[F04 - PP] <<The Essence of Steel>>

[Bahr 0]

Spoiler

• LEVEL: 33
• HP: 680 / ENERGY: 66
• EVA: 3 / MIT: 48 / ACC: 3 / DMG: 15
  
  HOME BUFFS
  » RESTED
       ➥ -1 EN FOR THE FIRST TWO TURNS OF COMBAT
  » RELAXED
       ➥ +10 TO OUT OF COMBAT HP REGENERATION
       ➥ FULL ENERGY REGENERATION AFTER TWO POSTS OUT OF COMBAT
•  
• SKILLS
• EXTRA SKILLS
  » DISGUISE
       ➥ FREE ACTION
       ➥ +1 EVA UNTIL START OF YOUR NEXT TURN
            ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
  
  WEAPON SKILLS
  » TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD R5
       ➥ +7 DMG WHEN TWO-HANDED WEAPON IS EQUIPPED
  
  ARMOR SKILLS
  » LIGHT ARMOR R3
       ➥ +12 MIT 
  
  MODS
  » LIGHT ARMOR MOD: ATHLETICS
       ➥ +1 DMG
       ➥ +20 HP
  
  SWORD ARTS
  » [X2 AOE] BLAST
       ➥ 2 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X2] STRAIGHT
       ➥ 2 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X3] SCOOPED
       ➥ 3 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X4 STUN] LIGHTNING
       ➥ 7 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X4] CYCLONE
       ➥ 4 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X5] BACK RUSH
       ➥ 5 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X6 STUN] FIGHT BLADE
       ➥ 9 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X7] ASTRAL HELL
       ➥ 7 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X8 AOE STUN] TEMPEST
       ➥ 8 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X12] CALAMITOUS TRAGEDY
       ➥ 12 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X13] GALAXY DESTROYER
       ➥ 13 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
  » [X12 AOE] CALAMITY DISASTER
       ➥ 13 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE

INVENTORY
ARMOR
» [EQUIPPED] "COAT OF THE BLOODEDGE" - LIGHT ARMOR (T1 - PERFECT)
     ➥ +3 EVA
» [EQUIPPED] "HERO'S HAKAMA" - LIGHT ARMOR (T2 - PERFECT)
     ➥ +36 MIT
     ➥ RECOVERY 1

WEAPONS
» [EQUIPPED] "SCARECROW'S SICKLE" - TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD (T2 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +6 DMG
     ➥ BLEED

FAMILIAR
» [EQUIPPED] SWINE BAJESUS R3
     ➥ +3 ACC

BATTLE READY ITEMS
» T1 POTION OF UNCOMMON QUALITY (3)
     ➥ HEALS 40 HP
» T1 THE WORLD'S MOST ELUSIVE HOT DOG (1)
     ➥ +2 EVA

It had been quite some time since Bahr had visited the fourth floor, and as soon as he stepped off from the teleport module he immediately remembered why. Frosty gases articulated by the Cardinal System nipped at his nose and permeated his thin clothing, setting his teeth on edge. With a rub of his arms and a chattering of his teeth, he meandered through town listlessly in search of an old companion by the name of Conciliator. For the past couple years, she and Bahr had developed a bit of a rapport with one another, sharing rumors and secrets between hushed tones and knowingly glances. For whatever reason, she had sent him a message out of the blue after months without so much as a peep. "Meet me in Snowfrost," it had read, "you've gotta check this out."

At long last, he spotted her. She was awkwardly hanging out in a dimly lit alleyway, as usual, her slender frame pressed against the frosted wall of what appeared to be a cafe of some sort. A forest green cloak hid the entirety of her features from view, save for the few tufts of scarlet hair that cascaded past the hood. "You know, it would probably be a lot more comfortable if we met in the cafe, don't you think?" he spat shakily, puffs of condensation leaking from his mouth as he stepped forward into the alley with her. He could swear that the temperature dropped another ten degrees just from the lack of sunlight.

"And miss seein' you freeze your ass off? As if!" she chortled back, kicking off from the wall and regarding Bahr with a grin and a snicker. She allowed her hood to fall, revealing a full head of rose-colored hair and crimson eyes to match. She had a perpetually smug grin plastered across her face, somewhat of her own trademark at this point. Bahr's eyes narrowed as he took it all in, suddenly reminded that part of the reason he hadn't talked to her in so long was because of how annoying he found her.

Still, she always had good info. Whatever was so important that she had lured him to this godforsaken tundra was undoubtedly worth it. "Alright, out with it already," he relented with a sigh, doing his best to prevent his molars from knocking together. "As much as I'm sure you'd like to draw this out and watch me suffer, I will walk away if you keep me waiting too long."

