[SP-F1]Earning a living(Macradon)[complete]

[Macradon 0]

First Panel

''So what should I do now?'' Macradon asked himself, just after he left the starting city. He looked over his shoulder, watching the dime virtual sun setting itself to make everything dark, the light had just began erasing itself for the good of the night. He would walk out on the way towards teh wood.

Today, I wan't to be productive before the sun sets and everything becomes too dark. As he walked int othe forest, he would take out the long sword which was strapped upon his back.

''I don't have ay ax ... But hopefully my sword is good enough'' he hoped and swung towards the tree inside the forest.

[Macradon 0]

Second Panel

A hacking sound would set out when Macradon hit the tree with his sword. He would look at the tree, trying to see how deep the cut went in. Without problems, the sword had already cleaved an inch int oteh tree, but what now. The sword was stuck.

''Damn it!'' he would curse out towards the trees. The sword would not let go and the tree was just staying there, not moving, nor did the sword. As he pulled and pulled in the sword, he would soon stop up and think about everything.

'What if I walked to the other side and pull with my bisceps instead of my triceps. Hopefully that would work' he thought to himself.

On the others ider of the tree, he took a good and solid grip around the sword handle. A strong pull would emit from the young boy and the sword would finally move. The more he pulled, the more the sword would wriggle free from the tree.

When the sword would finally get out of the tree, a looting tool tip popped up in front of Macradon.

Items:

Dark oak wood.

Take Leave

[Macradon 0]

Third Panel

A push in front of his with his finger hit the take bottom and he received a single piece of dark oak wood.

''Well, much less than what I hope for, but it was easy enough to achieve'' he said with disappointment in his voice. As the sun would set fully, he had only collected 3 pieces of wood, not even enough to make anything good out of it.

His minds flew around, he needed shelter, it was too far to get back into the city, and too dangerous to sleep out here with the mobs all around the forest.

A snap of a branch was heard not too far away and a sound of hooves slamming down on the ground getting louder and louder. Macradon would look around, trying to find the source of the noise, but only the trees were what he could see, and the forests trees would just echo the wound of the hooves all around the place.

A swine's war cry was heard as Macradon was knocked down from behind.

[Macradon 0]

Fourth Panel

As he felt down on the ground, the warthog would then stumble on the ground once again, making a strong charge against the earth bound Macradon. He would raise up again, standing up on his feet until a hard knock would hit his chest.

Once again he would lie on the ground, venerable to attacks from the wild warthog. By rolling to a near tree, he would get up and see the warthog charge against him, he would then try to get out of the way as fast as possible so the warthog would charge into the tree that was behind Macradon.

'Ok, I have to fight now, I can't keep running from this beast' he would think and then hold his sword with a firm grip.

As the warthog would regain stability, it would then charge again against Macradon.

Macradon would run towards a light spot, where he could swing his long sword without any trees in the way.

[Macradon 0]

Fifth Panel

As he would see the warthog coming closer, he would ready his sword. He would grip it firmly, ready to strike directly towards the boar. He felt comfortable, proud and ready to fight.

''How will you deceive the beast ... you have no power'' a voice said to Macradon's confusion. He would look around, trying to see where the voice came from.

''Who are you!? I know you voice!'' he would yell out as the warthog would make it's cry. Macradon would think quickly and make a vertical strike downwards onto the warthog's skull. The warthog would run back to get a good charge, a good chunk of it's hp has been taken down, but so had Macradon's.

''Look at yourself, you pitiful human'' the voice said. Macradon would be stunned in fright as he remembered that the voice was artificial, not from the game, but from his mind. He recognized the voice and then ran away. He would run, but from what he did not know. With only a bit of his health left, a warthog cry and headbutt would come from the left side of Macradon. The warthog was fast, strong and still ready to fight.

Danger; your health is close to 0

Get out of combat and rest to regain your health

The text would appear on a HUD in front of Macradon, he had lost too much health to remain sane against the warthog.

[Macradon 0]

Sixth Panel

Macradon would stand up, ignore the voice for a second and with a quick movement, he would slice from the right side of the bottom to a curved slice in the air, cleaving through the warthog with an insane amount of power, coming from the little Macradon. He would sit down as the loot window would appear.

Items:

Warthog Skin

2x Warthog Tusks

Take? Leave?

