[PP-F01] <<Earning a Living>> "Fishin' Friends"

[Astra 0]

Before him was an endless expanse of an azure sky. The sky seemingly stretched along for miles. Underneath his feet was a never ending body of water, crystalline and rippling. It looked like an ocean, but glossed over and solid. He wasn't sinking or falling into the water, he was standing right on top of it. With each step he took more ripples would appear underneath his feet. There was a sense of tranquility here. No fear, no doubts, and no land in sight. Just an expanse of the heavens and the sea. As he reached his destination, which looked no different than his starting point, bubbles started to ascend from the water below, dancing their way around his frame. He looked down at the water below, and in the deep cerulean water there was a glow. The glow moved quickly toward him, but with purpose. What was the source? It shimmered and sparkled as it drew near. The closer it got, he could make out the form of a large piscean creature. An iridescent fish with beautiful gleaming scales. It swam in circles around his feet for a little while, before the picturesque world around him started to fade. 

Astra awoke in his bed from yet another strange dream. He sat upright and sighed, temporarily pushing his white hair back from his forehead, before letting it fall back into place once more. Maybe he needed to stop eating snacks before bed. Maybe it was the books he was reading before bed. Maybe he was just bound to have strange ethereal dreams. All he knew is that this dream reminded him of something, and he should take it as a sign. Today he was going to learn how to fish in Aincrad. 

The rest of his morning was business as usual. Open up his inventory, select his outfit, equip his equipment, eat a light breakfast. From there he made his way back to Floor 1, where there were some perfect bodies of water that seemed like great fishing spots. He was excited to learn how to fish, but fishing seemed like it would be just as peaceful and fun with company. Why not invite someone he knew who loved to fish? That had to be Wulfrin. He was always taking the time to fish. 

Astra opened up his menu and sent a message to his friend: 

Spoiler

 

Message to: Wulfrin

"Hey Wulfrin! Going to acquire the fishing skill today. Figured you might want to tag along and catch some things. Wanna join in?" 

-Astra

 

Now it was a waiting game, to see if his friend would show up and accompany him. Honestly, he was pretty thankful for that weird dream. It seemed like the perfect day to go fishing with a friend. 

***

Spoiler

Astra | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 5 | MIT:0| ACC: 1 |

Spoiler

 

Main Stats:

Level: 1

Paragon Level: 0

Experience: 0

To next level: 500

Paragon Rewards:

[None]

 

Total Skill Points: 5

Available Skill Points: 1

Spent Skill Points: 4

 

Battle Stats:

HP: 20

Energy: 20

Base Damage: 5

Mitigation: 0

Accuracy: 1

Evasion: 0

LD: 0

 

Sword Arts: 

•  ST-I (4 EN) | A single-target sword art.
•  AOE-I (1 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
•  TECH-A (5 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.

Skills:

Straight Sword Mastery Rank 1

Extra Skills: 

None yet.

Mods:

Add-Ons: 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2024 by Astra

[Wulfrin 0]

<< Floor 22 | Sentinel Armaments >>

Wulfrin was hard at work in his workshop when he got a message ping on his HUD. One of the newer players he had helped out, Astra, was requesting his presence for a bit of fishing. Looking at his stores of items, he could use a fishing trip that was more than just a handful of minutes while some newer players searched for materials. He looked over to his main bench where a freshly sharpened blade and set of light armor lay waiting.

"Good a time as any to give it to him right?" Wulfrin asked out to no one in particular.

"Perhaps give the guy a lesson in sword play," Wulfrin's gemini saod as they materialized before him. "Astra will need it in preparation for the Terra Firma fight."

"Dude wants to follow in my footsteps. Guess it's time I put some of those classes I took as a kid to use."

Wulfrin collected the items and stored them in his inventory before donning his own main combat kit. After a short walk he found his way to the teleport gate in Coral.

<< Floor 1 >>

"Next time," Wulfrin sighed as he approached Astra. "Try and include a meeting point in your message. If it weren't for the friend's list tracking feature, I'd have never found you."

Wulfrin chuckled a bit as he started fumbling through his inventory to produce the armor and sword he had finished crafting a few days prior.

"These are for you," Wulfrin handed over the sword and light armor. "I tried to base them off the gear you were using in The First Lessons. It's pretty similar to the kit I ran at your level. I assume you'll be undertaking the fishing profession quest today, so maybe we can squeeze some training in later to help you adjust to the gear. It'll also be a decent prep for Sharkbait."

Another wave of his fingers through his menu and a fishing pole appeared in his hand.

"Today's all you. Lead the way party leader."

* * *

Wulfrin gives Astra the following:

Swordsman's Splendor | T1 Perfect Light Armor | ID 236735 | MIT 2 | REC 1
Desc. A set of light weight armor designed to provide significant defense without sacrificing agility.

Honed Longsword | ID 236286 | T1 Perfect Weapon (Straight Sword) | ACC 2 | DMG 1
Desc. A longsword crafted from tempered steel. It is perfectly balanced to allow it's strikes to hit true.

