[SP - F12] Moving Up in the World COMPLETE!

[Seul 1]

One chapter ends, but another begins shortly after. His fondest memories of the time in Aincrad were spent exploring the lower floors. Gradually, he advanced further and further down the path to power and though he still lacked in some areas, it was time to start climbing the tower. The intermediate floors were those past the tenth level, where the beasts took a rapid change in power and to an unexperienced player would serve as a catalyst for death. Traveling in a party was preferred as one's chances of survival increased greatly with more people contributing to fights, but those who felt at ease on their own around here were usually the frontliners who opened the floor in the first place. 

Floor 12 was the second highest available level for the players to travel to. It also seemed to be following the theme of becoming less cheery as the floor number increased. In contrast to the ever happy Starting City, the main settlement on this floor was stationed in the middle of a gigantic swamp. The town of Lazaro was built directly on the water but it seemed like more of a shanty town more than anything. The primitive structures and lack of technology by Aincrad's standards would deem it so. Still, it was interesting to see the place first hand.

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

"So this is a scary, high level floor, huh?" He mumbled while exiting the teleport plaza building. There must have been a reason behind designing the floors to seem so perilous the higher one climbed. Even the NPCs looked a lot more gruff than usual, but that could have just been his imagination. For now, it was time to explore and get a taste of what many of the other players were missing out on. He pulled up the hood on his coat before setting off for the town's gate which would lead into the surrounding swamplands.

Getting to the 'gate' was a battle in itself as traversing Lazaro wasn't exactly a walk in the park. It'd be more accurate to say it was a couple of boat rides through a winding network of waterways and swamp sludge. After the last trip he was greeted with actual land and a fence; wooden and broken in certain parts. It looked to be about as effective as a sheet of paper, but who was he to judge? For all he knew the monsters in the area could have been allergic to wood. Taking one last look at the town, he made his way into the swampy wilderness feeling more determined than ever.

[Seul 1]

First obstacle encountered. Seul had been walking for about twenty minutes or so without seeing a single monster. Just how could that be? On the lower floors it was hard to go anywhere outside of town without meeting a creature that was ready to tear one's face off. It being a swamp themed floor, he figured the monsters were made to blend in with the environment. Great. He had a hard enough time fighting monsters he could see, now he'd have to worry about all those that hid just below the surface. There was an easy solution to avoid fighting: Stay out of the water. Avoid it at any cost. He would take the long way around if he had to. The only flaw in such a plan was that many monsters were mobile on land as well.

Alligators for example would be a pain to deal with, and speak of the Devil it would be his luck that one sped out of a nearby river and slapped him into the mud with its tail. The creature was huge, far larger than any of the boars that roamed floor one. Still despite its size, he noticed in the corner of his vision that his health had decreased by only the bare minimum. Had he really grown that sturdy? There was no time to question it. The gator was approaching fast and he needed to retaliate before things went sour. Scrambling to his feet, he launched the Fad Edge sword art once the monster got close, cutting it open four times while his dagger shined a brilliant blue color. It had some thick skin to be able to withstand a good potion of his move, but that wouldn't stop him from fighting as it did manage to push the beast back. "Bring it on you, dinosaur wannabe! You'll make a nice pair of alligator skin boots once I'm done with you!"

|~BATTLE START~|~Battle Theme~|

Turn Order: Alligator -> Seul

ID# 39352 results:

• Battle: 8 (Keen Activated) | Mob: 7

Status:

• Seul [HP: 67/68][EN: 13/17][Keen: +1 BD]
• Alligator [HP: 40/48][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Hit, 36 - 36 Mit = 1 Damage!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 8 Damage!

Edited November 19, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

The gator had tried to sweep him over with another lash of its tail, but Seul used his shield to effectively stop the beast in its tracks. With the damage blocked he was able to use Fad Edge once again to knock off another portion of the monster's health. The battle seemed to be going great thus far but would he be able to keep it up? His build was holding out against the alligator's assault but his energy management would have to be carefully monitored as well in order to win.

ID# 39360 results:

• Battle: 6 (5 + 1 Keen / Keen Activated) | Mob: 2

Status:

• Seul [HP: 67/68][EN: 10/17][Keen: +1 BD]
• Alligator [HP: 32/48][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Blocked!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 8 Damage!

