of fractal shards. With his work complete, he tiptoed around any remaining Rotfiends in the patch so as to avoid triggering another combat step, and started making his way back toward the Town of Beginnings.

Sometimes, he could see the appeal. If one gamed the system well enough, they could make combat a breeze, and endlessly enjoy the fruits of their labor. But as their levels grew, so to did the demand placed against making looting possible. The fact that the difficulty of the mobs would quickly outpace Oz's ability to reliably defeat them wasn't lost on him. And so he avoided the intoxication that came with pounding these little cretins into the dirt.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 55/60 | EN: 9/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x4] ST-I vs Rotfiend, -4 EN

Rotfiend 1 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227152 | BD: 5, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG

Looting Rotfiend 1
ID: 227154 | LD: 6+8=14 | CD: 1+2=3
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket acquired
2 Mats acquired
540 col acquired

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

As he reentered the shop, the NPC seemed to have its canned responses ready. He barely paid her any mind. He knew how this went. She presented the bench, he fumbled around trying to make his first craft, and everyone left frustrated. So the tales went.

It seemed that Oz wasn't special in this regard. The first concoction he attempted to brew was a spectacular disaster, combusting into a plume of violet smoke the moment he tossed his ingredient into it. He'd learned nothing, and the NPC was no help, either. Just as with the fisherman, it appeared that Oz would be on his own learning how to navigate the system's treachery with regard to the task at hand.

He'd like to have thought that the next attempt would be better, but he had no idea what he was doing. No idea how to bridge the gap between total shit and something somewhat drinkable. Perhaps his next try would be more illuminating than his first.

Spoiler

Attempting to craft Salve.
ID: 227182 | CD: 3 | Failure - Note: Roll denotes "Potion" due to incorrect assumption that Potions were available to Rank 1.
- 1 Material

 

Edited August 20 by Oz

[Oz 0]

Nope. On his second attempt, the result was identical to the first. Toss in Material, combustion, then watch the violet plume do its thing. And it smelled rank. Worse than the shop's typical odor. The NPC, of course, was once again no help. In fact, he could swear that he had heard her stifling a laugh. The bitch.

His next attempt had to be better. He had to make some sort of progress, lest he be trapped in an endless loop of failure in perpetuity. It wasn't like he needed to become a crafter - he'd made it this long with no craft to speak of. Dealing in information was more lucrative anyways. But it was one of the first things he had earnestly wanted in Aincrad, and he'd be damned if some obfuscation of the system was going to rob it from him.

Alright. Time for another go. Maybe this time something different would happen.

Spoiler

Attempting to craft Salve.
ID: 227183 | CD: 3 | Failure - Note: Roll denotes "Potion" due to incorrect assumption that Potions were available to Rank 1.
- 1 Material

 

Edited August 20 by Oz

[Oz 0]

Eureka. By the third attempt, something clicked. Not with Oz, of course, but with the system. Seemed that all one had to do to make a potion was try over and over again until, miraculously, one occurred all on its own. Except, upon closer inspection, it seemed that this was not, indeed, a potion. It was something thicker, with much denser viscosity. A paste? A lotion?

"A salve," the NPC piped up, humming in observation. "Nice work. Seems you may have what it takes to be an Alchemist after all."

"Yeah, no thanks to you." Seemed Oz could no longer keep a lid on his chagrin. "I sat here and almost blew myself up - twice - and you just stood off to the side and snickered to yourself. What kind of training or teaching is that?"

"The kind which produces the outcome you just got." Predictable NPC response. He almost wanted to strangle her.

Spoiler

Attempting to craft Salve.
ID: 227184 | CD: 10 | Success! - Note: Roll denotes "Potion" due to incorrect assumption that Potions were available to Rank 1.
"Basic Healing Salve" - T1 Uncommon HP Recovery Salve crafted.
- 1 Material

 

Edited August 20 by Oz

[Oz 0]

"You did such a great job!" Bringing the container up to eyelevel, Evangeline studies it more closely. "Actually, I've never seen anything exactly like it. Mind leaving me the recipe before you go?" More canned responses. Oz felt his eyes rolling into the back of his head. How mind-numbing the conversations with these hooligan NPCs were.

