[SP-F1] The Battlefield of Broken Blades (RGQ)

[Ashrah 0]

"You there!" the guard looked despondent. Arc watched the NPC hurry over to him as he headed toward the second safe zone on the first floor. "Come quickly, we need all the hands we can get. Goblins are attacking the town!"

That was a new one. He glanced around himself as he thought he saw smoke billowing skyward. "Woah," he murmured. "This must be a randomly generated quest. Is it instanced off from other players?" he wondered aloud. The guard gave him no time to think as he felt himself grabbed and dragged along.

"Didn't you hear me? To arms, I said!" Arc dumbly fumbled for his weapon and unslung it with a deft motion. "The guards are working their hardest to evacuate what townsfolk haven't been slaughtered, but it's a losing battle. The fire has claimed more than enough lives- you need to get them off our backs! Aren't you a mercenary?"

Arc shook his head. How did Cardinal glean that? Had he been saying it that much? "Yeah," he managed to answer. "That's right. I'll help you out."

"Thank the gods," the guard sighed his relief. "Alright, get ready, because they're not going to give you a break. They're a bit harder than the boars that you generally see out here, but you shouldn't have too much trouble with them."

"Got it."

Arc: 120/120 HP

[Ashrah 0]

The first goblin blindsided him.

Arc barely had Levantine in hand before the creature materialized, already running in his direction. "Alright, wise guy," he muttered as the beast brought up a dagger ready to knife him. "Time for this wolf to give you the fangs, I reckon!"

It answered with a menacing growl and feral strokes of its blade. Arc brought his heavy blade round and slapped the weapon harmlessly away. He gave a snort of effort as the creature nimbly ducked the edge of his bastard sword. It thrusted toward him, and his torso moved out of the way easily. The sulfuric scent of fiery wreckage wafted across his senses.

"I don't have too much time to waste," he hissed through grit teeth. The thought of those NPCs suffering a horrible fate bore down on him as he railed against a worthy opponent. That meant this quest would be a bit harder than he imagined. When their Health Gauges appeared on his HUD, the mercenary became acutely aware just what sort of quest this was. "Ah, dang," he muttered. "Another one of those."

Arc: 120/120 10/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 30 (Mit: 2, DMG 5)

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 100/100

 

 

ID# 67219 results:

Battle: 2

Craft: 4

Loot: 13

MOB: 1

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

"Grk!" Arc let out a pained sound as the weapon sank into flesh. The impact was heavy, though the pain never flashed through his mind. He glanced down at where it hit, and the red dot that symbolized a wound served as a reminder of the attack. It was enough to make him seethe. "I see how it is," he muttered.

The Goblin backed off as quickly as it struck, knowing that lingering too close would be its downfall. Arc took the time to compose himself. There was more at stake here than the wound he had incurred. "Do you need backup?" the guard asked with a hint of distress behind his voice. Arc waved him off. There was no time to call for anything like that. The man had trouble of his own.

Another Goblin was engaged with the poor chap.

"Worry about your own back," the mercenary told the man. "I can handle one Goblin, no problem."

Hopefully.

Arc: 117/120 9/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 30/30

Goblin 2: 29/30 (CD 6+ to hit)

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 100/100 (LD 12+ to hit, 3 DMG)

 

 

ID# 67220 results:

Battle: 3

Craft: 2

Loot: 16

MOB: 9

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

When the Goblin pounced this time, he was ready. Arc twisted out of the way and the creature seemed to turn its gaze in his direction in slow motion. It wore a look of panic. Arc smiled thinly.

His blade came up as he threw his body into a full spin. The brunt of it took the wind out of his opponent. It folded across the heft of Levantine as he swung the weapon like a baseball bat with every intention of sending the little beast sprawling. It went down without much protest, beyond a howl of pain. "How are you doing over there?" he called out to the guard with the breathing room he'd earned for himself.

"Not good," the man rasped. "These things are too strong for me. I don't know how long I can last."

"Hold the line," Arc demanded grimly. "To the last man."

The guard gave a shallow nod.

That's the way they were trained to do things, anyway. He was the last line of defense before the people started dying. Once the Goblins got to them, it was all over. They were the most important cog in the machine.