* * * 

Wulfrin uses Elven Armor Salve.

Note: CS Shades of the Gemini is in use. If a player objects they should note such in their first post and the skill will be considered inactive.

Wulfrin | HP: 760/760 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | AA  | BH:25 | FRB: 40 | FRZ: 64 | LD:3 | Elf-S

Spoiler

"Name: Wulfrin
True Tier: 6
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 19
HP: 760/760
EN: 110/110

Stats:
Damage: 21
Mitigation: 78
Accuracy: 5
Battle Healing: 25
Loot Die: 3
Stealth Rating: -2
AA FRB: 40 FRZ: 64
Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Icingdeath | T4 Demonic Straight Sword | Freeze 2 | Frostbite | AA
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Fallen Angel Garb | T4 Demonic LA | MIT 2 | REC 2
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Dioscuri | T1 PErfect Trinket | ACC 3

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - TECH Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - Rending Familiar

Custom Skill:
  - Shades of the Gemini

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R3
  - Charge
  - Energist
  - Light Armor R5
  - Searching R3
  - Straight Sword R5

Extra Skills:
  - Disguise
  - Forgotten King's Authority
  - Survival
  - Meditation

Inactive Extra Skills:
  - Frozen Hide
  - Brawler
  - Assault Mode

Addons:
  - Focus
  - Precision
  - Resolve
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Meticulous
  - Night Vision

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - Crystal of Divine Light x5
  - Imugi's Inspiration | Mass Healing x5
  - Popcorn | T4 Vitality 2 x5
  - Rhino's Horn x1
  - TP Crystals x1

Housing Buffs:
  - Basic Kitchen: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.
  - Storage Closet: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
  - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
  - Attic (Storage): +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests
  - Basement: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
  - Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
  - Master Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
  - Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
  - Ornate Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to fishing attempts.
  - Dining Hall: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.
  - Mega Slime Farm: +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.

Guild Hall Buffs:
  - Treasury: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
 - Blacksmith[1896exp] R8
Gathering Profession:
 - Fishing[509exp] R5"                                                                                                                            

 

Edited December 17, 2024 by Wulfrin

[Astra 0]

Astra rubbed the back of his head and chuckled a bit as Wulfrin playfully chastised him for forgetting to include location details in his message. It makes sense, if it weren't for the tracking features he would virtually have no way of finding Astra. Astra didn't even stay in Coral, he just started wandering into the wilderness. What a goofball move. "Heh, sorry about that. Completely slipped my mind." 

When Wulfrin produced the new sword and armor that he had crafted for Astra, Astra's eyes widened. He was incredibly thankful for Wulfrin helping him out. Not only teaching him how to survive in Aincrad, but also crafting him some better gear so he can get his footing. He felt slightly guilty for the generosity, but he knew that eventually he'd be able to repay his teacher-figure. One of the best ways of repaying him would be to get stronger so he could contribute to scouting and clearing. "Thanks! These look great, it'll help me out a ton." Thumbing through his inventory, he equipped the new gear. He already felt a bit more confident in his abilities just from this new gear alone. 

"I'd be down to do some training after the fishing profession quest. More training would never hurt. Especially for whatever Sharkbait will bring." 

Astra led the way for the both of them, towards the fishing hut where the profession quest would be started. It was a homely looking fishing hut, sat on top of a lake. It looked like the perfect place to let your mind wander and do some fishing. As the two approached the hut, a fisherman made his way towards them, waving a hand in greeting. As he got closer to the two, he glanced them over up and down. This NPC had definitely seen Wulfrin before, but this would be his first time meeting Astra. 

"Anthony Gill, at your service," he announces, executing a quick bow. "Let me guess, you were looking for someone old, with a long white beard, and a pipe?"

Astra looked away sheepishly, "To be honest, kind of." 

"Sorry to disappoint. Now, what can I do for you?" The fisherman asked. 

"I'm looking to learn some more about fishing! I'd like to be able to become a fisherman myself. My friend here is already pretty good at it, so I figured I'd try too."

Anthony smiled at the mention that the young man wanted to get into fishing. "I am honored you would come to me for help. Since we're friends, I'll let you in on a little secret." Astra leaned closer to Anthony at the mention of a secret. Reaching into his pocket, Anthony draws out a small tin, then offers it to Astra. "This is a special bait, because a local priest prays over it in a top-secret ceremony.  I'm the only one in the world who has it, so don't bother looking for it anywhere else. If you use it, you'll catch the rare any mysterious Rainbow Fish, which you can harvest for Gleaming Scales. Catch the fish, bring me a scale, and you'll know all there is to know about fishing." 

Astra couldn't help but think back to the shimmering rainbow fish that appeared in his dream. He was happy to know it was real, too. Now it was time to go and catch it. 

"Great, thanks Anthony. We'll be back soon!" Astra replied, flashing a thumbs up. With that, he grabbed a fishing rod and began to leave the shack. He looked towards Wulfrin and asked, "So, which spot should we head to to find this Rainbow Fish?" 