"Absolutely the fuck not, Evangeline," he clapped back, spinning in his chair to regard her directly. He knew that she was just a program, and couldn't actually understand genuine interaction, but his social programming compelled him to be firm and direct. "You sat there doing fuckall, even snickering at me, while I struggled to understand what I was doing. I still don't know what I'm doing. You've offered me zero guidance. The most you ever did for me was let me use your bench, and be 'gracious' enough to 'let me' keep my craft. So no. I will not be giving you the recipe, because I don't know what the fuck it is. But if I did, I still wouldn't."

With that, he stood, and snatched his salve from her clutches in dramatic fashion before making it for the door.

He made his way back out to the fields, drawn back to the plants he'd squashed before. He felt a bit of fire in him, now, which was unusual. He could typically handle himself in social settings, but something about these NPCs just rubbed him the wrong way, in an uncanny valley sort of way. He approached an outcrop of the devilish flora and let a cascade of knives rip into them. 

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 60/60 | EN: 20/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 6-9 | 2 hits, -4 EN (EN expenditure reduced by 1 via Well Rested House Buff)

Rotfiend 6 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227310 | BD: 4, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 3, Miss
Rotfiend 7 | HP: 54/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227311 | BD: 2, Miss | MD: 3, Miss
Rotfiend 8 | HP: 54/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227312 | BD: 1, Miss | MD: 2, Miss
Rotfiend 9 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227313 | BD: 8, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 3, Miss 

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

He wasn't the sort for combat. He never would be. He could never see himself as the sort who dealt explosive damage and felled Floor Bosses with ease, like the animals on the Frontlines. But what he could do was beat these plants to a pulp, if that would make him feel a little better. Perhaps this is what all of those Frontliners had invested their time into when the game had first launched. Frustrated with their collective situation, they set out to deal punishment to the residents of the game that kept them trapped. It was sad, but at the same time, Oz could understand. He'd been actively avoiding the allure of the combat system. He knew it only led to ruin.

But the loot lottery was intoxicating, too. Arguably, more so than the combat itself. Watching Perfect quality weapons, armors, and trinkets fall into his inventory for what was (arguably) minimal effort churned something within him.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 57/60 | EN: 17/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 6-9 | 2 hits, -4 EN (EN expenditure reduced by 1 via Well Rested House Buff)

Rotfiend 6 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227314 | BD: 3, Miss | MD: 1, Miss
Rotfiend 7 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227315 | BD: 5, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 8, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 7
Rotfiend 8 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227316 | BD: 7, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 6, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 8
Rotfiend 9 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227317 | BD: 3, Miss | MD: 10, Critical Hit, 14-19=1 DMG to Oz

Looting Rotfiend 7
ID: 227318 | LD: 15+8=23 | CD: 6+2=8
1 Unidentified T1 Perfect Armor/Shield acquired
2 Unidentified T1 Weapons acquired
2 Mats acquired
432 col acquired

Looting Rotfiend 8
ID: 227319 | LD: 14+8=22 | CD: 10+2=12
1 Unidentified T1 Perfect Trinket acquired
2 Unidentified T1 Perfect Armors/Shields acquired
810 col acquired

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

Perhaps that had been what had inspired another handful of the early levelers. How many gamblers had made their way into Aincrad on launch day? There were no slots here, no roulette. All they would have had to scratch that itch would have been looting mobs or finding treasure chests. That or, as it turned out, trying their hand at the crafting system.

The treasure chests were, admittedly, something that interested Oz. He'd played his fair share of Legend of Zelda games, and opening the treasure chests had been his favorite part. There were countless criticism written online regarding the chests in the Legend of Zelda series; the painstakingly long time it took for the animation to play in some titles, the repetitive and annoying jingles, the oftentimes lackluster rewards. These were all of the things that he loved about them. He didn't expect any chimes to sound when he opened a treasure chest in Aincrad, and also didn't expect for anything cool like a hookshot or magical boomerang. But a guy could dream.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 54/60 | EN: 12/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 6, 9, 10, 11 | 3 hits, -6 EN (EN expenditure reduced by 1 via Well Rested House Buff)

