[SP-F2] Experience in More Ways Than One

[Cayden 0]

"You know, for all the credit people give Kayaba Akihiko... I can't say I agree with the idea he was such a visionary." Cayden mused as he stalked towards the massive bull headed creature that the system identified as a «Lesser Taurus Striker ». Oblivious to his words but more than wise to his presence, the bipedal monster rose to its full height, leather straps across its chest creaking with frustration as the creature hefted its mighty hammer and faced off against him.

"I mean, look at you. No offense, but just look at you!" Cayden continued unabated, the long silver blade of Oathbreaker brandished before him in one hand, the edge of the blade gleaming crimson as though the whole of it was ringed with blood. "What even are you? A sexual assault minotaur?"

The creature couldn't understand him, but then the taunts weren't really directed at it. Somewhere along the line, Cayden had gotten into the habit of taunting his foes. Maybe it was a remnant of his old gaming days with his father, where they would toss jibes at one another as they played. Whatever it was it calmed his nerves and drew much of the tension from the moment. It was just a game after all.

«Lesser Taurus Striker»: 6/6 HP -3

«Cayden»: 11/11 HP

[Cayden 0]

And it was a game he was getting better at with each passing day.

Gone were the days when he might have flinched, or felt a moment of panic as the «Lesser Taurus Striker » charged bull headedly towards him. After nearly a month of researching, training and practical experience his 'body' was reacting even before his mind had truly registered the threat enough to be afraid of him.

In one smooth motion he whirled almost effortlessly to the side, his blade aglow with a «Horizontal » sword skill as it raked along the creatures exposed flank.

"Don't worry it'll all be over so... oh. Oh!" Cayden cried with disgust as he turned to face the beast once again. The cross shaped bandoleer that covered the bovine's muscular torso seemed to have taken the worst of his blow, the harness hanging off the back of its uncomfortably short briefs like a pair of cut suspenders as it charged in his direction.

«Lesser Taurus Striker»: 3/6 HP

«Cayden»: 11/11 HP

[Cayden 0]

"Okay, okay I'm sorry!" Cayden said, his nose crinkled in disgust as the creature laid on with its attacks, swinging with such wild abandonment that it caused him to wonder if slashing its harness had tripped some sort of rage trigger in its script. "Tell you what, how about I just cut those off for you?"

Cayden dodged quickly to the left as another blow cracked the hard stone of the labyrinth floor. This thing was strong, incredibly strong but it was slow as anything he'd fought so far in SAO. It was why he'd picked this section of the labyrinth for part of his grinding on floor two. Every enemy in Sword Art Online could be dangerous, but they had weaknesses.

The «Lesser Taurus Striker» was strong but slow. This made it deadly against those who liked to stand and tank blows, and almost worthless against someone like him who focused on dodging.

"I feel like I should say a cow pun out of respect... but I ran empty about three striker's back." Cayden said as he slipped it's blow at last, moving for the killing strike.

«Lesser Taurus Striker»: 0/6 HP -3 DEFEATED

«Cayden»: 11/11 HP

[Cayden 0]

"Rest in... mooace? Yeah, I've got nothing." He laughed to the glittering air as dozens of bright pink fragments of data cascaded down around him and his outstretched sword arm. He hadn't even bothered with a sword skill for the final blow, and he mentally chided himself for the pointless risk even as a bright white loot menu popped into the air in front of him.

Result

-------------------------------

Exp - 49

-------------------------------

Col - 0

-------------------------------

Items - Steel Nose Ring (1 Material)

-------------------------------

Confirm

"Garbage loot. Looks like you get the last laugh don't you my friend?" Cayden dismissed the window with a quick tap of the confirm button, then just as quickly waved his hand through the virtual space to summon up his player options menu. "Okay so there should be more around... here?"

The map was an expensive purchase, but an almost necessary one. Many groups had freely released the map data for some of the lower levels of Aincrad, but a map like this, one that showed the spawn locations of various different mobs throughout the entirety of the floor was a luxury. It had taken several hundred Col and nearly half a day to make the requisite contact with a willing player, and even more money to actually purchase the thing.

[Cayden 0]

For the amount he'd spent Cayden could have purchased an upgrade to his armor, or perhaps a new accessory, if he were a different player he absolutely would have. Yet to him the map and the associated monster data was worth far more. After all, why bother to upgrade his armor when he could simply grind monsters who didn't stand a hope in hell of hitting him in the first place.