He would take all the loot, it would maybe become useful when he would do something with the wood.

'So what now, what should I do now ... I got wood .. maybe a handle of wood. I can make leather with the skin. The tusks could be pretty nice to make my handle look better. I could make a sword, all I needed was minerals and something I could smith with. I know, I'll become a smith!' he would think to himself. He would think, where would he be able to find minerals? Maybe on higher floors, or something like that.

At a time like this, he only wanted to rest until he had enough Health to get back safe.

[Macradon 0]

Seventh Panel

The dawn was upon the world, Macradon had regained his health and he was ready to go back to the city.

He went to the nearest common shop and purchased a knife. He would carve in the wood, form the tusks and redo the warthog skin into leather strips. With all this handy, he only had to find minerals to melt into a blade.

Walking around the city, he asked all the citizen of the first floor where he would be able to find minerals. From one shop to another, a smith to another, the only solution was to go to the second floor. The second floor is able to provide minerals by grinding mobs or mining the rocks to find small mineral fragments.

With time passing before him, he would finally take the courage to get up onto the second floor. Without a pickax he would not be able to mine perfectly, but maybe a sword could be able to get some scratches off the minerals.

[Macradon 0]

Eighth Panel

Going up onto the second floor of the world Aincrad, he would be looking for a mining area, where he could get chunks of minerals. He would search around, trying to find a good spot, but it would look like nothing would let him find a spot, mobs everywhere, higher level than him, but he would just try not to be touched by that. After some time of searching for a mining spot, it was surrounded by minor mobs, but level 2 mobs all of them. Macradon would open up the HUD and his information.

''Huh, I'm level 2 now. Maybe it was because of the boar battle ...'' he would say out loud for himself. Now with the leveled up courage, he would engage the mobs in a battle. He would draw his two-handed sword and charge straight towards the stone mob that was isolated from the rest of the group.

'Sigh, I will probably get hurt a lot by these monsters but hopefully I'll get something out of it' he thought as he went straight towards the stone mob. He would try to use a sword art, trying to get a good chunk of the mobs health.

'Dammit, I don't know how to!' he would think and just forget the sword arts. he would now just use his sword with his own power. As the rock would move and look more like a golem, it would throw its fist towards Macradon. Macradon would think of what he read about himself, a parry move would come to parry the attack.

[Macradon 0]

Ninth Panel

The fist would land straight upon the sword, a loud noise would emit from the collision. Macradon would feel the strong breeze flying from the sonic smash the golem had given with it's powerful punch. Being quick and sleek, he would maneuver around the golem and slash it in the legs on the back side. The golem would fall down, but get up nearly as fast as it fell, standing straight up, only a tiny chunk of it's health has been removed.

'This will take it's time' he would think as he would thrust his sword forward, striking the golem before it could turn around again. The golem was programmed to get up fast, but it's normal movement had been set to slow.

A crack in the middle of the golem's torso would soon open as a loud roar would emit from it. The roar, so strong it could be heard a mile away, extremely loud and painful for Macradon's ears.

'What is it doi... ' he would think as the ground would rumble under his feet. A flock of wild boars would come charging towards Macradon. The boars had been summoned by the golems battle roar, and now they were heading towards Macradon.

[Macradon 0]

Tenth Panel

Macradon would use a lot of his strength to make the sword slice out of the golem, as it was still inside the golem. His stab had pushed the sword very far into the golem, hitting a weak spot. A lot of the golem's health has rushed away, this spot was vulnerable and fragile, as Macradon would see as the golem would crumble slowly from the wound.

'I know it's weakness, I have to defeat it fast before the boars get's here' he would think as the sliced out the sword, taking down even another chunk of the golem's health. A hard force would hit Macradon's left shoulder.

3 meters was the distance Macradon would fly over the ground because of the flying flail arm of the golem. He had lost 2 health points, only 5 left.

'I can only withstand 3 hits more, I have to be more careful' he would think while getting up again, rushing forward, looking for any openings with the golem's slow movement. On high punch was thrown towards Macradon, then a low punch that he jumped up onto, running on the golem's left arm. He would then stick down the sword onto the shoulder of the golem, and slice it down so he could get in front of the weak spot of the golem.

