[SP-F01] Earning A Living

[Saix 0]

The leather garbed figure strode confidently through the streets of Starter City. Desperation seemed to cling to the air, a viscous thick pall of negativity. So many people had stayed behind, believing that this was the best course of survival, waiting for rescue that would never come. Saix had realized that after the first week with no rescue had passed. No, Kayaba Akihiko was simply not willing to let them go that easily.

[Saix 0]

Everywhere the swordsman looked, he saw fellow players milling about, simply trying to pass the time until the mad rush for the cheapest inn rooms began. So this was what they had been reduced too? They were fearful sheep unwilling to leave the city, spending the last of their allotted starting funds on hiding away from the truth? It was like Kayaba Akihiko had said, there would be no escape until the game was cleared. Hiding away would not change this.

[Saix 0]

And yet, even had many wanted to attempt to escape into the game and try to forge their way to freedom, with each passing day it would become more difficult to afford the basic necessities a prospective adventurer would need to survive. The scenario was proving to be troubling indeed. Many had thought that the key to overcoming this problem lie in the Profession Skills, creating items to sell to further dwindling supplies of Col. But even this was dangerous.

[Saix 0]

In order to craft, one needed the proper materials, materials that would either need to be purchased or traded; or harvested out in the wilds. That meant spending col that would otherwise be used to continue staying in the Starter City, or leaving the safety of the city. It was a risky proposition, one that seemed to reinforce the reasoning that had led some outlaw players into attempting to harass other players in the wilds for their gear with threats of violence.

[Saix 0]

Still, carefully weighing his options, Saix could not help but decide that investing in this skill would be a necessity if he were to ensure the survival of himself and his sibling. Deciding which skill to invest in had taken some time though, as he had weighed each decision carefully. However, in the end he had decided to take the Alchemy profession. He had been tempted to take up a crafting profession that would allow him to produce equipable gear, but had discarded the notion.

[Saix 0]

His play style was simply too different from that of Inu, so being able to craft gear that benefited him would not go far in benefiting their two person party. With that thought in mind, he had decided that Alchemy was the best choice. Having easy access to abundant healing items would make the game less dangerous, not to mention the prospect of such items as status ailment effects like poison, paralysis, and other useful means for defeating enemies with greater ease.

[Saix 0]

For a brief moment he imagined a chill at the thought of beginning their battle preparations so casually, yet he was quick to dismiss the sensation as being the result of an overactive imagination. Pushing such thoughts from his mind, Saix quickened his step, his leather boots clacking on the simulated cobblestones that lined the central plaza of Starter City. This was the central portion of the massive city, and as good a place as any to start his search.

[Saix 0]

In order to pick up his profession, he would need to find the appropriate NPC, and accept the profession officially after receiving a few text windows of information pertaining to what the skill would be used for. He was rather fortunate in that he had a general idea of the area he would find his specific NPC from his sporadic exploration of the city over the past few months. Most NPC’s tended to move around a bit, but generally could be found in the same general area.

[Saix 0]

Making his way through the surprisingly congested area, Saix spotted his target and picked his way through the crowd. With so many players having decided to stay in the Starter Town, there was little room in such public places. Most players were content to spend the day aimlessly wandering the central plaza, as there really were few places to spend the bulk of their time. It was congested, but ultimately manageable even if sometimes annoying.

[Saix 0]

Saix finally stopped before the rather jovial looking NPC, a middle aged male wearing a rough cut vest and hempen tunic and trousers, and paused a moment for the system to recognize his ‘interest’. With a wide smile and twinkling eyes, the NPC, named launched into a rather common dialogue aimed at snaring any nearby player’s attention. â€Ho lad, care to listen a bit about the Alchemy profession?†he said, in a friendly tone as a pop up window appeared before Saix with details on Alchemy in general.

[Saix 0]

Saix simply nodded, his eyes fixed on the NPC before him. Certainly realistic, but the facial software, specifically expressions, was sometimes a little strange. One might say it was to better capture the dramatic essence of the game, who knew. All he knew is that the smiling face seemed… false, imperceptibly off by a fraction, just enough to make him uncomfortable. His eyes flicked down to the semi-transparent window before him, where he pressed .