***

Astra obtains: Bless Bait
Astra equips: 

Swordsman's Splendor | T1 Perfect Light Armor | ID 236735 | MIT 2 | REC 1
Desc. A set of light weight armor designed to provide significant defense without sacrificing agility.

Honed Longsword | ID 236286 | T1 Perfect Weapon (Straight Sword) | ACC 2 | DMG 1
Desc. A longsword crafted from tempered steel. It is perfectly balanced to allow it's strikes to hit true.

***

Astra | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 2 | ACC: 2 | REC: 1 |

[Wulfrin 0]

"Over there actually," Wulfrin pointed towards a large lake not to far from the fisher's hut. "It's actually the end of the river we were at during the First Lessons."

Wulfrin led the duo to a small dock that extended a good ways into the lake. It was just wide enough the two could fish without interfering with each other. Wulfrin materialized a couple of chairs and a cooler. Before gesturing Astra to join him.

"Get comfortable," Wulfrin said with a sigh. "Even with Anthony's 'Special Bait' catching the fish necessary for the gleaming scale will be a long grind. Took me several hours to find it."

The air quotes could be heard in Wulfrin's voice even with out him making them. He was now ranked high enough in fishing to know Anthony's little secret, but he wasn't going to let the discovery get ruined. He leaned back in his chair and cast his line out into the gently churning lake. His bobber moved gently up and down with the waves, but showed no signs of a nibble.

"You ever bait a hook, Astra?" Wulfrin asked as he looked over to his companion. "Here in Aincrad it's a simple quick gesture through menus. Way simpler than real life."

* * *

Fishing Attempt (Success CD 4+ | Chest LD 8+ | Scale CD 12+ and LD 17+)
Rank: 5 Grand Master Angler
Bonuses: +5 LD when opening Chest

Roll:
ID 239133 | CD 2 | LD 18

Result:
Nothing

Edited December 21, 2024 by Wulfrin

[Astra 0]

"Oh so the bait isn't really that special? Well...That's alright. I've got all day to catch this thing," Astra said, lowering himself into the seat that materialized before him. The sprawling lake in front of him rippled lightly and shined as it was kissed by the sun overhead. One thing was for sure, it was the perfect day to try and do some fishing. The weather was perfect for this time of day, which brought a comforting calm to the activity. 

"I've baited a hook back in the "real world". It was a long time ago, and I was a pretty small kid," Astra looked up at the sky as he reminisced about his youth. Most of it was spent in hospitals, but when he was able to go outside and do some activities, he formed some pretty fond memories. "I'm glad it's a bit simpler here, I can't say I was a master baiter." Astra paused for a moment as that sentence left his mouth. A small cough escaped his mouth, and his voice lowered to a whisper: "Phrasing." 

Astra thumbed through the menu and performed the gesture to bait his hook. He lightly raised the baited hook and rod above his head, and let out a cast into the lake in front of him. He watched his line and his bobber as it moved along, but it seemed like nothing was biting. Not yet at least. As he expressed earlier though, he had all day. 

"Did you fish frequently outside of Aincrad? Were you an outdoorsy type, Wulfrin?" Astra asked his companion. This could be a good time to learn more about his new friend, while they relaxed and tried to catch some fish. 

***

Post Action: Fishing for Rainbow Fish

ID 239166 | CD 6 | LD 12 | Failure! 

Edited December 23, 2024 by Astra

[Wulfrin 0]

"Only until I graduated high school if I'm being honest," Wulfrin replied after briefly chuckling at Astra's poor word choice. "That was mainly due to my scouting days. Kinda lost all my free time to the dreaded college work. Always wanted to take it back up again though. Aincrad gave me that opportunity."

Wulfrin's line went taught. Wulfrin entered a brief struggle with a largemouth bass before he eventually brought it above the water. It wasn't the biggest, but he could probably manage to get some meat off it. Correction, Ciela could probably make use of it. Wulfrin would probably just end up turning it into a sword lets be real. It didn't take him long to reset his line and cast his hook out into the open lake. Wulfrin opened the cooler he had brought with him. He had told his darling wife about this little expedition, and he had done her usual part and over prepared the equivalent of a six course meal for lunch. Multiple drink varieties, multiple different sandwiches, and plenty of snacks to last the day.

"Don't be afraid to help yourself," Wulfrin gestured to the cooler. "Ciela put this together for us. Be a shame to let it go to waste."

* * *

Fishing Attempt (Success CD 4+ | Chest LD 8+ | Scale CD 12+ and LD 17+)
Rank: 5 Grand Master Angler
Bonuses: +5 LD when opening Chest

Roll:
ID 239173 | CD 8 | LD 1

Result:
1 Material

Edited December 23, 2024 by Wulfrin

[Astra 0]

"Nice, so you were a scout? I always wanted to join, but never had the opportunity when I was younger." Astra reset his line and cast his baited hook out once more. He watched as the bobber dipped up and down in the water, but it didn't seem like there was a lot of activity. He would notice a nibble here or there, but nothing worthwhile. Even if he wasn't catching this rainbow fish right away, a small catch of something else wouldn't hurt. Astra looked over to his companion, who had just fished out a bass from the lake. "Nice catch!" He said with a thumbs up. 