He would take a good slicing stance as his sword would begin to glow, he would then spin around once, dealing a heavy load of damage onto the weakspot. A battle cry would emit as the golem would fall.

Items:

2x Reinforced rock

Iron ore

Take? Leave?

[Macradon 0]

Eleventh Panel

'What was that? Was that a sword art?' he would think while he took all the loot from the golem. He would face the hoard of boars, that had now fled or disappeared. Maybe it was just one of the golem's tricks. Even though, Macradon had gained iron from the golem. He would look around, maybe it was a common drop, it had to be tested.

As he found another isolated golem, walking away, he would get into the aggro range of the golem, when it would punch, he would block the first, then spin attack its legs, then a final chop through the weakspot.

As everything went as he thought, the spinning attack and the finishing chop were both sword arts, he had finally found out how to use sword arts. One had to feel them and in need of them, they are not objects, though one self that had extended into raw virtual power.

As again, the Looting HUD appeared.

Items:

Reinforced rock

Take? Leave?

He would take it al and go to the next, he wanted to see how big the drop rate of iron ore of these monsters were.

[Macradon 0]

Twelfth Panel

As it has been discovered now, it is maybe still a common drop, but not a 100% rate as the rocks the golem drops.

Right now it will be another kill before he can determine if it's rare or not. Right now, he would be able to slay the golems easier now, because he knows how to use sword arts now. With him being capable of using sword arts, he can manipulate his movements and contradict physics within a fight against the golems.

After the whole day, he would acquire only 2 additional pieces of iron ore. The conditions of the drop rate was rare, as he had used a whole day on fighting golems, and only achieving 3 ores.

With sadness in his voice, he want to the first smith he would find in the city and asked for a melting of the ores. He would only receive 1 bar of iron, which was only a third of what a two-handed sword needed to be forged.

He would hand over the money and go out to find a spot in the city to sleep for tonight.

Items towards a Two-Handed sword so far.

-Iron bar

-2x Warthog tusk

-Carved wooden handle

[Macradon 0]

Thirteenth Panel

As he would squander off into the terrain to get to the second floor, he stopped and hit his head with a flat palm. Opening up his skill menu, a skill came in sight.

-Metal Refining - The effectiveness with which a player can turn raw ore into refined ingots of metal.

'Why didn't I just do that instead of having to pay a smith to do it for me, I could just have borrowed the heating system and done the hard work myself ...' he thought as he entered the stairs towards the second floor.

Up again, he would grip his sword and go back to the grinding spot he found, not only experience was what he gained, but also iron without damaging his sword by using it as a bad pick.

When a hard rock slammed onto him from behind, he would get up again, feeling the battle healing kicking in now, healing slowly, but better than anything else. With his HP down at 7 out of 9 right now, he would focus onto a rock golem, different from the others, longer arms and not as slow as it could charge, a more stronger variant of the stone golems perhaps.

[Macradon 0]

Fourteenth Panel

The greater golem attacked with a fierce grab on the ground, picking up a big chunk of dirt to throw at Macradon, he would be able to just barely sprint away from the surface damage the dirt would do to the incredible impact and speed the golem threw with.

'How strong is this thing!?' he would think thoroughly while looking at the movements it made. Quick, safe and aggressive movements. With another movement, it would get close and be able to slam down with it's long arms that would crush everything underneath. The golem was just the same size as the others, but this was more adept and athletic build, when talking about rock golems. The slam was strong, but Macradon could hold himself to block the attack with his two-handed sword. The golem was not as strong and hard hitter as his cousins that were slower, but he was faster and able to throw projectiles at a great speed. His sword's durability would get crushed each time he would block an attack from this golem, but he was also able to slice away some chunks of health. The battle of the two was like the normal golems, but more fast paced and battle healing reliant. With more and more energy used by both sides, it all ended up with how each reacted, and as the golem was programmed to a floor 2 standard, Macradon would be able to get himself to defeat it.

[Macradon 0]

Fifteenth Panel

With time passing, Macradon would eventually defeat the rock golem. But his health was down at 3, another hit from a golem would be fatal. He would try to sprint to the nearest safe spot to recover. With a little of his health recovering, he would hold an eye for more of that kind of golems, as they would be dangerous when he was only at half his health.