Rotfiend 6 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227579 | BD: 6, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 6, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 6
Rotfiend 9 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227580 | BD: 2, Miss | MD: 1, Miss
Rotfiend 10 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227581 | BD: 4, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 8, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 10
Rotfiend 11 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227582 | BD: 3, Miss | MD: 10, Critical Hit, 14-19=1 DMG to Oz

Looting Rotfiend 6
ID: 227583 | LD: 2+8=10 | CD: 7+2=9
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket acquired
2 Mats acquired
486 col acquired

Looting Rotfiend 10
ID: 227584 | LD: 8+8=16 | CD: 3+2=5
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Consumable acquired
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Armor/Shield acquired
2 Mats acquired
432 col acquired

Looting Rotfiend 11
ID: 227585 | LD: 15+8=23 | CD: 12+2=14
1 Unidentified T1 Perfect Consumable acquired
2 Mats acquired
756 col acquired

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

Who was to say they wouldn't still scratch that itch? Who was to say that they couldn't be equally satisfying, in their own right? Who was to say that Oz couldn't hum his own little jingle for the kicks? Nobody. Or, at least, nobody he knew. And he didn't need to surround himself with that sort of negativity, anyway. It went without saying that he himself had more than enough to go around.

He'd gotten himself so distracted he'd barely been paying any attention to the mobs he was supposed to be killing. Not that they were particularly threatening, anyway. They couldn't move. Couldn't chase him. And when their 'acid' did make contact, it just slid right off of his clothing. Hardly something he had to worry his pretty little head over. He tossed out another flurry of blades, this time managing to slice into every mob in attendance. Seemed the practice was beginning to pay off, even if they were only immobile targets.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 52/60 | EN: 4/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 6, 12, 13, 14 | 4 hits, -9 EN

Rotfiend 9 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227697 | BD: 10, Critical Hit, 10x3=30 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns)
Rotfiend 12 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227698 | BD: 8, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 7, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 12
Rotfiend 13 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227699 | BD: 10, Critical Hit, 10x3=30 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns) | MD: 8, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 13
Rotfiend 14 | HP: 17/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227700 | BD: 9, Critical Hit, 9x3=27 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns) | MD: 1, Miss

Looting Rotfiend 9
ID: 227701 | LD: 1+8=9 | CD: 9+2=11
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket acquired
4 Mats acquired
378 col acquired

Looting Rotfiend 12
ID: 227702 | LD: 17+8=25 | CD: 8+2=10
1 Gleaming Scale acquired
1 Random Dungeon Map acquired
2 Mats acquired
432 col acquired

Looting Rotfiend 13
ID: 227703 | LD: 16+8=24 | CD: 5+2=7
1 Unidentified T1 Perfect Armor/Shield acquired
2 Unidentified T1 Perfect Weapons acquired
2 Mats acquired
432 col acquired

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

With all that being said, a cursory glance to his HUD would reveal that he was beginning to run critically low on the Energy he used to deploy the Sword Arts he was using to extinguish these mobs. The Thorns he sported in his equipment certainly pulled their own weight when it came to dispatching the mobs but, just as he'd feared, he was fast approaching a juncture wherein he wouldn't be able to reliable handle the mobs that his level demanded he fight. I mean, these were just plants, for fuck's sake. Without the Thorns, it seemed he'd need a bare minimum of three hits to dispatch even a single one. How had the Frontliners figured their stats in such a way that they would one-shot mobs much more fearsome than this - and mobile ones, at that?

He tossed a final knife, which sank into what he imagined was the 'forehead' of the last mob he was engaged in combat with. His Energy was now critically low, and it wouldn't make sense to continue fighting them at this rate. So he made his way to the other asset which made this location so appealing.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 52/60 | EN: 1/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x4] ST-I vs Rotfiend 14 | Hits, -4 EN

Rotfiend 14 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227704 | BD: 9, Critical Hit, 9x3=27 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns)

Looting Rotfiend 14
ID: 227705 | LD: 12+8=20 | CD: 1+2=3
1 Unidentified T1 Perfect Consumable acquired
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket acquired
2 Mats acquired
432 col acquired

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

Not twenty paces from the shaded grove where he smashed in the metaphorical skulls of the Rotfiends he'd been felling, there existed a small pond. Nothing too glamorous, but it didn't need to be. Oz had known the limitations of being a low level and not having a particularly high level of Energy, so he'd chosen a locale where he could practice something else as well. Something that, evidently, needed lots and lots of practice to get anywhere near something useful.