[Saix 0]

New information flooded the window, basic information on how an Alchemist would take basic materials and ingredients and create the basic leveled potions. They were a far cry from the powerful Crystal items that would activate instantly, instead having a heal over time effect, but it was better than nothing. In this world, HP falling to zero would equate a real death; he would take any method or means to prevent such a fate for himself and his dear sister.

[Saix 0]

The NPC before him continued to speak, describing the use of an Alchemy table, communal resources available in most cities or villages. Should he purchase his own house or shop, he could install a personal table, and so on and so forth. It was hardly relevant at this time and place, even in The Starting City, real estate was extremely pricey. No doubt on higher, less crowded floors, it would be even more expensive. Alas, he would cross that hurdle when he got there.

[Saix 0]

A few minutes of information later, the info box before him reached its final screen, displaying the fateful message. followed by simple options. Having endured the entirety of this explanation simply to pick up the profession, Saix was quick to accept. â€Congratulations, you are now an Alchemist. Take these ingredients and create a basic healing potion for me.†Eric quickly replied.

[Saix 0]

A notification of received items pinged on Saix’s HUD, and quick check showed the addition of two basic ingredients to his inventory. No doubt this was intended as an introduction to the crafting system, a rather common occurrence in most MMO’s. quickly gestured towards the nearby crafting table. Saix did not need to be told twice, and jostled his way over to empty crafting table. Most in the Starting City wouldn’t bother with something like crafting, not when they needed to save as much Col as possible to keep paying for food and lodging, so he did not have to wait.

[Saix 0]

One rather dry tutorial later, Saix had created his first basic quality potion, which he ‘returned’ to as the final step in his quest. He was not be able to keep the potion, as it was part of the learning process. But that hardly mattered, he had the recipe on hand, and the ingredients required were rather common drops. gave him a few parting words of wisdom, pointing out that as he crafted more potions, his skill would continue to rise. Given how watered down the process had been, he could tell most crafting jobs would be little more than a mind numbing grind to increase skills.

[Saix 0]

No matter, he had taken the skill for practicality’s sake, not enjoyment. If it meant spending a few hours a week grinding these simple steps for more potions to use, or even sell, then so be it. It was all a part of the plan after all, the plan that would enable Saix, and Inu, to survive this death trap. So long as it was in service of that goal, he did not mind so minor an annoyance. He had his crafting skill, now all he needed to do was start gathering materials.

[Saix 0]

The easiest course would have been to simply purchase the required ingredients from one of the many shops. But that would be a drain on his resources, one that could be potentially devastating later. It would be far more beneficial to farm the ingredients himself, benefiting from the Xp in the field at the same time, and saving his money to stretch as far as possible. He had a plan after all. It was imperative that the siblings use the surrounding area to level a few times.

[Saix 0]

Then, and only then, after replacing their basic gear with the next equivalent tier, they could venture into the labyrinth. The labyrinth would provide more respawning monsters to farm for xp, as well as the chance for random generated treasure chests. The key would be not rushing too fast, trying to ascend the castle too quickly would only put them in greater danger as they were forced into higher level areas before they were able to level, or keep their gear suitably maintained.

[Saix 0]

Yes, Saix certainly had a plan, this might have been a game that was a high tech battle for life and death, but it was still a game. He had played many MMO’s in his time, even if they had not been via the NerveGear. He had to believe that the approach that had allowed him to thrive in these games would carry over here, if not for his sake, then for his sister, who had not taken the circumstances that led to their entrapment very well. Ah well, for the time being, there was no other option but to move forward, no matter the danger. Checking the Information Broker's pamplet, he surmised that in order to get his most basic of ingredients, he should focus his attention on farming the random Ooze mobs that could be found outside Starting City. Great, Ooze mobs, they were present in some form or another in just about every MMO he had ever played.