Takao 0 Posted July 9, 2015 #1 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Down time. That's all he seemed to have anymore. He couldn't bring himself to grind on monsters for more than a few hours at a time, which left a vast expanse of time where he just did... nothing. He sat in an inn until he felt restless, then he went out and wandered around the town. He'd introduce himself to some new faces, converse with players he'd seen before, but ultimately it boiled down to one simple fact. He wasn't really using his time wisely. It took his health ages to come back. He'd have to look into investing into skills that would increase his regenerative capabilities, or perhaps even items to facilitate his lack of natural regeneration. With his mind wandering, he remembered giving up a handful of materials to a new acquaintance - Mari. He'd given them to her in return for a potion that interested him. It didn't have any particular use for him personally, making it somewhat of an impulse buy. But that reminded him, he could probably trade materials to other crafters in return for items. That'd be a fairly good way to get decent gear, he thought, so his stroll through the town of Urbus had taken a detour for the wilds. »ID: [23463] »LD: [10] - »ID: [23464] »LD: [15] - »ID: [23465] »LD: [10] - »ID: [23466] »LD: [6] - »ID: [23467] »LD: [17] +2 Materials Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 9, 2015 Author #2 Share Posted July 9, 2015 If he was to describe the second floor in a word, he would call it pleasant. The High Fields of Crossing was a very serene location, especially at the summit. It was a vast garden filled with so many different plants that Takao's head began to ache just trying to quantify how many different kinds he'd already seen. Most of them he was familiar with by now, they weren't anything special. Just decoration, nothing less and nothing more, but they added to the serenity of the garden. He saw other players strewn around, usually in pairs, going about their own business. But Takao was a bit focused on other, more important things. Resource gathering, of course! The garden had plenty of interesting plants that he'd never seen, a plethora of flora that he'd yet to learn about. He found one in particular that prompted his menu to inform him of the item. It was a small flower, much like a dandelion, growing among others of the same kind. The small petals were a mixture of orange and red, making it look like a small fire had erupted on top of the plant. He picked it and placed it in his inventory, then stood and resumed his search. »ID: [23468] »LD: [12] - »ID: [23469] »LD: [9] - »ID: [23470] »LD: [17] - »ID: [23471] »LD: [13] - »ID: [23472] »LD: [13] +1 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 9, 2015 Author #3 Share Posted July 9, 2015 A familiar plant had caught Takao's eye as he was strolling through the garden. He'd seen it ages ago, back on the first floor if he remembered correctly. The flower looked like a rose, but it was blue with white stripes. The stalk it grew from had broad leaves like a sunflower, but sized a bit more appropriately for the smaller plant. As the pulled the flower by the stem until it broke free, leaving only the useful part in Takao's hand, the remaining part disappeared in a fantastic display of lights. He remembered that this particular plant could be useful for alchemy, specifically healing items, which made it a useful material to find and hold on to. He even knew of somebody that could make better use of it than himself too. »ID: [23474] »LD: [1] - »ID: [23475] »LD: [8] - »ID: [23476] »LD: [19] - »ID: [23477] »LD: [6] - »ID: [23478] »LD: [3] +1 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 9, 2015 Author #4 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Keeping his attention on the task at hand was starting to become more difficult than the task at hand. Takao was not the type of person to be distracted easily, but he found himself becoming an avid admirer of Aincrad's expansive landscapes. It truly baffled him that somebody would put so much work into creating an unbelievably advanced technology and developing an amazing world, just to trap people inside of it. Maybe the developer just had some ridiculous god complex or something, Takao thought. It wasn't a particularly good reason, in fact he wagered that nothing would make for a good enough reason to do it. Takao shook his head and blinked the thoughts away until he was finally paying attention to his surroundings. It was rather uncharacteristic of him to zone out while in thought. Maybe it was just the calming atmosphere. »ID: [23497] »LD: [10] - »ID: [23498] »LD: [3] - »ID: [23499] »LD: [7] - »ID: [23500] »LD: [7] - »ID: [23501] »LD: [19] +1 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 9, 2015 Author #5 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Takao knelt down beside a small collection of trees that sat on the far northern end of the mountain summit. The area of the garden he'd wandered to was an interesting one, it seemed mostly abandoned which gave him the impression that not many people wandered this far in. A small stream broke up the grassy landscape and stretched on into the collection of trees, too small for him to call a forest. The sounds were pleasant; the distant bird chirping wasn't loud enough to drown out the sounds of the brook. At the base of the trees was a small collection of plant life that caught Takao's eye, so he'd decided to inspect it closer. Sure enough, it was more of the small dandelion like plants he'd found earlier in the day. He picked enough to warrant a crafting material's worth and the resource node disappeared before his eyes. This was going fairly well so far. »ID: [23528] »LD: [3] - »ID: [23529] »LD: [7] - »ID: [23530] »LD: [20] +1 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 9, 2015 Author #6 Share Posted July 9, 2015 He was beginning to feel out of place while wandering around the High Fields of Crossing by his lonesome. Everybody seemed to be in pairs of twos, though some larger groups were scattered around; albeit scarcely. Takao had exchanged some friendly greetings with new faces he didn't expect to see again anytime soon, and noticed quite a few guild symbols hovering around them. "I wonder if I should join a guild." He thought to himself as he scratched his cheek, emerald hued eyes lazily scanning the area for anything of interest. "Lowenthal said he made his own guild... I think Mari mentioned being the leader of one too. One of them might be a good place to start looking." »ID: [23536] »LD: [4] - »ID: [23537] »LD: [10] - »ID: [23538] »LD: [1] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 9, 2015 Author #7 Share Posted July 9, 2015 "I wonder if it's possible to get more resources from a single node somehow." Takao muttered quietly aloud as he worked on collecting another crafting material. His voice was barely audible, truly meant for nothing more than sating his desire to speak. Another crafting material was stored within the safety of his inventory, bringing his total up to seven. He wasn't sure how useful a single resource was worth, but with how few and far between they were, he imagined that one would serve to be of some use. "Being an alchemist is probably the most beneficial to both myself and others, buuut... I don't really want to take any business away from Mari." He snickered lightly at the thought and resumed walking. "As if I even could. I don't think tailoring would be good, I don't think I'll be changing armour very much. Blacksmith could be good, forging weapons and stuff." »ID: [23543] »LD: [1] - »ID: [23544] »LD: [18] - »ID: [23545] »LD: [11] +1 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 9, 2015 Author #8 Share Posted July 9, 2015 "Hrmh..." A low grumble of frustration escaped his throat as he continued walking while deep in thought. "I don't know anybody with a cooking profession. Maybe that could be of use?" As his mind wandered, he found his mouth watering at the ideas. He'd visited a player run restaurant on the fourth floor and enjoyed what he would wager was the best meal he's had in ages. Even the food he'd eaten in real life paled in comparison to the player's digital meals. Takao yawned and stretched his arms as he walked, idly looking around for more crafting materials while he thought. "Cooking definitely seems like a good idea." »ID: [23640] »LD: [2] - »ID: [23641] »LD: [6] - »ID: [23642] »LD: [2] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 9, 2015 Author #9 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Takao leapt up from his kneeling position on the ground and landed on his feet with ease. He patted his hands together and brushed off the fronts of his pant legs, a small smile on his face. "Alright then!" He said as he fumbled around with the menu for a few moments, eyeing the varied contents of his inventory. It was mostly crafting items at the moment, which made him rub his chin. Since giving his materials to Mari, he'd only been collecting healing items. He planned on acquiring some new equipment, which meant that he might need to help the crafters in question with supplying the necessary materials. A bunch of alchemical flowers wouldn't do a blacksmith of tailor much good, he figured, so he headed off. The floor was mountainous in most areas, so he figured there'd be plenty of ore to harvest. »ID: [23653] »LD: [2] - »ID: [23654] »LD: [17] - »ID: [23655] »LD: [5] +1 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #10 Share Posted July 10, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Ore Crab Ore Crab His goal to gather ore would not be without it's challenges, that much he was certain of. But this... this was unexpected. He barely had a foothold on the side of the mountain, it was a long way down, and a pair of strange ore vein shaped monsters with crab like legs and pincers was closing in on either side of him. "Well... isn't this an interesting situation." He reached toward his back and grasped the handle of his sword to pull it free of the confines of the scabbard. The blade rang out against the housing as it slid out, and his eyes quickly scanned his surroundings. A sheer cliff on either side of him left only a path about two meters wide to traverse, and momentarily, do battle on. His maneuvers would need to be reserved and, unfortunately, linear in one direction or the other. Evading the two enemies would be difficult with the lack of space, but he was confident none the less. Takao turned and approached the crab behind him first. He knew the way back was clear, for the most part at least, so disposing of the obstacle that blocked his retreat seemed like the best course of action to start with. He raised his blade up and placed it across his shoulders, the metal began to glow green and hum a low tone. He leapt forward and twisted his left leg around to give his jump some spin while his sword arm snapped forward. It cleaved the metal shell of the crab with an uncomfortable ringing that grated on his ears as he landed. Takao stumbled slightly, nearly falling off the edge, but quickly caught himself. "Ooookay, too close!" »ID: [23722] »BD: [10] (+2 critical damage) »MD(1): [3 - 3 = 0] »MD(2): [8 - 3 = 5] «Takao» » [[HP : 23/23]] «Ore Crab 1» » [[HP : 12/12]] «Ore Crab 2» » [[HP : 7/12]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #11 Share Posted July 10, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Ore Crab Ore Crab The stone covered crab he'd struck just an instant ago had no time to react between strikes. Takao, who had landed behind the crab and nearly fallen off in the process, struck it again in the back. Two glowing digital-esque wounds decorated the anomaly now, and its health was low from the few strikes. "Alright, they're not crazy strong. This shouldn't be hard." His thoughts were quick as he assessed the situation before him. The crab that had been blocking his way prior to initiating combat was closing in, but was still far enough away that it wouldn't be an issue. He wagered he could take the second out before the first got close. The ore crab swung its pincer around, aiming to slam into Takao's left side and send him off the side of the cliff no doubt, but he reacted too quickly. He jumped straight up and over the pincer, his blade raised and poised for another strike. »ID: [23727 + 23737] »BD: [6] »MD(1): [1 - 3 = -2] »MD(2): [3 - 3 = 0] «Takao» » [[HP : 23/23]] «Ore Crab 1» » [[HP : 12/12]] «Ore Crab 2» » [[HP : 4/12]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #12 Share Posted July 10, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Ore Crab Ore Crab The ore crab swung its pincer around, aiming to slam into Takao's left side and send him off the side of the cliff no doubt, but he reacted too quickly. He jumped straight up and over the pincer, his blade raised and poised for another strike. Gravity brought him crashing down on top of the monster, his blade piercing straight through the shell and into it's very core. The damage dealt was enough to drop its health below zero, and it erupted into shimmering shards. Takao landed with a soft thud as his boots hit the ground. He narrowly ducked under the remaining crab's pincer as it tried to smash into him. His blade was poised again, this time glowing a pale green colour as he prepared a sword art. »ID: [23751 + 23752] »BD: [10] (+2 critical damage) »MD(1): [4 - 3 = 1] »MD(2): [2 - 3 = -1] «Takao» » [[HP : 23/23]] «Ore Crab 1» » [[HP : 12/12]] «Ore Crab 2» » [[HP : 0/12]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #13 Share Posted July 10, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Ore Crab Ore Crab The ore crab reared its large pincer back, holding it high in the air above Takao's crouching figure. As the claw came down he rolled forward, letting it smash into the ground where he once stood. His boots caught on the ground and he turned suddenly, stretching his left leg out to provide him some balance. He thrust his sword forward, stabbing deep into the monster. He pulled the blade out just as quickly as he'd thrust it