Edited November 19, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

Frustration on the beast's part was evident as it attempted to sweep out Seul's legs with its tail. He couldn't help but feel sorry for it as he was able to easily jump over the attack and use his shield to bash the monster's skull, cushioning his fall. The dagger took on its blue glow before cutting open the alligator's back four successive times. There was no doubt that this battle was insanely easy. It was just a matter of preserving his energy. On the next turn he'd probably rest since the monster didn't pose much of a threat anyway.

ID# 39388 results:

• Battle: 8 (7 + 1 Keen / Keen Activated) | Mob: 2

Status:

• Seul [HP: 67/68][EN: 7/17][Keen: +1 BD]
• Alligator [HP: 24/48][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Blocked!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 8 Damage!

Edited November 19, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

(Oh gawd, accidentally placed the url in my name spot... Somehow. ~_~)

The monster's struggle would only make the pain it received worse. With another swing of its tail it managed to knock off another small margin of Seul's health, only to have it completely restored by the regen enhancement. Once the green glow vanished from his body, he leapt forward with more ferocity than before and executed Fad Edge. His energy was low, but it should've been more than enough to kill the monster. "These are the scary 12th floor monsters...? Honestly, this is a joke."

ID# 39402 results:

• Battle: 10 (9 + 1 Keen / Keen Activated) | Mob: 6 | Craft: 11 (Regen & Recovery Activated)

Status:

• Seul [HP: 68/68][EN: 5/17][Keen: +1 BD][Regen: +6 HP][Recovery: +1 Energy]
• Alligator [HP: 12/48][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Hit, 36 - 36 Mit = 1 Damage!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 + 1 Crit x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 12 Damage!

 

Edited November 19, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

Cardinal never did like when he taunted its creations. Almost on cue the alligator was able to land a critical strike on him to deal extra damage and for some reason his recovery abilities failed to activate. Having a tougher opponent would have been fun but there was still nothing to worry about. The monster had knocked off his balance slightly, but with the aid of his concentration skill he was able to keep steady enough to launch a counter with his Fad Edge.

ID# 39413 results:

• Battle: 6 (4 + 1 Keen + 1 Concentration / Keen Activated) | Mob: 10 | Craft: 1 (Regen & Recovery Activated)

Status:

• Seul [HP: 66/68][EN: 2/17][Keen: +1 BD][Concentration Cooldown: 0/5]
• Alligator [HP: 4/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Hit, 36 + 2 - 36 Mit = 2 Damage!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 8 Damage

Edited November 19, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

In a last ditch effort, thee creature tried to finish the boy with another tail slap. The appendage swung past his shield and hit him square in the chest, knocking the wind from his lungs. His form was engulfed by the familiar glow before healing him completely and even giving him more energy to boot. It was time to end this. That last hit had given him the energy to use Fad Edge once more and that's just what he did. When the final cut happened the alligator exploded into a glorious, pixelated rainstorm before being carried off by the wind.

ID# 39416 results:

• Battle: 10 ( 9 + 1 Keen / Keen Activated) | Mob: 9 | Craft: 6 (Regen & Recovery Activated)| LD: 14

Status:

• Seul [HP: 68/68][EN: 0/17][Keen: +1 BD][Recovery: +1 Energy][Regen: +6 HP][Concentration Cooldown: 1/5]
• Alligator [HP: 0/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Hit, 36 + 1 - 36 Mit = 1 Damage!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 + 1 x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 12 Damage
• Alligator dies and drops 240 Col (5 x 48)!

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

Seul dropped to one knee soon after. Though his health remained in tact, the same couldn't have been said about his energy. There was nothing to be done though. Energy came with the level so all he could do was work with it until it got higher. For now the area seemed safe which meant it was a perfect time to rest before another alligator showed its scaly face. With many of the quests already exhausted or way too difficult for him to do on his own, gaining experience had become an arduous task. The slow level climb would be tedious but well worth it in the end when his build was at its finest.  

