[SP-F3] << RGQ Easy >> Minos' Labyrinth << COMPLETE, PLAYER DECEASED >>

[Gattsu 0]

One of my favorite stories in the world of Greek mythology is the labyrinth of King Minos, and it was the home of the notorious Minotaur, who feasted on human flesh. Every year, several maidens and men were offered as a sacrifice to the bull headed humanoid monster, until the Greek hero, Theseus was sick of this inhumane act and sets to the land of Crete, where the palace was located. He entered the palace and enters the labyrinth to kill the Minotaur, but not before the king's daughter gave him a ball of thread so he could retrace his steps to the exit of the maze.

As soon as he sees the Minotaur lurking around the labyrinth, he proceeded to beat the hell out of the monster with his bare hands until it can no longer fight and dropped dead. Victoriously, he got out of the maze thanks to the thread that he used to retrace his steps.

This sort of heroism was the reason why I choose to take up a random quest where I am required to kill three minotaurs in the forest of Floor 3. I need more materials for my shop, but I am tired of mining. 

So I settle down on fighting mobs instead, which is easier for me.

Edited September 20, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

I was sitting in a tavern at Delilah Village, having a nice meal of soup, roasted pork and iced lemonade. The meal is quite warm and refreshing after a good night's rest, and the taste is very exquisite. 

I also adore Floor 3 for the field of dandelions is very stunning to look at, and the NPC elves here are really attractive, regardless of gender. If only there is an ability to love NPCs...but it's too bad that they are only programmed to express limited emotions, such as laughing, crying, happy, and all of those basic emotions you would be familiar with for so long. Now moving on to my lunch, I pay the bill and leave the store, when I suddenly notice a handsome elf leaning against the wall, holding some sort of rapier. 

I approach him and he looks up to me, smiling as he begins to speak in a soft voice.

"Well, you look like to be a suitable candidate for my challenge. Would you like to hear more?"

A message prompt asks me a question if I could accept a Random Generated Quest called Minos Labyrinth. Judging by the name and how I like the story of Theseus, I accept the quest eagerly.

[Gattsu 0]

"Very well," said the elf as he grins while crossing his arms. "Now you see, I actually have tons of COL, and despite my wealth, I like to give some of them away to random strangers for free. Adventurers like you are my most common target for my 'charities', since you all desire for COL, am I correct? Unless you do not mind sticking to your old equipment until it is worn out after years of use..."

"Cut to the chase. What's the challenge?" I speak in a stern voice, for his speech is wasting my time.

"All right, all right. Now, you may already heard rumors about minotaurs in the Forest Of Wandering Mist. A lot of people barely accept my proposition to kill the minotaurs because they are too afraid, or they are so-called busy. You are lucky to hear my proposition because the amount of COL I am going to give you will be fat.

Simpy put, all you have to do is to kill these monsters, there are at least three alleged sightings of them. Either it was the same creature, or they are separate entities. Watch out while venturing through the forest as the fog there is really thick, you might ended up as a sacrifice in the labyrinth.

Still interested, warrior?"

[Gattsu 0]

Of course I accept the quest, as it suits me very well. The elf smiles sweetly as he pats me on the head.

"Good boy. Now off you go, and don't fiddle in there for too long."

After saying farewell to the NPC, I exit the town and take a stroll across the beautiful prairie fields. As I am strolling here, there is something I forgot to mention, this is also something I realized and should have used in earlier battles.

You see, the core battle techniques in Aincrad are known as Sword Arts. Sword Arts are a magnum opus to every individual's weapon. They are very helpful and could make you succeed in battle quicker and with a better result. I never knew about Sword Arts until during one of my lone swordplays in my free time. By accident, I unleashed a technique called Snake Bite, and found myself cutting the wooden post in brisk angular sections. I was really shocked at this revelation, and cursed myself as I would have used my Sword Arts against those lizardmen. 