So far he wasn't having much luck, so he decided to try his hand at a different type of fishing, as he fished around in the cooler that Wulfrin brought for them. "Thanks for this, I'd never turn down any goodies that Ciela would put together." He pulled out a nice cool drink and cracked it open, taking a sip. 

"I never got to make it to college. Aincrad got in the way of those plans, but I guess it's good that here I don't have to slave away at any papers," he chuckled. "What were your plans for college and post college? Any big goals or dreams?" Maybe it wasn't so kosher to keep asking about pre-Aincrad life, as he knew that some people liked to keep that separate. However, he felt like he could be open with Wulfrin, and this could give him a chance to talk about himself as well. Sure, he had done some growing here while trapped in SAO, but the person he was today was still a culmination of his whole life. 

Astra continued to watch his bobber like a hawk. 

"Was that a nibble? Oh, nah. Damn."

***

Post Action: Fishing for Rainbow Fish

ID: 239414 | CD: 3 | LD: 7 | Failure!

Edited December 28, 2024 by Astra

[Wulfrin 0]

"Funny enough," Wulfrin chuckled. "VR Game development. Always was a fan of RPGs and when the Full-Dive system was announced, I knew that's what I wanted to do. A whole other reality filled with mythical beasts and epic quests. The irony is palpable. Though I will say I never had any plans to trap players in it against their will. My brain child also had a magic system."

Wulfrin leaned back in his fishing chair and watched his bobber occasionally dip below the surface. He was essentially living in a realized version of his dream, yet the possibility of death was making the experience sour. Death lurked around every corner in Aincrad except for the rare safe zone. PKers were another thing the game had that put the fear into anyone. The rule of your HP hitting zero meant that duels that were usually all fun and games to see who could kill who were death sentences. Fishing was one of the few ways Wulfrin had found to anchor himself to some semblance of normalcy. That and his smithing shop, the NPCs and Players that came by requesting work were always nice and he was about to advance far enough that he could go in the same route as many of the other frontliners and not charge people for the orders.

"The key with Aincrad fishing is timing," Wulfrin coached. "The fish don't actually populate the waters until you cast your line. As you rank up, you'll be able to more easily see them nibling at the line." He pointed at his bobber which was starting to enter a time able pattern of dips beneath the surface. "3.. 2... 1... NOW!" Wulfrin pulled back on his own fishing rod just as the bobber was pulled beneath the surface. The fish he pulled up was a massive bass, clearly a prize catch. Wulfrin dismissed the fish and in its place appeared a small waterlogged chest. "It takes some practice, but you'll get there eventually. I've maxed out the skill, and most of my experience came form escorting new players through quests."

* * *

Fishing Attempt (Success CD 4+ | Chest LD 8+ | Scale CD 12+ and LD 17+)
Rank: 5 Grand Master Angler
Bonuses: +5 LD when opening Chest

Roll:
ID 239418 | CD5 | LD 15 | Success | Critical Catch

Treasure Chest:
ID 239419 | LD 18+5= 23

Result:
1 Material
Unidentified Perfect Weapons (2), Unidentified Perfect Armor/Shield (2), Random Dungeon Map

Totals:

Wulfrin
2 Materials
T4 Unidentified Perfect Weapons 239419a 239419b
T4 Unidentified Perfect Armor/Shield 239419c 239419d
Random Dungeon Maps 239419e

Astra

Edited December 28, 2024 by Wulfrin

[Astra 0]

Astra had to let out a small laugh when Wulfrin said that VR game development was his passion. It seems like a cruel joke to want to create an expansive virtual world and then get trapped in one. Although, Astra himself was enamored by Full-Dive technology since he heard about it too, and throughout his life always wished for a way to live in a Fantasy RPG world. Maybe not like this though. Aincrad and it's dangers weren't exactly the perfect escape he was looking for. 

"Do you think you'd go back to that, once we make it out of here?" Astra asked his friend. Once we're out of here. It'll happen. He pulled his fishing rod back and slowly reeled his line back in. "RPG's have always been my favorite. I'd love it if there were a magic system here. Magic and swords? Perfect. If you ever end up developing that game, I'll have to give it a go." Trying to remain optimistic wasn't always the easiest, but there were times where it felt like it was all he had. As they say, hope springs eternal. Plus, it was better to keep the mood lighter while they relaxed with some fishing. 