"So then I need to use that passageway?" He turned as he wondered the question aloud, a single digit pressed against the open map to pull the floating display along as he moved. Even on this low a floor the labyrinths of Aincrad could be confusing at the best of times, and when the consequences for a mistake were so dire indeed, measure twice and cut once was really the word of the day. "Yeah, definitely this way."

[Cayden 0]

"You sure about that, young man?"

The words were soft, spoken so quietly that Cayden would have missed them entirely had they not been whispered into his ear, whispered so close that he could feel the warmth of breath tickle his ear.

"What the hell!?" Cayden cried with a start. His whole body moved on instinct, lunging forward and pivoting awkwardly on one foot. His blade came up to an unsteady combat posture as adrenaline coursed through him, though he was thoroughly unprepared for what he saw there.

The voice belonged to a woman, a beautiful woman.

Due to the demographics of your typical gamer, women were a rarity in Sword Art Online. Attractive women were scarcer still, and players over the age of thirty numbered barely more than a few hundred. This woman was all three.

[Cayden 0]

The woman was taller than him, standing just over six feet with the aid of uncomfortable looking heels. Her body was clad head to toe in what was no doubt an intentionally provocative full bodysuit, the black outfit glistening and glowing with the oddly colored lights of the dungeon awash around them.

Beneath the suit was a body that sent color rushing to Cayden's cheeks. Whoever she was, this woman had a body that looked almost too good to be true, the sort of body that had been far more commonplace in the few hours before the reveal of the death game, when people were still playing their characters rather than themselves. Her curves were ample but not to the point of absurdity, the skin of her face clear and free of most blemishes in a way that made it almost impossible to determine just how far over thirty she actually was.

Her garment creaked in protest as she adjusted her posture, coquettishly pushing one ample hip out to the side while a smile blossomed on lips painted ruby red to match the fire of her hair. She said nothing, simply watching him as he kept the gleaming crimson tip of his blade aimed at her heart.

[Cayden 0]

"Who are you?" Cayden asked sharply. "How did yo-"

"You need you level up your «Searching» skill, young man." The woman said with a bored sigh. One arm crossed underneath her prominent bosom to support the weight of her other arm as she cupped her chin in her hand and spoke again. "If you aren't careful someone disreputable might sneak up on you."

"I have a suspicion that someone already did." Cayden shot back.

"Ouch. You know that actually kind of stings." She replied, one plump lip curling into a pout as she regarded him through dangerous, Smokey eyes. "If I'd wanted to do you any damage I wouldn't have whispered to you would I. Besides..." Her fingers played quickly across her own options menu, and within a moment a name blinked into existence above her head, a glowing green icon accompanying it. "I'm not a Red Player am I, young man?"

"Astalith?" He sounded the foreign name out slowly, smiling a little as she nodded her head. "You aren't Red or Orange, but this wouldn't be the first time a PK guild used a pretty girl as bait."

[Cayden 0]

"I don't know about the girl thing... but I'm rather flattered you think I'm pretty." Astalith replied with a sly grin that spoke volumes about just how pretty she thought she was and took a step towards him. Cayden's blade rose with the step, the tip keeping her heart as its target with each step she took. "Oh come on, it was a joke! I saw you finish off that Taurus and thought it'd be fun to spook you, that's all!"

"You thought it would be a good idea to 'spook' someone in Sword Art Online?"

"If I could spook someone in the real world I would. Can't exactly Log Out can I?" She rolled her eyes. "Besides, I was never this sneaky without the system assist."

The two stared at one another for another long moment as her words faded off into the silence of the labyrinth. Then she took another step forward, one long silvered heel clicking loudly in the quiet between them. His sword point adjusted, then adjusted again as she drew closer and closer, until at last her motion caused the tip of it to dig into the 'fabric' of her garments, just shy of biting flesh and dealing damage.

[Cayden 0]

"Fine!" Cayden said, a blush coloring his cheeks anew as he quickly withdrew the blade, letting it fall to a casual grip at his side.

"Oh you are just too much fun to tease, young man."

"Cayden. "

"Hmm? Oh, I suppose that is your name isn't it." She mused, a dainty gloved fingertip pressed to her lips as she seemed to mull it over. "It doesn't suit you. I'll just stick with what I've got until I think of something better. Maybe Cay?"