Seul [HP: 68/68][EN Restore: 1/3][Concentration Cooldown: 2/5]

[Seul 1]

Why did he even want to be strong? What was the point? There'd always be a gap between himself and the other players. For now he walked a fine line between being able to fight on the higher floors, and going back to the beginner floors. The few companions he had wouldn't be able to help him up here, but traveling with them on the lower floors would pose a hindrance to their progress as well. What was a guy to do? He turned his gaze to the sky as if looking for an answer, but didn't honestly expect one to arrive any time soon. Figuring out stuff on your own was just another part of playing the game.

Seul [HP: 68/68][EN Restore: 2/3][Concentration Cooldown: 3/5]

[Seul 1]

In the corner of his vision he could see that the number 18 was now displayed next to his health bar. The fight against the alligator must have caused him to level up. He had been so exhausted he failed to notice the prompt earlier before it disappeared. One step closer to reaching his goal. Only another 22 levels separated him from having maxing out his skills. As of right no when needed more attack power so there'd be a need to invest toward the higher ranked dagger skill. Next he would finish off his armor and finally his shield.

Seul [HP: 72/72][EN Restore: 3/3][Concentration Cooldown: 4/5]

(Convenient excuse to change my stats mid-thread. xD) 

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

With his energy restored it was time to seek out another fight. This time he'd prefer something that wasn't so hard to kill. He approached the riverbank and peered into the murky depths as he knew something wouldn't be able to resist attacking him. He was right. Another alligator splashed out of the swamp water and attempted to bite his face, but Seul was prepared and intercepted its jaws with his shield. It normally would have been hard to hit from such an angle, but the cooldown on his concentration skill had just ended and he was bale to activate the ability once more. His eyes locked on the monster's exposed belly while he drew his dagger to launch a Fad Edge the beast's way. Four swift slashes sent the alligator falling back into the water. It was obviously hurting, but he was sure that wouldn't be the last he saw of it.

ID# 40090 results:

• Battle: 6 ( 5 + 1 Concentration / Keen Activated) | Mob: 1 | Craft: 5

Status:

• Seul [HP: 72/72][EN: 14/18][Keen: +1 BD][Concentration Cooldown: 0/5]
• Alligator [HP: 40/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Blocked!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 8 Damage

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

He wouldn't be so lucky this time around. The alligator took full advantage of his joyous state and launched an attack from the water with a whip from its massive tail. Seul tried to use his shield to intercept the blow but the force behind it was too much to withstand and he was sent rolling through the dirt and into the base of a tree. A solid hit, but certainly not one he wouldn't recover from. When he was able to stand again the gator had found its way onto land and was heading straight for him.

ID# 40133 results:

• Battle: 3 (2 + 1 Keen / Light Momentum Activated) | Mob: 10 | Craft: 2

Status:

• Seul [HP: 70/72][EN: 15/18][Keen & LM: +2 BD][Concentration Cooldown: 1/5]
• Alligator [HP: 40/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Hit, 36 + 2 - 36 = 2 Damage!

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

Though the monster had been fast, he was able to stop the alligator in its tracks with a swift bash to the skull with his shield. The beast seemed dazed, but it wouldn't last long as Seul was upon it again with his favored move. It was only a few points away form being at half health, but the boy was confident in his skill to end this fight with the gator's head on a spike. It was definitely time for an upgrade, as his damage output now was only sub-par at best. 

ID# 40135 results:

• Battle: 11 (9 + 2 Keen&LM / Keen Activated) | Mob: 3 | Craft: 10

Status:

• Seul [HP: 70/72][EN: 12/18][Keen: +1 BD][Concentration Cooldown: 2/5]
• Alligator [HP: 28/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Blocked!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 +1 x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 12 Damage

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

The fight was turning desperate on the beast's end. With another lash of its tail, the gator managed to cut off another sliver of Seul's health. A futile endeavor as it simply healed seconds later due to his regeneration. The green glow of healing soon faded and left him feeling renewed, so marking the time of a counterstrike with his Fad Edge. Four slashes amounting to a critical strike and the monster was now in the lower part of the yellow zone in regards to its health bar.

