[SP-F1] <<Earning a Living>> Grub's Up! (COMPLETE)

[Grave 0]

I decided to try and put my real-world cooking skills to use in this world one day, and thought 'Hey! There's a quest-giver with a quest that allows me to become a cook!'.  Eugh.  It was so much harder than I originally thought.  Gathering, killing, gathering, killing, oh my GOODNESS you have no idea how tiring it was.  Lemme show you.

I strolled through the forest on the first floor.  I really didn't have much more use for that floor, I had actually jumped from second to fourth for Guild business, not to mention I was extremely ill-equipped for the cold weather up there.  What was I doing on the first floor?  I'd received a quest from an NPC that could allow me to take up a profession, in my case a Cook. What I had to do?  Farm for materials.  When I noticed a bush with some kind of... Purplish... Reddish... Berry-thingies, I rushed right up to it and crouched down to take a look.  I grabbed one and yanked it off the bush, and it transferred to my inventory.  Yeah, that happened, first try I get something good.

---

ID: 28639

LD: 15 = +1 Somber Berry

Edited August 24, 2015 by Grave

[Grave 0]

My next attempt wasn't so nice to me.  I scouted around the bush, trying to find the best berries, and I soon zoned in on one that looked nice and ripe, and about the size of a golf ball.  I pulled that one off too... But it didn't transfer to my inventory.  I was estranged.  Why hadn't it gone to my inventory?  It looked fine!  I bent down and took a bite from it, and quickly made the smart choice to spit it out.  Not only did it taste absolutely horrid, I felt something squirming in it, and when I looked down, there were hundreds of tiny black bugs feasting on the inside of it!  I jumped up, standing ramrod straight, and cocked my arm back, the berry glowing pink, and shot my arm forwards, sending the soft fruit through the air and splitting against a tree.  I couldn't help but think of the amount of times that was going to happen.

---

ID: 28641

LD: 7 = Berry was infested with bugs

[Grave 0]

Well, that didn't turn out well.  Onto the next one!  I continued to pace around the bush, eyeing off my possible materials.  One was all wrinkly, another had a giant chunk taken out of it... They had all been ravaged.  I decided to take a risk and go for one that was a tad bit on the mini side, and as I suspected, it didn't transfer to my inventory.  I threw it aside and growled my disappointment.  Maybe fighting a Boar would yield better results.

---

ID: 28642

LD: 9 = Berry was just too small.

[Grave 0]

I'd recently put some skill points into Curved Swords, and sure, I did give it a bit of a try, but not before checking out my new <<Martial Arts>> skill.  This time, though, I decided to give my new damage a whirl.  I made my way out of the forest and scanned the area for a Boar - weak enough that I wouldn't have trouble getting materials.  To my delight, I saw a little runt sitting alone, and rushed to it.

I brought Cobra to my left and her blade glowed scarlet.  Poor guy, it didn't even get the chance to look at me before I'd slashed through its nape.  Still, not enough to kill it but hell, one more hit and it'd be a goner.

---

ID: 28643

BD: 8 + 2 = 10 = Modified Success (3 DMG)

MD: 5 = Failure

Grave: 29/29 HP

Piglet: 3/6 HP

[Grave 0]

Well, I soon learned how bad the babies were at fighting back.  I almost felt sorry for it.  Almost.  The runt charged at me, aiming for my legs, and I pivoted away.  However, the little guy seemed to know how to quickly change his direction, and rushed me like a mini freight train.  It continued on like a toy train, going around and around and around and- you get the idea.

The little Boar seemed pretty dizzy after a minute or so.  It plonked its rear down on the grass and sat there, its head spinning around and- okay, that's enough.

---

ID: 28644

BD: 1 + 2 = 3 = Modified Critical Failure

MD: 5 = Failure

Grave: 29/29 HP

Piglet: 3/6 HP

[Grave 0]

Okay, maybe it was a bad idea to underestimate the bubba.  As I brought Cobra above my head, the little Boar shook its head clear, and noticed the oncoming danger.  I'm unsure as to whether it was actually trying to attack me or whether it was a happy accident during an escape manoeuvre, but the little bastard ran smack-bang into my shin and it HURT.  Thankfully, I felt my <<Battle Healing>> get to work, so that was a plus.

---

ID: 28645

BD: 2 + 2 = 4 = Failure

MD: 9 = Crit +1 (2 DMG)

CD: 11 = +1 HP

Grave: 28/29 HP

Piglet: 3/6 HP

[Grave 0]

The little rascal bolted straight through my legs while I was distracted by the pain, and soon came back for another round, slamming into my left calf and knocking me flat on my ass!  I quickly scrambled back up and backed off for a moment, and it was coming again!  This time, though, I was on guard.  I brought Cobra's tip to the ground and brought her upwards, slashing straight through the piglet's nose and causing it to shatter into shards of data...