Day to day, I familiarized myself with the techniques, and in a short amount of time, I was used to it. I am aware that I would exhaust myself if I am reckless at using my Sword Arts without knowing where my enemy would dodge at the next round. 

The glow produced on my weapon during the initiation of Sword Arts is off putting in my opinion. It isn't magic-based at all, and it looks better if the weapons still look normal while performing those moves. Still, it doesn't fully bother me, and at least I have mastered my 'Snake Bite.' 

[Gattsu 0]

Stopping in my tracks after minutes have passed, I look at the entrance of the Forest Of Wandering Mists in front of me. I cannot fully see what lies beneath the forest even from the entrance, I was expecting the fog to be at least a little thinner so I can only see trees or the ground. The thought of getting a sudden backstab by a minotaur disturbs my peace of mind, but I gather the courage to step into the fog.

There isn't really unique to describe the forest's surroundings. It basically consist of trees and grass. Though the space between the trees are wide enough to make open spaces, the thickness of the fog renders this advantage useless. 

ID: 68162

LD: 5

I admit, I actually take an effort to find a material here, if there is any... As expected, it is impossible to find materials without being blinded by the fog. I keep heading north as I look around for any minotaurs...

Gattsu: HP 72/100

Minotaur: HP 34/34

ID: 68713

BD: 3

MD: 9

Edited September 19, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

 

No sooner after I stop to look for a better trial to follow, I hear heavy footsteps from my right, and immediately something hit my at right side painfully. I let out a scream and step back from the unknown threat, and soon set my eyes to a minotaur in front of me. It slowly advances as it is ready to make its next swing.

The minotaur is heavily built, wearing minimal metal armor  and sports a loincloth. It has furs running down its spine, and its horns are as large as a stag's antlers. The minotaur huffs and puffs as it glares at me with its red eyes, obviously it wants me to get out of its property. This minotaur looks tough, but maybe if I can somehow flank it or sever its pressure points, it will hopefully go down quickly. 

"You are not allowed here, get out!" The minotaur suddenly exclaims as it sprints towards me, charging his axe forward. Either I roll and slash his legs or I simply back away and cut his arm. 

Gattsu: HP 72/100

Minotaur: HP 34/34

ID: 68174

BD: 1

MD: 1

Edited September 19, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

Both of us miss the attack, but my situation is scarier. The blade flies past just above my head, but I manage to roll and attempt to deliver a slash to his arm or back. He is already moving forward before my sword could land a hit on him, and I keep myself a few metres away from him. He turns around and glares at me again as some sort of smoke blows out of his nostrils.

"You look at least decent enough to provide a challenge for me today. The very least you could do for me is to color me impressed," said the minotaur.

"How about we just spend our time on trying to kill each other instead of idle chat, scumbag?" I retorted.

He laughs in response to my sentence. "Very well, adventurer. I will use all of my strength to cleanly chop your head off so you won't get whatever reward that is present for killing me and my comrades. Now face me and try to dodge this!"

Surprisingly, he leaps like a f**king frog and brings his axe down to my position at high speed. I grit my teeth as I am shocked at this rather bizarre technique.

Gattsu: HP 72/100

Minotaur: HP 25/34

ID: 68175

BD: 10 

MD: 3

Energy: 4/10 

Used Snake Bite!

Edited September 19, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

As quickly as I could, I roll forward and his axe lands right where my last position was. I get up to my feet and use my Snake Bite against his back, slashing his flesh brutally. Blood spills out of his injuries as I slowly move backwards, waiting for him to get up.

"Well?! Come on, stand the f**k up!" I yell, as I grow impatient of his idleness after the attack. 

The minotaur does stand, and when he looks directly at my eyes, he let out a joyful laugh with a grimacing expression.

"Yes, that is what I need from you. Keep this up, human! My battle spirit has just been revived after many months of boredom!"