forward and leapt back to provide distance from the crab as it retaliated, trying and failing to swipe at him, instead swinging at the thin mountainous air. A smile was working its way onto his face. The thought would likely jinx him, but the extra agility from his equipment was making this fight easy. He hadn't been hit once, and if he could help it, he'd keep it that way. »ID: [23767] »BD: [8] »MD(1): [2 - 3 = -1] «Takao» » [[HP : 23/23]] «Ore Crab 1» » [[HP : 9/12]] «Ore Crab 2» » [[HP : 0/12]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #14 Share Posted July 10, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Ore Crab Ore Crab Strong wings blew in from the north, forcing Takao to root his stance in an attempt to prevent himself from losing balance. The crab seemed unaffected, though such was to be expected of a monster that inhabited the area. As Takao shielded his face, the crab moved to climb the sheer vertical surface of the wall on his right side. The wind faded into a gentle breeze, and the crab struck, using the opportunity presented to it by Takao's attempt at recovery. But, just like before, Takao displayed agility and athletic prowess superior to that of the bulky ore crab's. The crab's pincer smashed into the ground, nearly crunching the earth beneath it. With a new opportunity presented to Takao, he snapped his sword forward in a flash, and severed the limb that held the pincer. "Excuse me, sir!" Takao said with a smile. "It would appear as though I have disarmed you! Haha!' His laughter was cut short by the crab who was clearly enraged by his sudden and undesired amputee status. It smashed into Takao, causing him to yelp loudly in pain and stumble back near the edge. He slipped and fell, but caught himself at the last second, his left hand grasping onto the edge of the cliff. "Okay - Okay! Hoooooly crap! Not cool, man!" He yelled, his voice cracking as it trembled with fear. He wasn't afraid of heights, per say, but falling to his death? Specifically the death part. Yeah, that was pretty scary. »ID: [23768] »BD: [10] (+2 critical damage) »MD(1): [10 - 3 = 7] (+2 critical damage) «Takao» » [[HP : 20/23]] «Ore Crab 1» » [[HP : 4/12]] «Ore Crab 2» » [[HP : 0/12]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #15 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Combat Sequence] Takao Ore Crab Ore Crab Holding his entire weight up with one hand as he dangled over what looked hundreds of meters worth of mountain was something Takao never envisioned himself doing in his lifetime. He held onto his sword tightly, knowing it was just as important as his life in this situation. He grunted and swung his body weight, then shifted his weight in the opposite direction. With one smooth motion, he swung his body back up onto the narrow path on the side of the cliff. The crab was already in hot pursuit as he landed upside down, and a single-handed hand spring righted his position. His feet landed and slid along the dirt, his right arm poised to strike. When the disarmed Ore Crab was within range, he thrust forward, sinking his blade to the hilt before retreating to watch the explosion of glittery shards. A menu appeared in his face as he panted, his heart beating rapidly not from exhaustion but adrenaline. He read it over, gave little mind to the experience he'd earned, and accepted the two crafting materials. "Okay. Time to start a list of places to never fight at. Top of the list; Here!" »ID: [23778] »BD: [9] (+1 critical damage) »MD(1): [10 - 3 = 7] (+2 critical damage) «Takao» » [[HP : 20/23]] «Ore Crab 1» » [[HP : 0/12]] «Ore Crab 2» » [[HP : 0/12]] +2 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #16 Share Posted July 10, 2015 The mountains were treacherous to adventure on, that much was obvious. But with the thought that every ore vein he came across might be some crazy, murderous crab creature that wanted his head on a pike, it made him just a little reluctant to go messing with every little interesting bit of environment that he saw. Of course, that didn't stop Takao from doing so. He wasn't one to be limited by his fears, they just happened to make him a bit more cautious. Sometimes. Rarely. The narrow path along the sheer face of the mountain had turned into a path that he could traverse with much more confidence and ease. The mountain had leveled out significantly, which gave him a much better view of his surroundings. A vein of ore was spotted, and he approached it carefully with his sword in hand. "Alright, if you're gonna jump out at me, do iiiit... now!" The inanimate rock gave no response, to which he shrugged off, almost seeming disappointed by the realization that it was in fact just a rock. He placed his