"Yeah, that's not happening." He replied with a reluctant sigh, taking his eyes off her for the first time.

"Because you've had so much luck in keeping me from doing what I want." Astalith said with a wicked giggle before walking past him to glance down the same hallway he'd been inspecting before she'd arrived. "Besides, you owe me."

[Cayden 0]

"How do you figure that?" Cayden scoffed.

"You've been killing my mobs all day!" She retorted quickly, spinning to face him with a more serious look across her gorgeous features. "I came out looking to farm «Lesser Taurus Striker's» today, and wouldn't you know it, I can't find any for nearly ten minutes. Instead I find a handsome young rogue stealing all my targets."

"Early bird gets the spawns Grandma."

"Grandma!?" That got a rise out of her, her playful demeanor falling away. As if from nowhere a dagger appeared in her hand, its flashing shape almost less of a threat than the ones she glared from narrowed green eyes. "I'm sorry I must have misheard you."

"Y-yeah. Definitely. Why would I say that!?"

"Good! I'd hate to have to spend a few weeks hiding out of town as an orange player. Lady like me needs a proper room for her beauty sleep." As she spoke Astalith returned her free hand to tap at the menu open before her. Seconds later a Spartan white menu popped open between them, right in front of Cayden's chest."

Astalith has invited you to a party

Accept/Reject

[Cayden 0]

"I... uh... Miss..." Cayden started, painfully aware of the dagger still loosely held in Astalith's grip. "I don't really... party. I'm a solo player."

"That's fine. I don't usually either. But you owe me."

"They weren't really your mobs..."

"Oh no, I forgave you for that. You owe me for that grandma comment." Her eyes gleamed as they met his, one dainty hand playing the tip of her knife against a fingertip of the other. "Besides, we'll split the XP and loot. We'll kill them faster, we won't be falling over one another trying to get to the mobs and we won't have to worry so much about any dangerous players stalking the labyrinth."

"But I don't think you ca-"

"Think carefully before you suggest I can't carry my weight, young man. You're still on my good side. So far."

[Cayden 0]

"Just for the day?"

"Just for the day. I'm not some creepy stalker." Her eyes flicked up and down his body, ruby lips curling into a smirk as she continued. "Frankly you'd be lucky to have me stalk you. I've had players beg me to stalk them."

With a nod Cayden reached out and tapped the 'accept' button on the open menu. It flashed once, then vanished to be replaced a moment later by a new bar in the top left of his UI labeled Astalith. Her health bar.

"Shall we?"

"You're really uptight, you know that?" The older woman said with a deadpan laugh, her attention turned once again to the hallway. "I think I'm probably a little more DPS than you are. You want to handle the vanguard and I'll try and I'll flank it?"

"Not just a pretty face huh?" For the first time since he'd encountered her, Cayden felt a smile pull at his lips. Even if she was low level, the fact that she knew at a glance that she'd be more useful in a support role was a comfort. "Just be ready to switch if I need you to."

[Cayden 0]

With the aid of his detailed map it wasn't a long trip to find the monster they wanted. Along the way they skirted a handful of mobs, and it was another happy surprise to hear no complaint as they avoided the targets of opportunity. A large part of the reason he played solo was his distrust of other players, yet for all this woman's quirks she seemed happy, perhaps even eager to let him take the lead.

Pity she isn't walking in front tho. The thought brought a furious crimson blush to Cayden's cheeks, and were it not for the timely appearance of a «Lesser Taurus Striker» he had no doubt it would have led to a curious question or another round of taunting.

"Hey cowboy." Cayden taunted, pivoting his arm back and letting the system guide him through the simple «Rock Throw» skill he'd picked up a few weeks back for this exact purpose. The room ahead had nearly a half a dozen of the Taurus beasts, and even in a party there was no sense fighting them all at once.

[Cayden 0]

As usual the damage of the rock was next to nothing, a barely perceptible sliver of the creature's health ticking down as it lowered its head and «Charged» at him.

"I'm going to go left!" Cayden shouted, after making sure the beast's attention was focused solely on him. Like everything the Taurus had, the charge was a very clumsy attack but incredibly deadly if he allowed it to hit. Fortunately the attack left it open like nothing else, and Cayden dodged effortlessly to the side, his blade glowing with a fierce blue light as he moved through the system assisted motion of his newest skill «Sever».

«Lesser Taurus Striker»: 6/6 HP

«Cayden»: 11/11 HP