Arc: 117/120 8/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 26/30

Goblin 2: 28/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 95/100

 

 

ID# 67221 results:

Battle: 9

Craft: 10

Loot: 18

MOB: 2

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

When he went to press his advantage, the Goblin rolled out of the way. Arc grimaced as he slammed the bulk of his weapon into the dirt where his target lay prone only moments before. His face quickly contorted with effort as he gripped the hilt and wedged it out of its makeshift sheath.

The creature took this as a chance to strike. Arc shifted his gaze toward the overeager Goblin and threw himself out of the way, still tightly gripping his weapon. He spun round the hilt in a quick motion and brought both feet around, slamming them into the creature's back. It did nothing to damage the mob, but it staggered forward in annoyance. He heard it growl and as it turned, it hissed and spat at him.

"What a horrible attitude," he chided. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

He stopped short.

"Right," he murmured. "You probably never had a mother. Ah well. Ugly mug like yours, no one to miss you makes this that much easier."

It surged at him. He slapped the strike away.

"Now that's just not nice."

Arc: 117/120 7/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 26/30

Goblin 2: 27/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 95/100

 

 

ID# 67222 results:

Battle: 1

Craft: 11

Loot: 14

MOB: 1

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

Arc managed to get out of the way of the main portion of the next strike, but it still glanced across his armor. The Goblin advanced wickedly fast, angered by his antics. The mercenary reflected that it might have been less than wise for him to antagonize it as much as he had. No time for regrets now, he told himself. Now it was time to deal with the consequences.

He angled himself away from the mob as he dragged his weapon out of the dirt, and his next few steps cleared it from the ground. It took him that time to gain a proper handle on it, so he missed any chance to counterattack. That was well and good. A prepared, calculated strike was preferable to a sloppy riposte. It meant that he would get a better chance later, rather than putting himself in harms way for naught now.

The guard looked back at him and spat a gobbet of blood. "They're gaining traction," he warned. "Don't let your guard down, mercenary!"

"You'd better be paying good for this," Arc replied flatly.

The other man laughed aloud.

Arc: 115/120 7/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 26/30

Goblin 2: 27/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 90/100

 

 

ID# 67224 results:

Battle: 1

Craft: 8

Loot: 4

MOB: 7

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

"Another big hit," the guard observed. Arc grunted. The blade sank into his shoulder this time, and the mercenary pushed the creature away from him with an annoyed look on his face. "You're not taking this seriously, are you?"

"If I started taking this seriously," he replied, "I'd never be able to look at myself in the mirror. These things aren't worth that kind of second look. They're just spit on my boot."

The guard sighed. "You're that kind of guy, then?" it asked him. "The one who looks for the biggest possible challenge and faces it down, whether or not it kills him?"

"Shut up and fight, old man." Arc smirked at his victim, and he brought his blade high. The beast screamed out as he brought Levantine down on it. It took the beast from shoulder to hip, and the Goblin backed off with a stagger. "I'm doing what I can. Least you can do is give as good as you're getting. Right?"

Arc: 111/120 7/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 23/30

Goblin 2: 27/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 90/100

 

 

ID# 67225 results:

Battle: 6

Craft: 2

Loot: 1

MOB: 9

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

"Tch."

Arc watched as his ally was taken in the back by a vicious thrust, and he wanted to abandon his own fight for a fleeting second. Until the Goblin thrust at him again, that is. He managed to lean out of the way when the blade struck far too close to his face, and his eyes instantly returned to his own enemy. I almost let that happen. You have to concentrate, Tobias. Stop letting things like a friend getting hit get in the way. You kill these Gobs, they'll all be safe. Keep your eyes on the prize.

He brought the pommel of his blade up and deflected the next strike with minimal effort. It almost seemed like he was too strong for these mobs, but he knew better. These things were right around the perfect strength to pose a challenge, and they offered him plenty of opportunities to grow accustomed to the battle system. He took a breath and strode backward, keeping pace with his opponent. Stronger than the boars though they may be, the Goblins still followed a basic combat algorithm.

It was easy to figure out their attack patterns and avoid them.

Arc: 111/120 5/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 23/30

Goblin 2: 27/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 85/100

 

 

ID# 67226

Battle: 1

Craft: 3

Loot: 6

Mob: 3

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

Arc threw himself out of the way of the next attack with a powerful effort. The added mobility from his new armor gave him a system assist, which he noticed in the way he rolled to his feet quickly and came up with his knees slightly bent. "All right," he murmured as his sword began to glow a deep golden color. "Here we go- Straight!"

