Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 #1 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The pleasant chimes of Takao's distressed menu navigation filled the empty room he'd rented out at an Inn on the first floor. His plan was to locate the quest giver who would give him a profession, but in his daily rituals he had noticed an anomaly. Ashtver's name had disappeared from his friend's list. Ever the optimist, Takao had assumed that there had been a mistake and he'd accidentally been deleted, perhaps by a system error, but he knew better. Takao hoped that nothing had happened, and that his friend was alright. He shifted on the bed and exhaled a long sigh before standing up. Sitting alone in the room had made him restless, and the sleeved shirt he was wearing was suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He stretched his arms skyward and navigated back in the menu to the inventory, equipping the remainder of his armour and his weapon, Lightbringer. He could ask around later, repeatedly telling himself that Emblem had seen him and that it was all just a big misunderstanding. Takao ran his recently gloved hand over his face and through his hair before opening the door of his room and heading out into the hallway. Each step he took was heavy, the wooden floorboards creaking under his weight. He occupied his thoughts with what he planned on doing for the day, knowing that it'd likely be destructive to let his mind wander at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #2 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Since leaving the Inn, Takao had spent a considerable amount of time traversing the vast starting city. He was in search of a particular NPC in a particular restaurant that he'd been informed was an excellent place to learn his intended craft - cooking. Takao could buy weapons and armour when he needed them, it wasn't such a reoccurring issue that he would consider either crafts for his profession. He was sure there was money to be made in those lines of work, but he'd have to complete against friends, and he loathed doing that. Takao had an easy enough time getting col from monsters anyway, he didn't need to potentially steal their business. The other less popular professions were interesting, performer had piqued his interest in particular. Takao was a fairly musical person in real life, and it would be interesting to see how it could carry over in the game, but he didn't think it would be a wise choice. The only choice that stood out to him was cooking, purely because of its recreational benefits. Once player housing became available, it would be much more convenient to be able to cook his own food instead of venturing out to get something to eat every day. Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #3 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Takao stopped in front of a large building and examined the architecture. The white walls outlined with dark wood gave the building a rustic medieval look, which suited the town. He approached the entrance after climbing the short flight of stairs and pushed the heavy wooden door open. It creaked and moaned as it swung open and let him through, then did the same as he closed it. The inside looked just as rustic as the exterior, most of the furniture was made from thick hardwood. Oak, he assumed. He passed through the center of the restaurant, excusing himself whenever he accidentally bumped into a player, until he reached the counter. A cheerful looking NPC regarded him with a nod and smile, and Takao seemed to absorb some of the chipper attitude as a smile of his own grew on his face. « Good morning, player! How can I help you? » Her voice was soft and pleasant to listen to, although it was nearly drowned out among the other sounds of the establishment. Takao's own words were spoken in a clear tone that was easy to hear. "I'm interested in learning the cooking profession." He said, speaking with confidence to the NPC as if he was reading off a list of predetermined speech options. « Oh, excellent! I can help you with that then! Cooking is an excellent profession with plenty of benefits. » Her explanation of the craft was thorough, and ended with a prompt appearing in his face, asking if he was sure he wanted to take this profession. He hit the circle and another prompt appeared, this time a quest prompt labeled « Earning a Living ». Just like the last prompt, he hit the circle, and accepted the quest. Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #4 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Takao continued to listen to the NPC as she gave him instructions on what to do, nodding his head along as if the program would recognize the subtle hints of his paying attention. « So, let's start you out with something simple! We'll make a bowl of « Red Meat Stock » to use in a more advanced recipe. To make this, you will need to gather two carrots, two onions, and two slabs of red meat. You should be able to find all of these ingredients in the west fields. Good luck, player! » Takao committed the short list of ingredients to memory before thanking the NPC for their help and leaving the restaurant. The west fields were nearby, close enough for the trip to be quick if he was fortunate with drops. Carrots and onions would probably be growing near farmsteads and in fields, he presumed. The red meat he would have to work a little harder to get, likely having to kill a few cows or, the more likely alternative, bulls. He hadn't actually fought any of those low level monsters on the first floor for quite a while, so the quest was making him a bit nostalgic already. Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #5 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The quest was already starting out well. Takao reached the west fields in decent time, though he wasn't in any particular hurry. Keeping his mind from wandering was a difficult task with how naturally active it was. Every time he felt it stray, he forced himself to refocus. After arriving at the west fields, Takao had begun his search. His intention had been to get the fighting out of the way as quickly as possible, but neither of his intended bovine victims appeared to spawn this close to the town. As he progressed further into the fields, he noticed a small farmhouse in the distance. The NPCs usually didn't mind players muddling around with their crops, as they respawned after a certain time, so Takao approached the farm and hopped the fence. He located a field of carrots and found a decent, ripe specimen to acquisition. The vegetable disappeared as it was placed into his inventory, and Takao stood to continue the search. - - » ID : [[ 25166 ]] » LD : [[ 16 ]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #6 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Luck had favoured Takao yet again, though his new found fortune made him a bit wary. He had found a bull wandering around in the field as he made his way back toward the path, which meant he potentially had one of the two harder to acquire ingredients roaming around before him, unaware of his presence. Takao, ever the opportunist, wasn't about to let this chance get away. He drew the blade from his back in a single swift motion and held it at his side. His steps were soft and quiet against the grass, the only sounds of his approach were the faint rattling of his equipment and the blades of grass crunching beneath his boots with each step he took. Before the bull had even noticed the brunet's presence, a large red gash appeared in its side, decorated with a white grid pattern. Takao pulled his sword arm back prepared himself to evade the bull once it finished with its loud howl of pain. It lunged at him, but Takao stepped off to the side with ease, letting the enraged bull's momentum carry him away. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25167 ]] » BD : [[ 9 ]] (+1 critical damage) » MD : [[ *6* - 3 = 3 ]] « Takao » [[ 45/45 HP ]] « Enraged Bull » [[ 14/23 HP ]] (8(DMG) + 1 critical = -9 HP) Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #7 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Takao's movements were all very precise, his feet stepped exactly where he intended them to, his body twisted and turned with subtle movements exactly how he wanted. He circled the bull that beat its hoofed feet against the grass, kicking up the digital dirt as it prepared itself to charge. When its hind legs tensed, Takao's own did the same. He rooted himself to the ground and held his sword out to the side, prepared to strike the beast when it got close. The bull charged with its head down and horns pointed forward, closing the short distance between itself and Takao very quickly. Takao reacted by swinging his sword around and catching the flat of the blade with his palm, and blocking the bull's charge in its tracks. The force made him grunt as he strained to keep it at bay, and noticed that his health had dropped very slightly from the impact. Takao used his superior system-assisted strength to grapple the bull and shift its weight, effectively throwing it onto its side. He plunged his blade deep into the bull's torso and twisted to pull it out immediately after the damage had been dealt. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25168 ]] » BD : [[ 9 ]] (+1 critical damage) » MD : [[ *10* - 3 = 7 ]] (+2 critical damage) « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] (1(DMG) + 2 critical - 4(MIT) = -1 HP) « Enraged Bull » [[ 5/23 HP ]] (8(DMG) + 1 critical = -9 HP) Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #8 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The bull that Takao had stabbed recovered quickly. It stumbled back onto its feet as soon as his blade was pulled out and began to thrash around as it roared and howled in pain. This was a lot of effort just to make some stock, Takao thought. He evaded the bull's attempt to ram him by swiftly stepping to the side, his cloak brushing up against the four legged bovine as it passed him. Takao didn't bother to attack it just yet, he was a bit focused with keeping his mind centered on the battle. He stood still and waited, his sword at the ready to strike if he found the chance to, but remained motionless otherwise. There was an itch in the back of his mind, a thought wanting so desperately to be given attention, and it was taking a lot of effort to keep it back where it belonged. Takao shook his head vigorously, trying to throw the idea from his thoughts. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25169 ]] » BD : [[ 1 ]] » MD : [[ *8* - 3 = 5 ]] « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] « Enraged Bull » [[ 5/23 HP ]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #9 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Shaking his head seemed to have done something to help clear his mind. His attention returned to the battle and his grip was tightened back around the handle of his sword. He spun his wrist and twirled the blade, giving it a habitual test of the balance before he moved. The bull had started its charge at him, but by the time it's hind legs had pushed its heavy body forward, Takao's blade had already sunk deep into its torso. The last of its health whittled away from the damage until the beast disappeared, and with it went the pained howls that had been disrupting the otherwise peaceful field. Takao lifted the tip of his sword to his scabbard and slid it inside just in time for a menu to appear in front of him. He glanced over the contents and noted the inclusion of one «Cut of Red Meat». After storing the ingredient away in his inventory, he continued on his way. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25170 ]] » BD : [[ 9 ]] (+1 critical damage) » MD : [[ *4* - 3 = 1 ]] « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] « Enraged Bull » [[ 0/23 HP ]] (8(DMG) + 1 critical = -9 HP) Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #10 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Takao hadn't made it even ten meters before a flash of light stopped him in its tracks. From behind the light, a large bull appeared, one he estimated to be standing about a foot taller at the shoulders than the last one he'd fought. Surely enough, the bull had the name to match, as he read the words «Large Bull» above its head. He reached back for his sword and wordlessly pulled it from the scabbard again, eager to get what he'd anticipated to be the difficult part of the quest out of the way. He approached the bull with silent confidence, his boots barely making a sound as they lightly padded against the grass. When he was within range, he arched his sword upward and brought it down in a slashing motion, tearing into the bull's torso and leaving a glowing red wound in its wake. The health dropped and dropped, not as far as he'd hoped but still an exceptional amount for a single strike. He evaded the bull's attempt at charging him with ease, his gear's evasiveness enhancements were really paying for themselves at this point. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25172 ]] » BD : [[ 9 ]] (+1 critical damage) » MD : [[ *5* - 3 = 2 ]] « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] « Large Bull » [[ 16/25 HP ]] (8(DMG) + 1 critical = -9 HP) Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #11 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Takao's actions were a bit hasty as his eagerness to complete this particular portion of the quest overtook his better judgement. He swung wide and missed far to the right as the bull moved, hoofed feet padding heavily like thunder as it moved around. He straightened his back and followed the movements with his head, his body remaining stationary. When the bull had moved around him and positioned itself in an advantageous position at his back, it decided to charge. Takao moved quickly and used the movement of his cloak to confuse the monster, which permitted him the opportunity to escape unscathed as the bull rammed into the cloak. The fabric slid harmlessly over the large beast's fur, leaving the beast confused. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25173 ]] » BD : [[ 5 ]] » MD : [[ *6* - 3 = 3 ]] « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] « Large Bull » [[ 16/25 HP ]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #12 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The bull's confusion lasted only a second, and before Takao could react to the opportunity he'd made, it had already turned to face him again. Hot breaths escaped from its flared nostrils, its hoofed feet pounding against the ground and kicking up clumps of grass and dirt as it prepared another charge. Takao lowered his stance and spread his legs slightly, rooting himself to the ground. The bull charged and Takao braced himself for impact, his left leg slid along the grass until it was behind him. He swung his sword around and caught the flat of the blade with his palm, mimicking his earlier actions by catching the bull and stopping it dead in its tracks. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25174 ]] » BD : [[ 4 ]] » MD : [[ *4* - 3 = 1 ]] « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] « Large Bull » [[ 16/25 HP ]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #13 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Takao and the bull quickly entered a stalemate. It was stronger than the smaller bull, as he had expected it to be, but unexpectedly strong enough to prevent him from throwing it to one side. Each of his movements were met with rigid, powerful resistance that kept him from both attacking and retreating. It was a battle of stamina that Takao was sure he would lose - he couldn't compete in an endurance contest with a programmed monster. Yet he still tried, the heels of his boots digging into the grass and dirt to keep him from moving. The bull's own hoofed feet padded and pounded against the ground, trying and failing to gain the upper hand in the stalemate. Takao grit his teeth as he pushed, trying to overpower the bull, though he didn't seem to be getting anywhere. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25175 ]] » BD : [[ 4 ]] » MD : [[ *1* - 3 = -2 ]] « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] « Large Bull » [[ 16/25 HP ]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #14 Share Posted July 20, 2015 A low, guttural grunt was exhaled by Takao while the bull snorted and exhaled heavy breaths. His legs began to wobble as his strength betrayed him. Spirited as ever, Takao refused to give up, and reaffirmed his push on the bull. He managed to take one step, effectively pushing the bull back with his own strength, the hooves sliding across the ground as the two moved only a foot in one direction. A grin appeared on the brunet's face as he looked into the glowing red eyes that were glaring into his own. They were lifeless and without soul, which made fighting them easier in Takao's opinion. If they had real eyes, he might've found them much more difficult to handle. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25176 ]] » BD : [[ 5 ]] » MD : [[ *6* - 3 = 3 ]] « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] « Large Bull » [[ 16/25 HP ]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #15 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Takao grunted and pushed hard, straining his upper arms to push the bull. His left leg buckled under the weight and threatened to throw off his balance, should he not have used the bull's own forward force against it. He released the pressure on the left side of his sword and pivoted on his right heel. With a little push of his right hand, the bull slammed into the ground and slid along the grass. To add insult to injury, or perhaps injury to insult, Takao snapped his sword arm forward like a whip and cleaved deep into the side of the beast while the opportunity was present. It bellowed in pain and thrashed about as it struggled to its feet with just barely enough health left for Takao's next attack to be close. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25177 ]] » BD : [[ 7 ]] » MD : [[ *3* - 3 = 0 ]] « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] « Large Bull » [[ 8/25 HP ]] (8(DMG) = -8 HP) Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #16 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The bull had just barely managed to climb to its feet when Takao's second attack circled around. It hit in the same exact direction as the last, creating two parallel wounds that glowed red. The damage ticked the bull's health down one point at a time until the bar turned orange, and then red, and then nothing remained. It's cries of pain disappeared with the shimmering shards that the monster exploded into. After his sword was stowed away in the scabbard on his back, his hands moved to his knees to support his weight while he tried to stabilize his laboured breathing. Cardiovascular endurance was something Takao had no problem with, he could run for quite a long time. Muscular endurance, on the other hand, was an area of fitness he was sorely lacking in, even with the system's aid. His focus was speed and damage, not endurance. Takao blinked away the fatigue as another menu appeared to inform him of the spoils of battle. Another «Cut of Red Meat» graced the bottom of the list, to which Takao quietly thanked whoever was responsible for his luck. He didn't think he could go through with another battle like that in his current state. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Enraged Bull » ID : [[ 25178 ]] » BD : [[ 8 ]] » MD : [[ *1* - 3 = -2 ]] « Takao » [[ 44/45 HP ]] « Large Bull » [[ 0/25 HP ]] (8(DMG) = -8 HP) Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #17 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The hardest part of the quest, or at least what Takao had anticipated as the hardest part, was finished. Two haunches of red meat, acquired by the noble sacrifice of two very large, very angry bovines, sat within the safe confines of his inventory. Along them was one other ingredient, a single carrot, which meant that a total of three ingredients had been gathered, and a total of three remained. One more carrot and two onions. The task seemed simple enough, just find three very simple, very basic ingredients on top of what he'd already gathered. He began his search along the rolling hills of the field he'd slain the last bull in, heading toward a small farm he could see in the distance. His search was appearing to be in vain so far, but he'd only just began! - - » ID : [[ 25179 ]] » LD : [[ 9 ]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #18 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The rolling hills of the field he was traversing appeared to be barren and devoid of any vegetable life. The grass wasn't terribly tall, though it did make locating smaller objects difficult. His focus was primarily on getting to the farm that sat on the hill in front of him, as it had the highest chance of producing quality vegetables, but that didn't mean he couldn't keep an eye out for any anomalies in the grasses. He made sure to avoid any monsters he saw, giving them plenty of distance to prevent any aggravated boars or bovines from deciding that they were going to die today. The farmhouse was still quite a distance away, which meant he had plenty more land to search. - - » ID : [[ 25180 ]] » LD : [[ 12 ]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #19 Share Posted July 20, 2015 A strange growth among the tall grasses had caught Takao's eye. The stalks of the plant were a different shade of green, perhaps a bit lighter, and paled toward the end. He grasped the plant stalk as close to the roots as he could and pulled it free of the dirt. After he patted and wiped away some of the dirt, the object in question was quickly diagnosed to be an onion, one of the two that he needed. Takao was hasty with storing it away in his inventory, not wanting to risk his work going to waste. He rose to stand and patted down his clothes before he resumed walking in the direction of the farm house. - - » ID : [[ 25181 ]] » LD : [[ *15* ]] Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 20, 2015 Author #20 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The rest of the field on the way to the farmhouse had not been fruitful. Or "vegetableful". He approached the farmhouse and placed his hands on the wooden fence posts that acted as a barrier between the field of crops and the rolling hills behind him. He wasn't sure how well the flimsy construct could hold up against the beasts and monsters that lurked nearby, but it wasn't his place to question. He hopped the fence and trudged into the farm, looking for the two vegetables that he was searching for in particular. - - » ID : [[ 25182 ]] » LD : [[ 6 ]] Link to post Share on other sites
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