He sprints towards me on all fours, intending to pierce my armor with his giant horns. I don't know whether I should use my next Sword Art or not, as this would quickly consume almost all of my energy. Regardless, I want this minotaur down as quickly as possible.

He is coming to a close...I think I know what to do...A direct stab to his face! 

Gattsu: HP 72/100

Minotaur: HP 17/34

ID: 68176

BD: 9

MD: 5

Energy 2/10

Used Snake Bite

Edited September 19, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

I precisely thrust my sword towards the minotaur's head and slashes down towards his face painfully. His horns almost made their impact towards my armor, but thankfully he stops in his tracks as I use another Snake Bite towards his face, which I hold up prior to this action. As a final move for this moment, I deliver a powerful punch to his nose and he backs up immediately, staying away from me at a few inches. The minotaur breaths out furiously as he holds his axe tight, stomping his foot to the ground for several seconds in anger while wiping the blood off his nose.

"What a f**king embarassment, losing to a s**thead like you! REAAARGH!!"

He leaps forward this time, swinging his axe horizontally in order to use its reach to land a crush towards me.  I hold up my knightly sword in an attempt to block his attack.

Gattsu: HP 72/100

Minotaur: HP 17/34

ID: 68177

BD: 5

MD: 1

Edited September 19, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

The impact is so strong that it exhausts me instantly, but thankfully my sword isn't broken from the block. Jeebus...look at the size of that axe's blade. It looks more like a weapon that would only be used by medieval executioners.

Meanwhile, the minotaur withdraws his axe away and takes a few more swings, each attack blocked by my sword no matter how strong the axe hits the blade. He realizes that this simple attack is futile, and we catch our breaths, feeling exhausted.

"Huff, you are tiring to fight against, human," the minotaur speaks between huffs and puffs. I look at him as soon as I think that this is my chance to strike him. No longer minding whatever exhaustion remain within me, I run towards the bull man and use my sword like a spear. Unfortunately during my sprint, he already sees what is going to happen and composes himself as he lifts up his axe.

Gattsu: HP 45/100

Minotaur: HP 17/34

ID: 68178

BD: 4

MD: 9

Edited September 19, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

"Trying to strike me while I'm not attacking, huh?!" The minotaur shouts as he brings his axe down towards me, the blade's reach slams against my shoulder and tosses me to the ground. 

After I am dropped down, I feel his hand picking up my body, and soon he is glaring at me as he starts to grip my body like a doll, even though my arms are still free from his bounds.

"You put up a good show today, human. But I'm afraid the curtain must come down early, for your performance is, so far, a s**tshow to my eyes," says the minotaur. "I am going to give you a choice. You will either die by my grasp, or get chopped in half by my axe. If you want my recommendation, the latter is the best choice of death, for it will be painless and quick. At least you will be instantly booted to the afterlife. Now choose.."

Rrgh...choose my death huh...heh...I won't give up that easily...just...going to...rrgh...stab his hand...!

Gattsu: HP 18/100

Minotaur: HP 17/34

ID: 68179

BD: 3

MD: 10

Edited September 19, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

"Gaah!" I scream as I am fully grasped by his strong hand. The pain is unbearable, and, probably, some of my ribs are starting to fracture...rrgh..

"Come on, human. You only have limited time to think. It is too bad that I have to end this entertainment too quickly...it's been really fun.."

The minotaur breaths out menacingly as he tightens his grip a little more, the pain is comparable to getting crushed by a hydraulic press. I am too weak to raise up my sword, and as I shut my eyes tight, preparing for my death, there are sounds of faint rustling nearby.

Immediately, the minotaur releases me due to the surprising sound, and he looks around frantically, afraid that other players might be present.

"Who is that?!" The minotaur calls out. "I hear rustling! Show yourself!"

...he is distracted..I must escape from him...rrgh...f**k this s**t for now...

Gattsu: HP 9/100

Minotaur: HP 17/34

ID: 68180

BD: 10

MD: 7

Escaped from battle!