"Aw fine, you big crybaby. Check it out," coaxed Conciliator, gesturing for Bahr to walk forward as she populated a panel in front of her. As Bahr approached, he could make out a strange item that appeared to be a lump of some sort of dense metal, wisps of cold air wafting from it's frigid surface. "This right here is what we call the Essence of Steel. Turns out you can upgrade the quality of your gear with it. Pretty cool, right?" she beamed, dismissing the window shortly after delivering her declaration.

"You seriously need to learn when to send your info through a message and when to meet someone in person," sighed Bahr, leaning away and dramatically tipping his head back, a plume of condensed moisture billowing from between his lips. 

"Hey! This is top of the line info right here! I couldn't risk somethin' like this gettin' intercepted!" she retorted hastily, puffing her cheeks. She abruptly switched gears to a more wry demeanor, leaning in toward the Crimson Marauder and exhaling, "Besides." Bahr craned his head downward only to be graced by Conciliator's outstretched palm, all four fingers pressed side-by-side as she waved them back toward her body, palm affixed in place. "Wouldn't be as easy to extort you for col, would it?" she inquired coyly, wriggling a brow. With a grumble, he slapped some col into her hand, and within seconds she had opened the panel once more and sent the information off to Bahr. "Pleasure doin' business with ya, as always Bahrrie-poo," she quipped, blowing him a faux kiss with a wink.

"Yeah, sure. See you again in another few months, I guess."

@Genji

Edited August 18, 2019 by Bahr

[Genji 0]

 

Level: 11

Health: 220/220

Energy: 20/20

EVA: 3 / MIT: 12 / ACC: - / DMG: 5

Rank 1

• [x1 Stun] Fell Crescent (4 Energy) - The user charges at a high speed at the opponent and makes one strong uppercut, stunning the opponent.
• [x2] Rage Blow (2 Energy) - The user makes one heavy blow, cleaving into the opponents chest.

Skills:

Weapon: 1h Curved Sword Rank 1: +1 DMG when equipped with corresponding weapon type.

Armor: Light Armor Rank 2: +12 MIT when equipped with corresponding armor type.

Inventory:

Armor: [Equipped] Arcane Duster (t1 Perfect): +3 EVA

Weapon: [Equipped] Sanguine Scimitar (t1 Perfect): +3 DMG

Battle Ready Items:

t1 Standard Healing Potion ×5 (Heals 50 × tier HP) [/spoiler]

He bowed deep as they parted ways at the teleporter in Snowfrost town square. "My apologies, Corbin-san," he said of the other man as he raised his head. "We weren't able to find what you were looking for today. Don't worry about payment, this time. I'll see what I can find out before tomorrow."

"That's too kind of you, Genji, but you should at least take something for your efforts." Corbin insisted. The silver haired youth waved a dismissive hand. "No, no," he replied evenly. "At that rate, you'd be better off seeking out an information broker. We heard what we did through the grapevine; if it really is out here, someone is bound to know where to find it. I'll keep asking around until someone at least has a vague idea where to start."

"Always trying to help, even when you're low on cash. You know you have to eat, right?" Genji had to laugh at that.

"Easy enough to scrounge up Col around here if I'm so desperate. Besides, your friends will get worried if you don't head back soon. Let me worry about things here on the fourth floor."

It had been several long months since Lessa had disbanded the guild, and everyone had gone their separate ways. Some of them still tried to help out wherever they could, while others had taken to joining guilds hellbent on reaching the frontlines. Most of them had fallen grievously out of contact. He hadn't heard from some of the first people he had met here in Aincrad for a good, long time.

But he met new people every day, and he took his experience to ensure none of them made the mistakes he had when he first started. In time, he had learned the ins and outs of several floors by himself, and he knew safe spots to grind and farm for materials and col. He utilized that knowledge to help people bridge the gap between floors, and to grow on their way to the top.

He was still uncertain that he would ever get there himself.

"An item that enhances the quality of other items," he mused as he turned to glance at the howling winds beyond the walls of Snowfrost town. "If such a thing does exist, where would I even start out there in the blizzard?"

@Bahr

Edited August 18, 2019 by Genji

[Bahr 0]

Bahr's eyes squinted as he inspected the information Conciliator had sent over. "Find a skull in the woods that stands four feet tall. When struck with one of the bones lying around the area, the beast will awaken. Slay it, and you will be awarded the Essence of Steel." "Great. No location, not even a general area. Three quarters of this floor are the woods. I could be searching for days..." he mused, dismissing the panel and looking around. His eyes fell upon a young man, twenty years old at the absolute latest, finishing up what appeared to be a business meeting of sorts with someone else who departed shortly thereafter. What particularly caught Bahr's eye was the ivory hair the youth sported, matching his own. It was an unusual sight in Aincrad. A businessman on the fourth floor probably knew his way around, and perhaps even be able to lead Bahr directly to the skull.