But no loot box popped up!  It must have been weaker than I thought!  Panicking, I sheathed Cobra and began to fervently search the grass, hoping I might find something there.

---

ID: 28646

BD: 8 + 2 = 10 = Modified Success (3 DMG)

MD: 7 = Success (1 DMG)

Grave: 27/29 HP

Piglet: *DEAD*

[Grave 0]

I sat back on my shins after a minute or so of searching; nothing could be found in the grass.  I sighed my disappointment and nimbly pushed myself onto my feet to find something a little more powerful to fight.  Of course, you had your mass of boars, but none would give me the loot I wanted... BUT there was one at the edge of the pack that seemed much beefier (porkier?) than the rest, and I licked my lips as I set my sights, charging at it.

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ID: 28720

LD: 9 = Grave's attempt to find pork in the grass amounted to nothing.

[Grave 0]

I vaulted over the row of lesser boars in the pack, flipping sideways through the air, and skidded across the grass past the larger Boar.  On the way, I whipped Cobra from her sheath and dragged her edge along the Boar's snout, slashing into the middle of its head.

On the way out, though, I received a pair of tusks in my rear, and was flung right over the bulky creature's body onto the earth.  Well, I could tell it was going to be tough, at least.

---

ID: 28721

BD: 6 + 2 = 8 = Success (3 DMG)

MD: 6 = Success (1 DMG)

Grave: 26/29 HP

Big Boar: 12/15 HP

[Grave 0]

Next thing I knew, before I could even get up, I felt a pair of tusks pierce my chest, plunging deep into what would have been my lungs in the real world, but in the game they were only a mass of data.  The monster pushed me into the earth, and I could feel the giant tusks drill through the other side, pinning me directly to the earth, and my kicking legs only slid against the muscly animal's slippery flesh.

---

ID: 28722

BD: 1 + 2 = 3 = Modified Critical Failure

MD: 10 = Crit +2 (3 DMG)

Grave: 23/29 HP

Big Boar: 12/15 HP

 

[Grave 0]

I finally managed to land two solid boots in the Boar's abdomen, launching the mass of muscle and hair off of me and sending it skidding on the grass behind my head.  I pulled myself up, albeit clumsily and regained a proper grip on the serpentine wakizashi in my right hand.  The Boar came for another round and grazed my side as I went to slash down at it.  I missed it by a hair...

But I felt my hand guided by some invisible force, plunging Cobra's curved blade into the oversized meal's rear, causing it to squeal in pain as it spun around, flames in its eyes.  A smile grew across my lips as I felt my <<Battle Healing>> tend to the latest damage.  I had just experienced the accuracy buff on Cobra.

---

ID: 28723

BD: 4 + 2 = 6 = Success (3 DMG)

MD: 6 = Success (1 DMG)

CD: 10 = +1 HP

Grave: 23/29 HP

Big Boar: 9/15 HP

[Grave 0]

Another reckless rush followed, this one even more crazy than the last.  The muscly pig kept zigzagging in an attempt to confuse me, but that wasn't going to work.  My answer?  I charged forwards to, placing the point of Cobra at chest height as I approached the freight train.  If I was correct, the blade would plunge into the beast's head as it dashed from one side to the other, and to my delight it did.  In one final lunge, I thrusted Cobra straight out and caught the Boar dead centre of its skull.  I held it there for a moment, before retracting the blade and hanging her by my side.  No way was it going to be able to take much more.

---

ID: 28724

BD: 7 + 2 = 9 = Modified Success (3 DMG)

MD: 5 = Failure

Grave: 23/29 HP

Boar: 6/15 HP

[Grave 0]

Alright, I always underestimate the AI and end up with my ass getting handed to me.  Sure, I managed to give the animal another slash across the snout, but the thing got pissed pretty quickly and proceeded to charge me, goring my legs with its German sausage-sized tusks.  However, rather than staying in or just pulling out, Porky decided to rip a gash all the way up my knee and... Whatever the top part of your leg is called.  Yeah.  Nasty.

---

ID: 28725

BD: 6 + 2 = 8 = Success (3 DMG)

MD: 10 = Crit +2 (3 DMG)

Grave: 20/29 HP

Big Boar: 3/15 HP

[Grave 0]

Aaaaand it didn't stop there!  It kept tearing all the way up my body, torso and all, and pushed me back to the ground.  I was definitely getting intimate with the grass; that was something I thought I'd never do.  At that point the tusks were jammed in my shoulders and wouldn't go any further, whether that be up, down or let alone out.  Seriously, you're being extremely obnoxious, I told the Boar in my head.  Ooh, how I wish it could have read my mind.  You see, I couldn't speak, because the way I was bent against the ground, my vocal chords were being compressed by my throat.  Happy days.