The fisherman-in-training listened closely to Wulfrin's coaching, before he re-cast his line. He nodded along to the instruction and watched as Wulfrin cast his own line, before reeling in a massive Bass, that then turned into a chest. It was a great catch. "Anything good in the chest? Can't wait until I'm fishing those up myself." Astra decided to stand for this next cast of his line. He took a deep breath and raised his arms, before casting his baited hook forward into the lake. The bobber moved along the water for a little bit of time, before some ripples in the water began to make their way closer. Could this be a potential catch? Astra narrowed his eyes and focused on his bobber. He could feel the slight nibbling of a fish that was clearly interested. "Alright. 3...2...1...Now!" The bobber went under, and just like Wulfrin had taught him, Astra focused on his timing. He pulled the fishing rod back, and began to reel his line with a determined intensity. From the water, biting onto the hook of his fishing rod, was a shimmering and colorful Rainbow Fish. The big catch. Astra couldn't believe his eyes as he reeled the fish in and held it up. A beautiful gleaming scale fell from the fish, and Astra released his prize catch back into the water. Picking up the gleaming scale item, he looked over to Wulfrin with a smile. 

"Maybe Anthony's special bait was better than we thought!"

***
Post Action: Fishing for Rainbow Fish

ID 239466 | CD: 6 | LD: 16 | Success!

Astra obtains: 1x Gleaming Scale

Edited December 29, 2024 by Astra

[Wulfrin 0]

"After being trapped in here," Wulfrin sighed. "I have no idea. To be completely honest, I'm not sure what this incident is going to do to the genre. Obviously, the server owners aren't being cooperative or else the plug would have already been pulled. That and there must be some other function that's keeping us from just loosing connection and logging out that way, likely hardware side. Not too promising for the equipment either."

Wulfrin watched Astra's bobber as he cast his own. Sure enough Astra managed to snag his target on just the second cast. Wulfrin was both jealous and impressed. When he had gone through this quest, he had no company and was fishing for the special fish for hours, and Astra managed it in just two casts. Wulfrin's bobber also went beneath the surface. With a heave, he pulled another fish and accompanying chest to the dock.

"Typically there isn't much for me," Wulfrin said responding to Astra's question about his loot. "Mainly unidentified items to be turned over to an appraiser. Honestly fishing isn't the best gathering profession to pair with smithing, or really any of the crafting professions for that matter. Foraging allows you to find Col and extra materials, but Fishing is just relaxing. Nice job on snagging the scale though, we should go turn it in. Unfortunately, the skill will take some time after turn in to show up in your list, so you cant improve it any yet. We can however move to hitting some mobs around if you want to give that sword and armor a trial run."

* * *

Fishing Attempt (Success CD 4+ | Chest LD 8+ | Scale CD 12+ and LD 17+)
Rank: 5 Grand Master Angler
Bonuses: +5 LD when opening Chest

Roll:
ID 239752 | CD 12 | LD 8 | Success | Critical Catch

Treasure Chest:
ID 239753 | LD 2+5= 7

Result:
1 Material
Unidentified Rare Weapons (2), Unidentified Rare Consumables (2)

Totals:

Wulfrin
3 Materials
T4 Unidentified Rare Weapons 239753a, 239753b
T4 Unidentified Perfect Weapons 239419a 239419b
T4 Unidentified Perfect Armor/Shield 239419c 239419d
T4 Unidentified Rare Consumables 239753c, 239753d
Random Dungeon Maps 239419e

Astra
1 Gleaming Scale

 

Edited January 4 by Wulfrin

[Astra 0]

Astra nodded along as Wulfrin ruminated on the state of the VRMMO genre post-incident. It was definitely a matter of when, as there was seemingly no ending in sight at the moment, but Astra did often find himself pondering what the world will look like if the game is cleared. He felt like VRMMO's were too groundbreaking and immersive to just throw away entirely. Even being trapped in one, it was still a technological marvel. Maybe there would be less dangerous clones, or new developments in the technology. Hopefully this will be the last incident where someone traps thousands of players in their virtual world. Nonetheless, Astra shook those thoughts from his head. What mattered now was that he was here, and how he would move forward or change his life in this world. 

"I'd definitely be down to give my new equipment a go. It never hurts to get some practice in and get more familiar with it." Astra returned his fishing rod to his inventory, and looked down at the gleaming scale in his hand. He was having a pretty good time just fishing and talking about things with Wulfrin, but it would be a good idea to test his gear now that he's completed the quest. "Alright, back to Anthony!" 

The two made their way back to the hut that they encountered the fisherman at before. After a brief exchange, Astra produced the gleaming scale for Anthony, who was seemingly impressed by the amount of time it took him to obtain it. After some congratulations it appeared as if Astra completed the quest, and eventually would be earning the fishing skill. He had a small sense of accomplishment, as this was his first profession he'd obtained. Plus, now he could take some fishing trips when he wanted to relax and take some time. 

Astra walked away from Anthony's hut and back towards Wulfrin. "Guess that's that. Where to now? I'm ready to give this new sword a try," he said, patting the pommel of the sword sheathed at his side. 

[Wulfrin 0]

"Combat training it is," Wulfrin shrugged as he gestured for Astra to follow. "I know just the place."