hand on the resource and depleted it through the use of the menu, placing the crafting material in his inventory before continuing on. »ID: [23784] »LD: [14] - »ID: [23785] »LD: [3] - »ID: [23786] »LD: [19] +1 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #17 Share Posted July 10, 2015 The treacherous mountain terrain had lost the privilege of being called treacherous not long after Takao managed to fight off the two ore crabs. A five minute walk down the narrow, two meter wide path between a sheer vertical drop and straight cliff face had lead to a flat portion of the mountain's summit. It was lacking in flora and was mostly dirt and gravel, not making for the most pleasant scenery he'd wager. The soil crunched under his feet with each step he took, his hand resting lazily on the pommel of his blade just in case. He was agile enough as it is, but being caught off guard was a dangerous situation regardless. His attentive green eyes scanned the area constantly, primarily in search of rocky crab-like figures, but also looking out for resources that might catch his eye. His scanning gaze settled on two rocks in suspiciously close proximity to one another, and even more suspiciously of similar appearance to a particular mimic-esque creature that he'd fought not ten minutes prior. He moved silently across the ground; or as silently as he could when each step he took sounded like a crunchy breakfast cereal under his feet. He pulled his blade free of the scabbard and prodded each of the ore veins. When no response was given, he shrugged. It was just normal ore, ore that he quickly collected and continued on his way. »ID: [23812] »LD: [5] - »ID: [23813] »LD: [4] - »ID: [23814] »LD: [15] - »ID: [23815] »LD: [18] - »ID: [23817] »LD: [2] +2 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #18 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Another two veins of ore situated so conveniently close together. Takao's eyes narrowed, his expression laden with suspicion and caution as he approached the ore. His sword was in hand as he stopped a few meters away. He raised his sword over his shoulder and loudly rapped the sword against the scabbard a few times. Neither ore vein shifted in the slightest, so he figured they were safe to approach. The tip of the blade was aligned with the mouth of the scabbard with ease; it was a motion he'd practiced a hundred times over by now. He slid the blade down until the guard caught, and then approached the two veins of ore. A short moment of collection passed, and he was the proud new owner of two more crafting materials. »ID: [23825] »LD: [19] - »ID: [23826] »LD: [2] - »ID: [23827] »LD: [13] - »ID: [23828] »LD: [20] - »ID: [23829] »LD: [1] +2 Materials Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #19 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Takao finished depleting the resource and placed the item into his inventory. He straightened his back as he stood and glanced over his shoulder, then turned fully. The area seemed empty and devoid of resources, no doubt a product of his consistent depletion of every resource he could find. This section of the mountain only seemed to have ore, but that didn't bother him too much. He'd need resources for a new weapon to be made. He'd also need materials for new armour, specifically of the light variety, and he'd need some for healing items too. He wagered that professionally created equipment by skilled crafters would serve him much better than the monster drops he'd been using for a while. »ID: [23847] »LD: [8] - »ID: [23848] »LD: [19] - »ID: [23849] »LD: [12] - »ID: [23850] »LD: [6] - »ID: [23851] »LD: [12] +1 Material Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 10, 2015 Author #20 Share Posted July 10, 2015 The previous mountain peak he'd been material hunting on was empty. Or, at the very least, he couldn't find any other materials laying around anywhere. There were no monsters in sight either, which meant it was time to move on. Another thin path that he estimated to be maybe a meter wider than the other laid before him. He exhaled a long breath before shaking his head. He was no coward, the thought hadn't even entered his head. He was, however, considering the chances of there being more monsters ahead. He sucked in a breath and started walking. His hand raised up and grasped the handle of his sword to pull it free of the scabbard. Takao held it at his side, although it was not poised to strike he still stood ready to react. »ID: [23912] »LD: [7] - »ID: [23913] »LD: [15] - »ID: [23914] »LD: [4] - »ID: [23915] »LD: [1] - »ID: [23916] »LD: [11] +1 Material Link to post Share on other sites
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