The game took over for a moment as his muscles did something he had never done before in SAO. The Sword Art ripped forward with extreme prejudice. His blade tore into the Goblin, which let out a fit of hacking coughs as the Mercenary bisected it. Of course, the damage was not nearly enough to kill it outright- it had a deep gash across its torso that told him of the effectiveness.

It staggered and reeled, and even let out a whine. The guard winced from another blow before cheering loudly. "That's the way!" he called. "You're better than I thought!"

"Thanks, I guess," Arc spat blandly. His compliments are as bad as mine.

Arc: 111/120 4/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 13/30

Goblin 2: 27/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 80/100

 

 

 

ID# 67227 results:

Battle: 8

Craft: 10

Loot: 4

MOB: 6 (-1) = 5

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

Arc smirked as his guardsman ally managed to rally and get in another hit, but the second Goblin was no less vigilant. They traded strikes admirably, and the mercenary worried that the guard wouldn't be able to withstand many more rounds of conflict. He might be worried over nothing, but it just took the one guard going down for the people to become targets, and the more of them that died, the less his reward would be.

Rather, it'll feel like a failure because I couldn't even manage to save a single person. Just like before.

No. Gotta stay focused. Gotta keep on fighting.

He swung his blade in a tight arc and kept the Goblin at bay this time around, which caused the beast to growl in impatience. It wanted to slake its thirst for blood. It wanted the black clad mercenary dead, and it wanted to make sure everyone else was dead as well. This was a quest meant to wipe out everyone and everything until it ended. Arc understood that, now.

So I hold out, even if they don't. That's the plan.

But what a miserable plan it is.

Arc: 111/111 2/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 13/30

Goblin 2: 26/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 75/100

ID# 67228 results:

Battle: 2

Craft: 7

Loot: 15

MOB: 4

[Ashrah 0]

Arc let out an 'oof' as the beast punched him in the gut. He hadn't expected it. Could it be that he overestimated the value of just trying to memorize the system? No. Cardinal probably figured out what he was doing. It decided to increase the difficulty on him a bit. That must have been it. "Heh," he laughed quietly to himself as he backed off the Goblin and brought his blade up in between them. "Try that again, I dare you."

"Stop messing around!" the Guard hissed at him as his fight continued to stay the course. Unless Arc was able to finish his own adversary in short order, the other man would fall and the villagers would become easy prey. He frowned.

"I know," he whispered to himself. "I know."

Arc spared on last glance toward the villagers before he returned his focus to his own enemy. "You're mine."

Arc: 109/120 0/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 13/30

Goblin 2: 25/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 70/100

ID# 67229 results:

Battle: 3

Craft: 10

Loot: 15

MOB: 8

[Ashrah 0]

Arc stood upright as the Goblin came at him from above, rising from his knee to engage the beast on his own terms. It wouldn't do at all for him to be caught with his proverbial pants down. Still, his effort proved to be more than enough. The beast was surprised by his sudden surge of motion and faltered in its onslaught. Levantine cleaved upward and spiked toward the Goblin's midsection, where it pierced through the monster's ribcage. It cried out as it staggered backward with a look of absolute rage.

The Mercenary winked.

He managed to fight to a stronger stance and hobbled forward for a moment before righting himself in truth. The swordsman in him refused to give any quarter to this foe. He refused to be made a fool, or forced to fight like a lesser being. Eventually, his skill with the sword would rival the best Frontliners. He had to make it to that point. One Goblin would not deny him his dream.

"How do you like that?" he muttered to himself. Any louder and he might get chastised by the Guard again. "Ready to die, yet?"

The Goblin trembled in terror as it realized it was low on health. This player was more than it bargained for. This fate was not what it expected.

Arc: 109/120 0/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 10/30

Goblin 2: 23/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 65/100

 

 

ID# 67230 results:

Battle: 7

Craft: 6

Loot: 20

Mob: 3

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

Just like in reality, the longer a fight dragged on, the harder it got to keep going. His energy rose and fell like the tide. With every strike, it dipped back to depletion. With every effort he made to push through it, the system told him his strength was finite. There would be no more Sword Arts to take chunks out of the Goblin's health for a while. He was stuck with regular attacks, and hoping that they would do the job for him.