Edited September 19, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

"Coward! Don't you dare run away, human! The curtain isn't brought down on the stage yet!"

The minotaur roars as he gives chase, slashing his axe wildly as he chops down trees in one strike. One of his strikes actually scratched my armor, and I would have died there if I haven't keep running. I end up running in random directions among the thick fog, and my pace is getting faster until I am sure that I lost him.

From a distance, I could hear the minotaur wailing as he calls out to me. "I will find you, I promise! The next time we meet, I will make sure you are properly decapitated, human!"

I do not know how long I run further into the forest, but I know that I am extremely exhausted and my legs burn from my excessive sprinting. I fall onto the ground catching heavy breaths as I am very relieved that I escape from death.

...I think I will stay put for now...it's too risky to wander around or get back in the fight...there are two more minotaurs that I haven't encounter yet, so it doesn't help calming my situation...

[Gattsu 0]

I lean against a tree, regretting the fact that I did not buy any potions or other enhancements that would help me in a situation like this. For several seconds apart, I look around just to see if that minotaur is nearby, but so far I neither hear his voice nor his heavy footsteps. 

That battle, so far, was something completely unexpected in my days in Aincrad. I don't know how the minotaur suddenly gains more power to dominate me, and surely it is not because of his body, which isn't as thick as the scales of the lizardmen in the first floor. 

..I think it is appropriate to blame my own stupidity of engaging an enemy without thinking first...if I ignore him and move on to other minotaurs, I would have saved my HP and my hassle altogether. I do hope that the other two have lower HPs than the first....rrgh...my body still hurts...

[Gattsu 0]

I remember overhearing a conversation among a group of girls in the Starting City. They said that to go solo in advanced floors is a suicidal act, for the monsters are stronger and these floors will be harder to survive on the outside, settlements are practically the only safe spots in the floors...or at least that was what I heard. I could tell that those girls are high level players, because they were discussing about their various encounters with bizarre and powerful enemies such as undead skeletons, alligators, and even dragons. 

An interesting part of the conversation that I manage to caught on was the fact that Floor 17 is a very unique landscape for having prominent Greek themes serving as the layouts of the floor itself. Hearing the descriptions of the enemies of Floor 17 makes me shudder secretly for some reason. Armored, presumably undead soldiers, lionesses, and even chimeras...I wonder how one is able to survive by facing these terrible monstrosities. Is being strong enough to face them? What about equipment, and the large amount of potions in one's inventory?

..regardless...as I think of the girls' topics regarding the dangerous floors...I realize that they could serve as a potential lesson to work hard on becoming as strong as possible, and not to be reckless as a new Dark Souls player would do so in the areas of Undead Burg...

[Gattsu 0]

Gotz Von Berlichingen was one of the notable medieval mercenaries that I enjoy reading about. He was raised as a page and squire as a lad, and at the same time he saw his first conflict somewhere at the age of 10...or more than that. He was lucky to survive the conflict between the Swiss and Imperial armies, but it was too bad that he witnessed the death of some of his comrades, who tried to loot in the burning tower that collapsed onto them shorty after.

Later in his adult years, he became a mercenary and fought many battles, but during one of the sieges in the city of Landshut, he lost his right arm as enemy cannon fire forced his sword against him. He wore two iron prosthetic arms, the second being more notable as it was ahead of that time and looked more advanced. Despite his injury, he continued his military services, until he was later imprisoned due to a raiding against some Nuremberg merchants. He was freed with a fine, but then imprisoned again for capturing Philip IV during a raid in Wesse. 

And then the German Peasants War happened. That particular war was very different from any other medieval warfare, for it was the peasants who declared war on the opposing sides. However, many of them not only lacked military experience, but they were only equipped with rudimentary tools as weapons and don no armor. In combat, most of them would flee if things turn to s**t, and they were usually massacred right away.