---

ID: 28726

BD: 3 + 2 = 5 = Failure

MD: 9 = Crit +1 (2 DMG)

Grave: 18/29 HP

Big Boar: 3/15 HP

[Grave 0]

Well, my shoulders were pretty messed after that.  The Boar finally managed to rip through the top of my shoulders and lost its balance, allowing me to recompose myself and mess it up in my own way.  I rolled away before executing a quick pivot on my right foot, spinning myself around clockwise to face the charging threat.  <<Battle Healing>> soothed my injured shoulders before I bent my knee and shot off, flipping over my opponent and slamming Cobra down into its spine, the poor lump of meat basically cutting itself in half on my blade.  I landed with a slide and sheathed Cobra once again, and managed to time the click of the hilt against the scabbard with the subtle, glassy explosion of the dead enemy.  A screen popped up, showing my loot:

Reward

1 Giant Pork

Grim Coat

It took sheer willpower to refrain from jumping for joy.  I had received the second part of the Grim set!  I navigated my menu and materialized it; the coat was large-fitting and pitch dark, with silver and black fur lining all along the inside.  The collar rose even higher than the Tunic's, and could be buttoned at the front around the mouth (not to mention that the collar was fur lined too!).  The sides extended down to my calves, curving around my legs in half circles, unjoined in the middle.  I personally loved it, and would have loved it even more if I had it back on Floor Four.  I stowed it away at the thought.  Too hot on Floor One to wear it.

---

ID: 28728

BD: 6 + 2 = 8 = Success (3 DMG)

MD: 7 = Success (1 DMG)

CD: 11 = +1 HP

Grave: 18/29 HP

Big Boar: *DEAD*

LD: 14 = +1 Giant Pork (Mat) and Grim Coat (Good Clothing)

[Grave 0]

In the end I decided it was probably better if I harvested my materials rather than fought for them.  I was more likely to get hurt trying to kill than I was finding materials by eye.  I took refuge back in the forest and scanned the dark atmosphere around me, and spotted a hint of goldish-green in a nearby tree.  Of course, I couldn't help but make my way up the tree to come across a huge amount of golden-coloured apples.  I giant grin lit up my face and I sat on the strongest bough I could find, before falling backwards and catching myself with my legs, hanging there like a... Sloth, I guess?  Of course, the first bloody apple I pick already has a chunk out of it, so I dropped it and it shattered upon contacting the earth.

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ID: 28729

LD: 8 = Apple had a chunk out of it.

Grave: 19/29 HP (Nat. Healing)

[Grave 0]

I reached for another that seemed fairly ripe, but when I bit into it, the inside was all... Green... And icky... And just plain horrid.  I dropped that one too and went back to searching.  In the real world I could just make a beeline to the supermarket and grab myself just a few ingredients and whip up a nice apple tart in under an hour.  Sure, I could make one faster here, but the gathering process was so... Damn... Slow...

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ID: 28730

LD: 8 = Apple was infected by... Something awful.

Grave: 20/29 HP (Nat. Healing)

Edited August 24, 2015 by Grave

[Grave 0]

I heaved myself back up onto the branch to see if I might be able to find something higher up, but all those ones were too small.  It looked like someone before me had picked the tree clean of good apples.  I grabbed one of the small ones, and the flesh was hard as a nut.  If I tried to bite it, chances are I'd break my teeth doing so.  I scampered back down the tree and searched around for something more promising.

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ID: 28731

LD: 11 = The baby ones are hard as nuts.

Grave: 21/29 HP (Nat. Healing)

[Grave 0]

My eyes flicked across the entire sector I had waltzed into.  There was not a single decent berry bush or fruit tree in sight.  It was beyond a doubt that I had strolled into a rather... 'Unpopulated' area, so to speak.  Well, onto the next I went!

Yeah, definitely.  The next area I traversed had an abundance of multicoloured fruits and other... Stupendous foods hanging from plants.  I went up to a pitch black bush hosting a horde of horrifically cyan bananas.  They didn't look very enticing, but it was never good to judge a book by its cov-

"Ah!" I yelled into the canopy above.  The liquid felt like acid on my tongue!  I quickly spat the 'banana' out and rid myself of the source, making my way to a different bush.

---

ID: 28732

LD: 13 = Grave, bright colours means poisonous, remember?

Grave: 22/29 HP

[Grave 0]

Next I approached a rather ordinary-looking pear tree.  I mean, pfft, what could go wrong with a pear tree, right?  Jeez... Would you believe me if I said the 'pears' were actually giant nuts?  Seriously, grabbed one and it felt rock solid.  Banged it against a tree a few times, it popped open to reveal a large ball of previously tasty stuff, until these little caterpillar creatures had decided to feast on it.  I wasn't a happy camper.

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ID: 28733

LD: 9 = Damn caterpillars.

Grave: 23/29 HP