That was fine. A swordsman couldn't count on one or two big moves to do the work his arm ought to be able to do on its own. That would be an affront to all the effort he'd put in up to now. As the beastie rushed him, Arc sliced his blade clean across in a surge of precision that stunned it. The strike left a mark of bright red on the monster as it backed away from him with hate in its eyes. He matched its gaze with his own green intensity.

A silent nod acknowledged the beast's effort.

He would deprive it of the victory it sought. He would take away its hopes for slaughter. He would reject its hatred with his own.

Arc: 106/120 0/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 7/30

Goblin 2: 22/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 65/100

ID# 67232 results:

Battle: 7

Craft: 2

Loot: 17

MOB: 7

[Ashrah 0]

Again, he felt the system guide him away from the incoming strike as it came toward his throat this time. Arc leaned backward deftly and watched the Goblin give a startled cry. It extended its torso over his body in the effort, and his natural response was to grip it by the collar. With a surprising effort, the mercenary ripped the beast over his shoulder and sent it sprawling to the dirt. Without sparing a moment to collect himself, he brought Levantine screaming down for blood.

The Goblin let out a wail of anguish.

His bastard sword bit long and deep, and it drank of the creature's lifeblood. He stared down at it with a mix of satisfaction and ire as he withdrew the weapon and flicked it in a way that said he didn't want the thing's blood on his weapon. It gargled a disproving sentiment as it fought its way back to standing. Arc gripped the hilt of Levantine tighter than before. "You don't have much left in you, huh?" he murmured. "You're standing on your last legs. Let's end this quick, eh?"

Somehow, he felt like the creature understood him as it spun its blade deftly. He could see killing intent in its crimson gaze. He found that he liked it.

"That's the spirit."

Arc: 106/120 0/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 4/30

Goblin 2: 22/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 60/100

 

 

ID# 67233 results:

Battle: 8

Craft: 7

Loot: 6

MOB: 6 (-1) =5

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

The Goblin managed to get another one in.

Arc grunted. That was typical, wasn't it? Right after a show of bravado, the bad guy manages to get a good hit in and make the hero eat his words. Only, Arc wasn't a hero. He was just a sword for hire who happened to be fighting against something that was seven shades of wrong. That only made him party to a good act, not the party. At least, that's how he reasoned it. It didn't rightly matter.

He slapped the beast away from him when it let out a victorious snarl. "You get one," he hissed. "Everyone gets one."

A second red dot on his torso burned with intense color as his health took yet another dip, but Arc managed not to fret over it. It's not like it matter much anyway. The Goblin would be dead, soon. It'd be time to move on. He could forget about the bugger. Still, he felt the hatred burning beneath his skin. It smoldered like a slow burning fire. "But that's all you get," he added after a moment.

He took a deep breath, centered himself, and prepared for the next move.

There was no way he would let this thing get to him.

Arc: 103/120 0/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 4/30

Goblin 2: 22/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 60/100

 

 

ID# 67234 results:

Battle: 3

Craft: 3

Loot: 3

Mob: 3

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

Their blades met in a way that said the critter was getting desperate.

It tried in futility to halt his blow with its diminutive blade, which was flung uselessly away by the comparatively massive two handed weapon. Arc brought the weapon up and around as the creature threw up both arms to defend itself. When the weapon came down, it bit deep into flesh. The creature let out another helpless scream, and the Mercenary almost felt like a scion attributed to causing the creature pain. He didn't care to feel like a tormentor. He couldn't say he liked the feeling of forcing others to suffer. But he did enjoy the feeling of victory, and that rush pushed him to do more. It made him want to do all he could.

In the name of becoming the strongest, he didn't care what was in his way. He didn't care that the creature seemed to beg for mercy as his blade ripped into it yet again. He tasted the sweet, savory flavor of bloodshed and was reminded that given an opportunity, this world would give him the same treatment. Suddenly, he felt a whole lot less guilty.

His viridian gaze tore into the beast like its own dagger had turned on it. It continued to wail as he prepared for another strong strike. It wouldn't take much longer now.

Arc couldn't hear anything from the others. He glanced offhand toward the guard and saw that he was at a standstill. At least that meant he wasn't dead.