Gotz was forced by the rebels to join them in opposing prince-bishops of the Holy Roman Empire (medieval Germany). The truth was, he never wanted to join their cause, and he only did so in an effort to curb the excesses of the rebellion. He later somehow deserted the rebellion and sit out of the rest of the war. At this point, he served under several more employers until his retirement. He died on 23 July 1562 in Hornberg Castle.

[Gattsu 0]

Anyway...I think my body is doing well so far, but I am still a little weak from getting up. Sleeping here might be a bad idea, as I am afraid that I might be caught off-guard by that minotaur. The forest is still silent as ever, and strangely it offers some peace to my mental health. I really hope my wounds heal at a quicker pace, because I do not wish to waste more time in getting stuck in the middle of this goddamn area. 

I wish I have more pleasant things to think about for the sake of entertaining myself. The constant regret of not having healing items is still ongoing, and I try my best to scrap it away, but to no avail. As I am about to close my eyes, perhaps for a short nap, I hear heavy footsteps. 

Immediately, my instincts warn me of the minotaur's presence, and I quickly lie still against the tree, hoping that he will never find me among the thick fog. As an extra measure, I put my hand over my mouth and nostrils to muffle the sound of my breathing.

The footsteps are present for quite a short time before it completely disappears. Sweat is already pouring at my head, for I wish to safe my own life before facing him once again. After looking around to make sure that the minotaur is gone, I stand up and make a dash from my position. I need a new place to rest. 

[Gattsu 0]

I make the mistake of looking backwards to ensure that nothing is following me. The moment I turn my head forward, I bump against something and try my best to avoid losing my balance. I look ahead to see what I have bumped against, and to my horror, it is another minotaur, but not the same as the first.

This minotaur wears nothing but some sort of underpants, and he isn't armed with a weapon. He has powerful looking fists and his horns are more curved than my previous foe. He snarls angrily as he sets his eyes towards me.

"You must be the human my friend was referring to," he speaks. "To run away from him during a battle, what a disgrace! At least die like a proper man!"

With those words, he sends his fist flying towards the side of my head. Instantly I hold up my sword to slash away his incoming attack.

Gattsu: HP 27/100

Minotaur: HP 13/13

ID: 68205

BD: 4

MD: 4

Edited September 20, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

My sword could only deflect the attack with its hilt, thus not dealing any damage to the minotaur. The minotaur snarls some more as I step back, gripping my weapon tight as I feel the need to cut his head off and impale it upon a stake. 

The minotaur gets on all fours as he prepares to charge like a bull.  He must have used his horns as his main weapon then...that would still be dangerous, as the closest weapon that can be compared to the horns is probably a mace, or a warhammer. Or even worse, a pike if the tip deals damage with its target through a full charge. 

This isn't good...because the space between ourselves and the trees are almost narrow, and it would be hard to sidestep unless I am really quick enough to get behind one of the trees as he comes closer. 

Not wasting any more time, the minotaur leaps forward a little and rushes towards me, making a loud noise reminiscent of an angry bull.

Gattsu: HP 0/100

Minotaur; HP 13/13

ID: 68208

BD: 9

MD: 7

Edited September 20, 2016 by Gattsu

[Gattsu 0]

Spoiler

The strength of the minotaur's horns is far stronger than Gattsu initially thought. Rather than stopping after hitting him, the bull man keeps charging against the player until he rams him against a tree. The minotaur tears off Gattsu's arms and uses them as weapons to beat him to death. As the minotaur notices Gattsu's rapid loss of blood, he grabs his head and crushes his skull with his bare hands, killing him instantly. 

The minotaur grins as he accomplishes his task, he couldn't wait to tell his friend that the pest is already exterminated. He drags the dead player's body back to his home, intending to use his flesh as part of their meals for an upcoming feast.

"Look what I got," says the minotaur as he tosses Gattsu's corpse to the ground at their home.

"Holy s**t...you did it...huh. Well then, what are you waiting for? Cut him up already."