A shifting in the wind made him duck down and then Cyclone around, smashing the legs of a normal golem that would then fall, as it fell, he would aim for the weak spot with an Avalanche strike and make it go to pixels. From only those two mobs he earned a total of 4 iron ores. With this he would be able to finish of the materials for a sword.

He would go down to yet another smith, as he wasn't comfortable with the first one as he had made him do the smelting, now he would do it in another stranger's machinery.

As he stepped into the building, the man at the desk said.

''Can I help you?'' and Macradon answered

''Yes, I need to smelt these ores, I can do it myself, but does not own any tools for the sake, can I borrow yours?''.

''For some coin I can let you use my oven and oil, but it isn't cheap'' the man replied

''Can't I just work for you for some time and use your tools?'' Macradon asked, as he was low on money.

''Fine, you work for me here in a week and I'll let you use the tools in the meantime.'' he said as they both shook hands.

Macradon walked towards the oven and selected his ores.

Do you want to melt these Iron Ores into ingots?

Yes No

[Macradon 0]

Sixteenth Panel

As press of Yes, Macradon acquired the amount of ingots he needed and a sword would be able to be forged. He would wait as he had to make other swords for the smith here at his shop. With the teaching he learned of the greatest techniques, his experience in smithing became greater and greater, and he finally was able to craft his own sword.

*Flashback*

''Macradon! the hammer, quickly!'' the man who was never named said to Macradon as he was in need of a hammer to forge the ingot into a blade. The hammers he had been using were all getting ruined by the hard core steel ingot, it was too strong for the hammers to forge, after the use of 4 hammers, trying to get the ingots into the form, they tried to forge a new hammer, a hammer mad of a melted steel ingot, able to smash walls and wreck swords, but for this purpose of forging only.

Macradon looked into his inventory and gave the smith the steel hammer. Today was a magnificent day for them both, a day where they would both be able to work with a katana of the Asian districts, if this succeeded, Macradon would be free from work, as this would be enough salary for them both the next month if the one who asked for it bought it.

The hammer was not used and the durability was up at it's highest state, now it was to choose to use it and crack it or use it and succeed at a Katana. Most of the sword in this shop was high quality, but iron instead of steel.

Steel was a too rare and expensive mineral that no one on the first floor would be able to get it until they reached high enough levels to survive the dangers at the steel, though this one man who gave them the ores, he was strong enough, but needed a stronger weapon.

The hammer did what it should, the smith selected the hammer and pointed it at the still hot steel ingot.

Will you smith this ingot into a '''''''''?

Katana

Steel straight sword

Knife

Throwing knife

The smith chose the katana option and the hammer worked flawlessly, the hammer's durability was reduced by 50% after the hard work of a steel katana, but it was worth it. The katana blade was made as it should and it was made to be strong enough for the buyer.

[Macradon 0]

Seventeenth panel

As the time came, they both worked hard to refine the Katana, as the form was now forged with the steel hammer. All this work and all the heat to reheat the steel so it would stay in the red heat form so they could forge it. Now they were both free from the katana issue and was able to go back to normal work until the one who wanted the katana arrived.

It did not take too long after the forging and carving of hilt, scabbard and polishing that the buyer would come and check.

While Macradon was forging his own iron into a more refined iron ingot, he would hear footsteps walking into the shop, the bells ringing and the smith calling for the sword. Macradon would quickly stand up, get the sheathed katana on a pillow and bring it to the buyer. As he walked out into the shop, a coated hooded man would stand with battle scars, how he got them in this virtual world was unknown to Macradon. Macradon would go forth and give the man the sword while bowing.

''Here is thy swor ...'' he would say as the voice would say to him.

''you pitiful human, why thinking of working for another being? You're stronger than him, because I'm with you, you cannot just work on a sword and then give it to a mere human!''

Macradon would shake in fear as this voice was all over him, he shivered, nearly dropping the katana. Forgetting all of what he was about to say, he just stood up with the pillow in one hand and scratching the back of his head. Both the man and the smith was glaring weird at Macradon, a young smith wearing smithing clothes instead of his normal starter attire.

He would hand over the sword again, not bowing.

''I am sorry for this mistake, please take a glance upon the blade of the refined katana'' he would say as the man would pick up the sword.

A HUD would appear before the man and he would check the specifications of the sword, a bag of money would be thrown down onto the table, the smith and the man shook hands as they both would part again.