Arc: 103/120 0/12 Energy

Goblin 1: 1/30

Goblin 2: 22/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 60/100

 

 

ID# 67236 results:

Battle: 7

Craft: 3

Loot: 1

MOB: 5

 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Arc

[Ashrah 0]

Its last valiant effort left a long scratch across Arc's throat. He smirked. In the real world, it would have been a killing blow. On Aincrad, it was little more than a critical hit. He was more than able to withstand something that weak from a mob like this. "That's it," he muttered as the creature folded. His weapon fell low as the creature collapsed and exploded into a brilliant flash of data filled light. He turned and glanced toward the guard. "Hey, I got this one."

"Get over here and lend me a hand, then!" the man cried out. He was obviously vexed by the amount of time it took for the other man to come to his aid. A lot of health had already been lost, and undoubtedly more would spill before the crisis was averted. "Are you even listening?"

"Huh? Oh, right!" Arc wasted no time rushing toward his wounded ally with Levantine resting on his shoulder. It would be a long and grueling fight, but it shouldn't be too hard for him to start picking up the slack. With one dead, he had only to finish however many more mobs were left. That would trigger the end of the quest, he figured.

"I've got your back," he assured the guard as he brought the blade into a defensive position. One down, one to go.

Arc: 99/120 HP 0/12 Energy

Goblin 1: Dead

Goblin 2: 22/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 55/100

ID# 67238 results:

Battle: 6

Craft: 10

Loot: 11

MOB: 9

[Ashrah 0]

"On your left!"

Arc threw himself into the line of fire as the guard widened his eyes. "That's a pretty reckless move," the NPC murmured, "not that I don't appreciate it."

The second Goblin was taken aback at the brazen move, but Arc managed to get his sword in the way. He didn't go for an attack this go around, but the creature's attack did not do anything to bypass his guard, either. He stared across the locked blades toward his new nemesis, a gleam of amusement in his gaze. "I'm gonna handle you like I did your friend," he told the creature. "Long, slow, and you're not gonna forget a moment of it."

"Don't gloat so much," the guard chastised. Arc ignored him. "Just kill it so we can find its friends and keep them away from the rest of the villagers."

Arc noticed that the NPC was slowly beginning to regain health. That would be useful in the coming fight. He silently wished that he had the same ability, but he didn't voice that opinion. No more commentary from the peanut gallery would be a welcome reprieve.

Arc: 99/120 HP 1/12 Energy

Goblin 1: Dead

Goblin 2: 22/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 60/100 (+5 from being out of combat)

ID# 67239 results:

Battle: 3

Craft: 1

Loot: 9

MOB: 3

[Ashrah 0]

The creature came again, but this time he was more than ready. It struck high- they tended to do that, he noticed- and he ducked the blow. It gave a cry of surprise as he lowered to a crouched position. The Sword Art from before was familiar, and it did a good deal of damage. He figured that would be the way to go this time, too. "Straight!"

His blade ignited a golden color as he rushed forward through the already close enemy. It gave a strangled cry as his stroke cleaved through it, and it fell to its knees. Arc turned quickly to appraise his damage, more than content with the outcome. "You gonna jump in and help or what?" he called to the guard. "We're starting to get command of the flow of this fight. We'd better take advantage."

"My duty is to protect the villagers," the man told him. "I need to be vigilant in the event that another one decides to pop up and attack them."

Translation: there are more out there. Great.

"Alright, jackass, but you owe me big time." The guard shrugged haplessly.

Arc: 99/120 HP 0/12 Energy

Goblin 1: Dead

Goblin 2: 11/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 65/100 (+5 from being out of combat)

ID# 67242 results:

Battle: 9

Craft: 10

Loot: 10

MOB: 4

 

[Ashrah 0]

Time and again their blades clashed. The thunderous resounding song of steel filled the heated air between them as flames danced in the backdrop. Arc continued to drive forward, but the Goblin gave up no ground. He grunted when the creature failed to strike him, but he offered a similar effect in response. "Keep it up, mercenary. You're being compensated for hard work, not dancing!"

"As if I was doing anything else," he muttered as he took a step back and away from the beast. Fine, it looks like I'll need to take another approach to this fight.

He watched the creature for a moment, trying to figure out how the system had changed things this time. These random quests were much harder than some of the ones NPCs were pre-programmed with.

Arc: 99/120 0/12 Energy

Goblin 1: Dead

Goblin 2: 11/30

Townspeople

1: 10/10

2: 10/10

3: 10/10

4: 10/10

Guard: 70/100 (+5 from being out of combat.)

ID# 67243 results:

Battle: 2

Craft: 7

Loot: 5

MOB: 2