ID# 40139 results:

• Battle: 10 (9 + 1 Keen / Keen Activated) | Mob: 9 | Craft: 12 (Regen and Recovery Activated) 

Status:

• Seul [HP: 72/72][EN: 10/18][Keen: +1 BD][Concentration Cooldown: 3/5][Regen: +6 HP][Recovery: +1 EN]
• Alligator [HP: 16/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Hit, 36 + 1 - 36 = 1 Damage!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 +1 x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 12 Damage

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

In another effort to damage the boy the alligator used its tail to attempt sweeping out his legs. He managed to jump and evade most of it, save for tripping on the tip and falling onto the monster's back. His curative enhancements activated on cue as Seul reared his dagger arm back to plunge the weapon into the gator's spine four times with the Fad Edge. One more hit and the beast should die. It was only a matter of being able to land it.

ID# 40141 results:

• Battle: 6 (5 + 1 Keen / Keen Activated) | Mob: 8 | Craft: 9 (Regen and Recovery Activated) 

Status:

• Seul [HP: 72/72][EN: 8/18][Keen: +1 BD][Concentration Cooldown: 4/5][Regen: +6 HP][Recovery: +1 EN]
• Alligator [HP: 8/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Hit, 36 - 36 Mit = 1 Damage!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN! 5 x 4 Fad Edge - 12 Mit = 8 Damage

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

Seul held fast as the monster attempted to shake him off. There was no doubt in his mind that it was trying its hardest to survive this battle but the odds were not in the gator's favor. It could barely scratch him and was already dangerously close to dying. Still, seeing it struggle was somewhat admirable. Sort of like a reminder to not give up regardless of the hardships the game threw at the players. In the violent fit, the boy couldn't get a clear angle to deliver his attack and so missed on his execution.

ID# 40144 results:

• Battle: 1 (Light Momentum Activated) | Mob: 5 | Craft: 3  

Status:

• Seul [HP: 72/72][EN: 7/18][Keen&LM: +1 BD][Concentration Cooldown: 5/5]
• Alligator [HP: 8/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Blocked!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Miss, -2 EN!

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

The obnoxious thrashing had yet to cease. This alligator was not about to get killed and it was doing everything in it s power to throw him off. Seul got a bad feeling in his gut which could have either been attributed to motion sickness or dread as the beast's fury increased. There was no telling what kind of direction this fight would go in if things kept going the way they were. Unless he could land a hit, they'd be trapped in an endless battle to be waged for all eternity.

ID# 40150 results:

• Battle: 1 | Mob: 4 | Craft: 5 

Status:

• Seul [HP: 72/72][EN: 6/18][Keen&LM: +2 BD]
• Alligator [HP: 8/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Blocked!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Miss, -2 EN!

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

The monster succeeded in throwing Seul from its back and he took fall damage as a result upon landing. But that wouldn't stop him from going all out with his final move. The monster was moving fast but he was able to roll to his feet and fire off one last Fad Edge to fell the beast. Four slashes across the alligator's face left it more dead than a pair of alligator skin boots and the creature exploded shortly after. The pixels were carried away with the wind and that was the end of the fight.

ID# 40160 results:

• Battle: 7 (5 + 2 Keen&LM / Keen Activated) | Mob: 8 | Craft: 6 (Regen & Recovery Activated) | LD: 11

Status:

• Seul [HP: 72/72][EN: 4/18][Keen: +1 BD][Regen: +6 HP][Recovery: +1 EN]
• Alligator [HP: 0/48]][DMG: 36][MIT: 12][DEAD]

Commands:

• Alligator attacks Seul: Blocked!
• Seul uses Fad Edge on Alligator: Hit, -4 EN, 5 x 4 - 12 = 8 Damage!
• Alligator dies and drops 240 Col (5 x 48)!

Edited November 25, 2015 by Seul

[Seul 1]

It had been a good day. The last battle had gone just as smoothly as the first one and he was even able to walk away a little richer than before. How he managed to pull through on a high floor by himself was still interesting to him. He had grown stronger and was on his way to being able to fight on the thirteenth floor. First he'd need to cause more damage. The dagger was a good weapon but at low levels it was only mediocre against the enemies on this floor. More power was necessary to fight on these floors and more power was exactly what he was going to get.