It didn't take long to arrive at Wulfrin's favorite location on Floor 1. A beautiful meandering river cut through the forest not far out from the walls of the Town of Beginnings. This was the same location he had brought countless newbies, including Astra, for the gathering portion of The Frist Lessons or their Earning A Living quests. Today it would serve as Astra's training ground. Wulfrin would start with some basic stances before beginning the real meat of the exercise.

"Basic swordplay will do you well starting out," Wulfrin said as he took a few steps away from Astra. "The most important part of combat in SAO is mastering the initial motions of your Sword Arts. Having already acquired your weapon skill and a compatible weapon, you should see them listed in your menu. We'll start with the most powerful one in your arsenal when getting started, Tech-A"

Wulfrin reached out into the light of the noon day sun and made a grasping an pulling motion. The shadow of one of the nearby trees seemed to gravitate towards the duo before taking the form of a familiar swordsman. Wulfrin now stood face to face with a near identical clone of himself, a yellow cursor hovering over his hooded doppelganger signified and NPC ripe for the attacking.

"Say hello to Konteris," Wulfrin smirked. "Today, he is your training dummy."

Wulfrin's blade erupted from its scabbard instantly chilling the air around them causing a low rolling frosty mist to permeate the area. Wulfrin took a stance and his blade began to glow a crimson hue in contrast to the icy blue and silver blade that had been brought to bare. His body moved on its own striking his shadow with tremendous force. The shadow stumbled backward as veins of ice began to engulf its digital mesh.

"Okay so I hit it a bit harder than I would have liked," Wulfrin sighed as his shadow became entombed in ice. "But I guess we can use this as an opportunity to teach you status effects as well. First off, I used the Tech-A sword art. It will stun your enemies, robbing them of the chance to attack you, but they cant get stunned again for a few seconds. My sword has the special properties of Freeze and Frostbite. The former also removes the enemy of its ability to attack as well as evade follow up attacks and provides a damage boost to follow up attacks from your allies. The latter deals damage overtime and makes it harder for them to hit you. It's pretty endgame stuff, so for now just attack the shadow with one of your sword arts."

* * *

Recovery? Not Needed
Wulfrin is at Full EN and HP
Cooldowns:

Post Action: [x16]Tech-A vs Shadow of Wulfrin #1 (16 EN) -2 Stamina -1 Well Rested (3/3)
Free Action: None

ID 240057 | BD 9 (Minor Crit +1 DMG) | CD 5 | 22*16= 352 DMG to Shadow of Wulfrin #1. Freeze 64 applied. Frostbite 40 applied. Stun applied

Wulfrin | HP: 760/760 | EN: 97/110 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | AA  | BH:25 | FRB: 40 | FRZ: 64 | LD:3 | Elf-S
Astra | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 12 | ACC: 2 | REC: 1

[3,0] Shadow of Wulfrin #1 | HP: 320/672 | DMG: 132 | ACC: -1 | EVA: -1 | Freeze 64 [EVA set to -1 | +64 unmitigated damage on hits] (0/1) | Frostbite 40 [-1 ACC] (0/2) | Stunned

Edited January 10 by Wulfrin

[Astra 0]

Astra walked alongside Wulfrin and soon found himself at a familiar spot on Floor 1. This was where Wulfrin had taken him and Siren for the "The First Few Lessons" quest, where they had gathered materials and eventually fought some boars. The white haired boy could see why Wulfrin favored this location, as it was scenic and generally a calm spot. Astra didn't mind being back here one bit. 

As Wulfrin explained the basics of sword art motions and swordplay, Astra nodded along. The movements used to initiate sword arts were just as important as the attack itself, as they were the way to initiate. He couldn't help but feel thankful for Wulfrin's assistance and wisdom as he followed along. Wulfrin had shown him countless times that he was an experienced player, and enjoyed helping newbies find their footing. Astra had been starting to take the steps to make his way to the frontline, so that experience and these lessons were invaluable to him. Lately, he had also found himself wanting to impress his teacher as well. Hopefully during this lesson he could do something of note. 

Astra watched as Wulfrin summoned a near-identical clone of himself for them to practice on. This should have been expected, knowing even just a little about Wulfrin's special skills, but the idea of attacking even an NPC that looked like him was still a little disconcerting. "It might take me a moment to get used to fighting someone who looks like you," Astra said with a bit of hesitation in his voice. Either way though, this was just an NPC clone. Practice was practice, and this would be the best way to learn. "Hey Konteris," he said with a small smile. "I'm sorry about this in advance!" 

Making sure to focus on his poise and his movements, Astra watched as Wulfrin drew his icy blade and performed the TECH-A sword art on Konteris. The strike he delivered rendered the clone both stunned and frozen, two useful status effects. This would give Astra an easier opportunity to hit, or at least so he thought. "My turn, here it goes!" Astra unsheathed his newly obtained sword and readied himself in a combat stance. Considering that Wulfrin just used TECH-A and stunned Konteris, it would be redundant for Astra to use the same sword art. Within a few seconds he planned out his move, and decided on which one he would perform. 