He cast a line into the water - with a real fishing pole this time! It still beguiled him that Himbo Supreme had failed to provide him with the proper equipment for the quest when he was learning how to do this stuff. At least some of the folks in the Town of Beginnings had shared his chagrin and opted to craft some fishing poles of their own. Oz's tool wasn't particularly fanciful, but he figured one probably didn't need anything too fancy to catch meager fish.

After a moment, there was a bite. He reeled it in and there it was, a fish. Glorious.

Spoiler

Fishing.
ID: 227706 | CD: 12+1=13 | LD: 8+1=9
1 Mat acquired
11 Fishing EXP acquired (+2 EXP from Practiced Angler, +1 EXP from Ambition III)
Total Fishing EXP: 11

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

As fortunate as his first attempt had been, it seemed that that luck was indeed very hit or miss - not completely unlike his first attempts at fishing. But at least, now, with each attempt he could see an EXP ticker gradually clicking upward. The second time he cast out his line, he waited for a while, and nothing seemed to materialize. No bite, no ripples in the tepid water, nothing. With a resigned sigh, he reeled in the line and was surprised to find that he still got EXP anyway. Seemed even just attempting the feat led to gradual EXP gain. He'd have to keep that in mind.

At any rate, his Energy had now completely replenished, and it was time to take another crack at the plants. The sun was still high in the sky, and Oz felt compelled to earn back some of the more treasured materials he had burned up trying to get his equipment in order. Seemed the most efficient way to do so was to kill silly little idiots like these plants.

Spoiler

Fishing.
ID: 227707 | CD: 12+1=13 | LD: 8+1=9
Failure
6 Fishing EXP acquired (+2 EXP from Practiced Angler, +1 EXP from Ambition III)
Total Fishing EXP: 17

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

He tossed out his knives, this time managing to score a hit against all of the mobs in attendance once again. It was a small joy, seeing his aim get better, seeing the numbers he scored against the mobs get higher. And, if his suspicions were correct, a whopping three out of those four hits had been major criticals. He watched as the Frostbite from the knives sank into the plant matter, rendering their 'movements' stiffer and slower. It was so weird to imagine that he was in possession of what essentially boiled down to magical needles that could freeze an enemy with just a touch. He couldn't fathom what the governments of the real world would do with such technology, if they didn't already have something similar.

Yes, there was a unique satisfaction to it all. He could see the appeal. He didn't want to, but he could. The trick was trying not to fall into the trap of addiction. The mixture of satisfaction gleaned from felling the enemies, along with the gambling aspect of looting them, made for a deadly combo.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 59/60 | EN: 16/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 15-18 | 4 hits, -8 EN (EN expenditure reduced by 1 via Well Rested House Buff)

Rotfiend 15 | HP: 14/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227708 | BD: 10, Critical Hit, 10x3=30 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns) | MD: 4, Miss
Rotfiend 16 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227709 | BD: 5, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 5, Miss
Rotfiend 17 | HP: 14/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227710 | BD: 10, Critical Hit, 10x3=30 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns) | MD: 10, Critical Hit, 14-19=1 DMG to Oz
Rotfiend 18 | HP: 14/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227711 | BD: 10, Critical Hit, 10x3=30 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns) | MD: 5, Miss

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

But killing the mobs was admittedly repetitive. Oz had gotten the satisfaction he'd sought earlier after dealing with Evangeline the Idiot. His mind drifted once more. He couldn't believe he'd felt any sort of attraction to that thing. Not only was she not even a real woman, but she was just dumb. Like, really dumb. Like, pile of rocks dumb. Like, "Wow, how did you make it this far in life," sort of dumb.

The advantages to being made of pixels, he supposed.