The smith would wait until the man walked out of the shop, he would then grab unto Macradon.

[Macradon 0]

Eighteenth panel

''What happened to you!? I have never seen you so scared before, is something wrong?'' the smith would ask as he would grab even harder upon Macradon's arm. He would look concerned as Macradon had been his assistant at the smithery for a month, 3 times more than he had promised, just so he would be able to gain more experience unto smithing and how it was done and executed the right and best way. Macradon would just look at the ground with a worried face, no one knew about his voice, only his father, who taught him about the face, but he was not here, nor would he ever be.

Macradon would look up on the smith's face.

''I only tell this to people I trust, and a month of work here with you have empowered my trust to you.

I'm ... what you call ... insane? I have this voice inside my head that keeps talking to me, and I keep getting scared of it ... I don't know anymore if it's just an illusion, as I had it in real life, and now I have it inside this death game ... I don't know what to do about it'' he would say with a scared voice, on the edge of crying if he had to. He would suck in a lot of air and calm himself again.

''I don't judge you, it's alright with me, as you have done a great work here at my smithery, you may come back whenever you want, but first, let's take a look at your ingots so we can forge that sword!'' he would say as he would take the material out.

[Macradon 0]

Nineteenth panel

Macradon would choose his ingots from his inventory, a good amount of ingots to do this sword. He would go on and give them to the smith while also melting some of the rocks just to make details for the sword. The smith would start of with putting all of the ingots into the fire, making them all red with heat. As they had reached the heat limit, the smith would turn around, looking at Macradon.

''So after all these days, what about you to use the hammer for this job?''

Macradon had been working at the smithery for a month, though he had not forged anything yet, he had only melted, gathered and sold stuff at the shop, never forged.

With a broad smile he jumped to the side of the smith, just at the anvil and grabbed the iron hammer.

''No no, use the steel hammer'' the smith said as he handed over the steel hammer to Macradon. With an even broader smile he sat down on the stool, selected the hammer and took the hot ingots with a set of pliers and began to forge the blade.

Will you smith these ingots into '''''''?

Iron straight sword

Iron curved sword

Iron knife

Iron throwing knives

Two handed broad sword

Iron claymore

Iron bastardsword

Macradon would choose to make a broad sword, as that was what he wanted with these materials he had. With

a simple click, the hammer would lose durability for each hit he would do with the hammer to make the ingots flat and force the hot ingots together into one blade for a broad sword. The smith would walk over to Macradon and pat him on the shoulders.

''You've done a good job'' the smith would say with a proud voice. He would grab unto the oil bucket as they would use energy on refining the blade and polish it to give it a good and slick appearance. They would sink the hot blade into a bucket of cold oil and then into the oven again to heat it up. After that, they would hammer the blade into it's thoughtful shape and repeat the oil and oven routine.

[Macradon 0]

Twentieth panel

Macradon would smile and shout out loud of happiness as now a month and a bit more of hard work has been set for his sword which blade was in his hands. He would grab all the refining tools and engrave a dragon into the blade, from where the hilt would start, spiraling around the blade to the very edge of the sword, the rest of the rocks he melted were used to sculpt a hilt for the sword, so his hands would not get hurt. He would sample the tools to the working bench and drill a hole into the wooden handle he had carved and then insert the blade into the handle. He would drill 2 more hole through the handle and the blade, close to the top and bottom of the handle, then inserting a strong pin inside and rivet it into place with the steel hammer, which was nearly used up from all the refining done by the heating and cooling.

With all this set, he would carve out a sign into the hilt to represent that it was his work.

He would walk towards the smith, bowing and thanking for this teaching and that he would be able to use his oven and tools.

''Thank you for all the help, and thank you for allowing me into the smithery. I am forever grateful of thy action'' he would say as they would both give a manly hug to each other before Macradon would take into his adventures and try to get out alive.

''You have served me great and you are always welcome here, you are like a son to me ...'' the smith would say with a broad smile. This smith was not an NPC, but everything about him was hidden, somehow this man was a mystery, but a pleasant one after all. They would both just take a few more hours together and talk about how Macradon could make his smithing techniques better, and how he could practice without and oven and a suitable hammer.

You have earned the skill Smithing through actions of the term

Will you learn this skill?

Yes No