After taking a small breath, Astra began to move towards the frozen and stunned clone. As his sword trailed behind him, it began to glow a radiant light blue color, with the light sparkles of particle effects trailing behind. As Astra reached Konteris he began to initiate his combo, slashing and swinging his sword at the training dummy. Streaks of red were left behind where Astra's sword had made their cuts, and thankfully for now Konteris still seemed to be immobilized. Astra leapt backwards towards Wulfrin, still poised in his combat stance. "How was that?" He asked with a small slightly-proud smile. It seemed like he had done some damage, and followed instructions well enough. 

***

Spoiler

 

Recovery? Not Needed
Astra is at Full EN and HP
 

Post Action: [x4]ST-I vs Shadow of Wulfrin #1 (4 EN)
Free Action: None

ID 240110 | BD 10 (Major Crit +2 DMG) | CD 2 | 5*4= 20+64 (freeze)=84 DMG to Shadow of Wulfrin #1

Mob Post Action: Shadow of Wulfrin #1's post action removed due to stun. Takes 40 from Frostbite. Stun fades, becomes Stun Immune. Freeze fades.

Wulfrin | HP: 760/760 | EN: 97/110 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | AA  | BH:25 | FRB: 40 | FRZ: 64 | LD:3 | Elf-S
Astra | HP: 20/20 | EN: 16/20 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 12 | ACC: 2 | REC: 1

[3,2] Shadow of Wulfrin #1 | HP: 196/672 | DMG: 132 | ACC: -1 | EVA: 0 | Frostbite 40 [-1 ACC] (1/2) | P. Stun Imm.

 

 

Edited January 12 by Wulfrin

[Wulfrin 0]

"Not bad kid." The shadow spoke finally thawing and recovering. "Stance is a bit weak but you'll get there."

"Astra's mine to teach you nark." Wulfrin retorted as he brough his blade to strike again. "You are here to take a hit, so stay quite and be a good punching bag."

After a series of rapid flashes, Wulfrin caused his shadowy specter to shatter into fractal polygons, only for his shadow to return to its two dimensional form at his feet. It fell silent once more as Wulfrin stood next to Astra. Wulfrin returned Icingdeath to its scabbard which quickly disappeared returning to the depts of his endless inventory. Then he turned his attention to the drops information panel before him.

"He was right you know," Wulfrin muttered as he dismissed the panel blocking his vision. "We still need to tackle some AoE attacks, but we'll have to track down some actual mobs for that. For now though, I've got a question. You ever take a proper swordplay class? If not I can share a bit of my fighting style though it tends to be more... on the dangerous side." Wulfrin's eyes gently fell out of contact with Astra's as the memory of the recent boss raid lingered. His left arm felt heavy, much like the crystal had that almost took his life.

* * *

Recovery?: ID 240620 | CD 3
Wulfrin regains 4 EN

Post Action: [x16]Tech-B vs Shadow of Wulfrin #1 (15 EN) -2 Stamina -1 Well Rested (2/3)
Free Action: None

ID 240619 | BD 10 (Major Crit) | CD 5 | 23*16 = 368 DMG to Shadow of Wulfrin #1. Target Dies

Wulfrin | HP: 760/760 | EN: 86/110 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | AA  | BH:25 | FRB: 40 | FRZ: 64 | LD:3 | Elf-S
Astra | HP: 20/20 | EN: 16/20 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 12 | ACC: 2 | REC: 1

[6,2] Shadow of Wulfrin #1 | HP: 0/672 | DMG: 132 | ACC: -1 | EVA: 0 | Frostbite 40 [-1 ACC] (1/2) | P. Stun Imm. (1/3)

* * *

Looting Shadow of Wulfrin #1
ID 240621 | CD 8 | LD 19+3+1=23
Result:
Mats: 2 (LD Odd)
Col: 3,696 [672 * 5 (incl. CD Even) + 10% Col Stash/Deposit]
Perfect Armor/Shield (1)
Perfect Weapon (2)

Totals:

Wulfrin
3,696 Col
5 Materials
T4 Unidentified Rare Weapons 239753a, 239753b
T4 Unidentified Perfect Weapons 239419a, 239419b, 240621a, 240621b
T4 Unidentified Perfect Armor/Shield 239419c 239419d, 240621c
T4 Unidentified Rare Consumables 239753c, 239753d
Random Dungeon Maps 239419e

Astra
1 Gleaming Scale

Edited February 9 by Wulfrin

[Astra 0]

Astra watched as Wulfrin's shadow returned to its owners feet, bringing about a quiet calm. His stance was weak? Not the worst criticism for his early foray into swordplay. He'd certainly made some strides since his first day in Aincrad, and that memory would still linger at the back of his mind. One thing that certainly helped Astra as he tried to improve his sword skills was watching other players, such as Wulfrin, and their myriad of tactics. From stance, to form, to the way they flourish the blade. These were all things that needed to be considered when wielding a sword, and performing successful attacks. 