Though, was he really much different? Sure, he had a real brain piloting his pixel suit, but he presumed he was just as hollow on the inside as she was. His body was not material, no matter how real it felt. Something that was easy to lose sight of when he'd spent every day since first putting on the NerveGear trapped in the same, unchanging, non-aging body.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 59/60 | EN: 11/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 15-18 | 3 hits, -6 EN (EN expenditure reduced by 1 via Well Rested House Buff)

Rotfiend 15 | HP: 4/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227713 | BD: 3, Miss | MD: 3, Miss
Rotfiend 16 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227714 | BD: 10, Critical Hit, 10x3=30 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns)
Rotfiend 17 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227715 | BD: 4, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG
Rotfiend 18 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227716 | BD: 4, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG

Looting Rotfiend 16
ID: 227717 | LD: 1+8=9 | CD: 6+2=8
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket acquired
2 Mats acquired
486 col acquired

Looting Rotfiend 17
ID: 227718 | LD: 3+8=11 | CD: 1+2=3
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket acquired
4 Mats acquired
324 col acquired

Looting Rotfiend 18
ID: 227719 | LD: 1+8=9 | CD: 6+2=8
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Trinket acquired
2 Mats acquired
486 col acquired

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

Sometimes, when he was deep in his own thoughts, he couldn't help what was happening with is own body, in the real world. They'd been trapped in this death game for almost a decade, now. Had a similar amount of time passed in the real world? Or was there some time dilation fuckery afoot? Even if there was, Oz was nearly certain he wouldn't be able to wrap his head around it. Was his body sitting there in a hospital bed, withered away due to a lack of any real nutrition, approaching its forties? Could a human body even last that long without real food?

How long did coma patients last? He'd heard stories of some people lying motionless for years and years. Was that his fate? They hadn't even cleared half the floors by now, did he have any reason to believe that it wouldn't take them another decade or two to clear the game? Would he just be an old man in retirement age by then, saddled with decades of medical debt? What was going to happen to him?

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 57/60 | EN: 4/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 15, 19, 20, 21 | 4 hits, -8 EN (EN expenditure reduced by 1 via Well Rested House Buff)

Rotfiend 15 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227720 | BD: 5, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG
Rotfiend 19 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227721 | BD: 8, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 8, Hit, 12-19=1 DMG to Oz, 30 Thorns to Rotfiend 19
Rotfiend 20 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227722 | BD: 4, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 1, Miss
Rotfiend 21 | HP: 30/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227723 | BD: 6, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 10, Critical Hit, 14-19=1 DMG to Oz

Looting Rotfiend 15
ID: 227724 | LD: 6+8=14 | CD: 12+2=14
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Armor/Shield acquired
648 col acquired

Looting Rotfiend 19
ID: 227725 | LD: 3+8=11 | CD: 7+2=9
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Armor/Shield acquired
4 Mats acquired
432 col acquired

 

Edited August 25 by Oz

[Oz 0]

These were the thoughts that, shamefully, kept him up at night. There was no way he'd ever be able to crawl himself out of such a financial hole, not with a feeble, emaciated body in its sixties. He just wouldn't be able to do that. This, coupled with the reality that they'd likely be spending at least another decade or two trapped in the game, had led him to start seriously considering the prospect of treating Aincrad as his new, permanent home. At least here, he didn't have the same worries as out in the real world. A whole host of other issues, sure, but by and large it was... easier. In a weird way.

There were people. Money was easy to come by. The food tended to be good. He had access to so much more here than he had out in the real world, where he was forced to tirelessly work the same menial job day in and day out for scraps that barely connected one paycheck to the next. There was something to be said about the fact that here, he experienced an improved quality of life with a body that wasn't getting older. Thirty was by no means a horrible age to get stuck at.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 57/60 | EN: 0/24 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 19 | ACC: 2 | LD: 8 | FB: 10 | Keen 1 | Thorns: 30 | Quality 2 | Prosperity 3

Oz uses [x3] AOE-I vs Rotfiend 20, 21 | 2 hits, -5 EN 

Rotfiend 20 | HP: 3/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227726 | BD: 7, Hit, 8x3=24 DMG | MD: 3, Miss
Rotfiend 21 | HP: 0/54 | DMG: 12 | ID: 227727 | BD: 9, Critical Hit, 9x3=27 DMG + Frostbite (10 DMG/2 Turns)

Looting Rotfiend 21
ID: 227732 | LD: 4+8=12 | CD: 4+2=6
1 Unidentified T1 Rare Weapon acquired
1 Unidentified T1 Uncommon Consumable acquired
540 col acquired

 

Edited August 25 by Oz