"No, I can't say I've taken a proper swordplay class. Just occasionally swinging a wooden sword when I was a kid, and then my experiences here so far. I'm willing to learn anything that will help though. I don't mind the danger." Astra looked towards his companion as he spoke, his voice resolute and unwavering. Any practice and methods to learn would be exactly what he needed if he wanted to become proficient, and make his way to the frontlines. Danger was to be expected around any corner in Aincrad, and since that first day he's been willing to face it. 

 

[Wulfrin 0]

"No worries," Wulfrin shrugged as he began to cycle through his equipment. "I'm down to teach you a proper discipline. Granted it's been literal years since I had formal practice myself, but you learn quick when your life is on the line."

Wulfrin's combat attire began to vanish one piece at a time. First was the ear cuff on his left ear that was quickly replaced by a simple metal band on his left hand's middle finger. Next the shadowy armor dissolved into a simple set of traveling clothes not too much different from the ones gifted to players when they first start their journey's. Instead he donned a second ring of a similarly simple design on the opposite hand. Lastly the chilling Icingdeath was replaced by a rather ornate and elegant sword with a blade of pure platinum. His bandaged left arm now even mor visible since the long sleeves of his primary armor had vanished. He was in loot mode now. Wulfrin drew his blade and marked two lines in the soil with the tip of his blade.

"Stand here," Wulfrin instructed. "We'll be learning the fundamental strikes and blocks taught to me by my instructor years ago. Follow my instructions and mirror my movements to the best of your ability, and then we'll try some more advanced things."

Wulfrin then proceeded to move through the simplest of strikes and blocks of his previous years of swordplay training. At first glance, the stances appeared to leave the user far too open to be usable in a traditional combat, but SAO wasn't a traditional combat environment. The techniques were in fact developed for LARPing games. It focused both on an impressive offense with a one handed blade while defending against a large group of targets attacking from all sides. The other thing the style had going for it was the ease of connecting Sword Arts with it. Every few strikes, the two swordsmen's blades would shine with the vibrant colors of various sword arts as their bodies seemed to move on their own. Astra still had a way to go, as their form still resembled that of a beginner, but for only having access to rank one arts, a general grasp of the basics were all he needed.

"I'll step off to the side now so you can practice moving around as you strike," Wulfrin said as he leaned up against a tree watching Astra's training with the eye of an examination instructor. "Your footwork is just as important as your sword arm. My fighting style prioritizes mobility in strikes and utilizing martial arts to bolster your defenses if you are going to take a hit."

* * *

Wulfrin swaps gear:
Icingdeath -> Platinum Longsword
Fallen Angel Garb -> Devil's Due
Dioscuri -> Dragon's Hoard

New Statblock

Wulfrin | HP: 760/760 | EN: 110/110 | DMG: 21 | MIT:30 | ACC:5 | AA  | BH:26 | LD:6 | PROSP:3 | QTY: 2 | ELF-S

[Astra 0]

"Thanks, I'm pretty eager to learn," Astra said as Wulfrin began to prepare for the training at hand. Astra couldn't help but dwell for a moment on Wulfrin's comment about learning quickly when your life is on the line. It brought Astra back to the first day in Aincrad, when every player soon learned how high the stakes were. The visage of a fallen friend had appeared in his head, and the youth couldn't help but think about how he wasn't able to save his friend. He tried to learn quickly, with someone's life on the line, but he just wasn't good enough. Astra shook his head in an attempt to remove those thoughts. He was working hard to improve now, and he swore he'd never let something like that happen again. 

Astra stood poised and ready in the spot that Wulfrin had marked for him on the ground, and soon the two were trading blows and blocks. Their swords would connect and clash, and soon Astra found that he didn't have to think too hard about the movements. As Wulfrin demonstrated proper movements and form, Astra followed suit. It quickly felt like he was in autopilot, but still focused and in the moment. With each swing of his sword it felt like he was moving with the wind around them. The more they practiced, the more Astra began to try and visualize where he should land his strikes, and how he should move his body to reach that goal. Eventually Wulfrin stepped back, and left Astra to do some of the training on his own. 

"My footwork could use a little bit of work, but I think it's getting a bit better. My goal is to be agile and mobile in battle," Astra said, looking down at his boots and adjusting them properly. "What kind of martial arts would you suggest for defence?" Astra didn't wait for an answer before he began his training once more. He worked on his footwork and stances, as well as the weight of his swings with his sword. He practiced combos and flurries of attacks the more comfortable he became. A one-handed vertical slash, followed by a horizontal swing, followed by a two-handed slash from above. It was basic, but it was keeping him in motion. He kept at it for quite some time as Wulfrin watched, before taking a moment to catch his breath. The swordsman-in-training stabbed his sword into the ground, and wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. 

"I think I'm starting to get a better grip on the fundamentals. My movements and attacks are starting to feel more fluid. What's next?"