"Hey, kid!" he called out as he approached, offering the young man a wave. "You look like you're a bit more acquainted with the area than I am." As though that wasn't already obvious from Bahr's quivering frame, bracing himself dramatically against each gust of wind that rolled through the area. "I'm looking for something - a large skull somewhere out in the forest. Rumors say it stands about four feet tall. I don't suppose you've seen anything like that?"

[Genji 0]

Genji was deep within his thoughts by the time this newcomer addressed him, and so when he glanced up to see the waving player, he blinked several times. Kid? he tilted his head skeptically as the translator detected a foreign language and instantly processed it into his native tongue. Another interesting person from another country, it seemed.

The words filled his thoughts with interest. A rumor about a skull... 

He had spent hours in the frigid tundra and the icy forests to find any possible secrets. There may have been a skull, now that he was thinking about all the things he had seen. Somewhere out there, where the sunlight couldn't reach.

"Things like that don't exactly stay well hidden for long," he nodded. "I think I know the area you're looking for. It's a bit of a walk from here, and cold if you're not prepared for the trip."

Genjia pulled up his inventory and toggled a scarf, nothing to add any significant bonuses to his stats, but something to fight off the elements. "If you like, I would be glad to show you the way."

@Bahr

[Bahr 0]

Though Bahr struggled to prevent his teeth from chattering against one another, he still offered the youth a shaky thumbs up, condensed air seething from between his teeth as he put up the front of a goofy grin. With that, it appeared that the pair was on their way, nothing but the biting cold and possible miles of frozen terrain standing between them and their target. 

As they meandered through the icy wastes, the blizzard's teeth really started to sink into Bahr, the shaking becoming impossible subdue and audible between his labored breaths. He turned toward his new companion as they trudged through the thick and ever-growing sheet of snow that had blanketed the forest, mentally grasping for anything that could distract him from the algidity-inducing hell he found himself in. 

"So, out of all the places to h-hang out, w-why choose the fourth floor?" It was a weak conversation starter, but even idle chatter would do at this point. Bahr pushed to the back of his mind the reality that he had grown up in conditions far cooler than this in the real world. There was just something about this virtual weather that made it infinitely more unbearable.

[Genji 0]

He tied the scarf off securely so that it covered his nose and ears, letting the short and long tails leftover once he was finished flap about in the wind. It was hardly a thick, protective layer of clothing, but it did good to keep the chill from getting in his lungs. He had long since learned how winter crept into the body and left a lasting impression.

Winters like this were rare in his section of Japan, but the Fourth floor was everything he wished for as a child, pining after weather he would never see in the living, breathing world. In this reality, he could be whatever he wanted, and on some level of Aincrad, he could be wherever he wanted. At some base level, there was a projection in his efforts. But that wasn't what he told people.

"I've been whittling away at this floor for several days," he admitted to Bahr as they soldiered through the blistery gale. It was nastier than normal, but Genji attributed that to this being his second trip out for the day. Normally, he would have been in the inn by now, warming his bones next to an open flame.

"Not exactly sure if what I'm looking for is real or not, but I've got a few people trying to chase after some rumors. They're stingy with money, don't want to pay the brokers- but they're not making a great deal of progress."

He turned toward the forested area to the Northwest and trudged a few feet through the knee-high drift. "Just this way," he told the other player, pointing with the tsuka of his katana. "Shouldn't be too deep in, either. From what I can recall, nothing especially interesting about the skull, but you might have better luck than I do."

@Bahr

[Bahr 0]

"I see. A rare item on the Fourth Floor?" he mused quietly. Could it be that the young man was referring to the Essence of Steel? Bahr decided that it would be best to stay tight-lipped about it for now, lest the youth decide to make off with the information and leave Bahr stranded in the blizzard with no realistic hope of coming across the skull. Being that the realm they were in was virtual, Bahr could potentially suffer through an eternity lost in the wasteland without his HP depleting. Not even the sweet release of death could save him from the torment of being abandoned out here.

No. He would need to keep it a secret for now.

He followed along being the young man. Wait, what his name? Had Bahr even gotten it? "Say, I don't think I ever caught your name. I'm Bahr. There's a possibility you've heard of me," he declared proudly, his ego leaking out between the cracks of his otherwise shaky and uncomfortable demeanor. "And you are?"

 

[Genji 0]

"Uh," Genji permitted an awkward laugh to escape at the thought he might have heard of the other man, "すみません," he shook his head slightly, speaking his native language before blinking rapidly and correcting himself. "Erm, excuse me, I mean," the silver haired youth shook his head, "no, I'm sorry, I had never heard of you. But I have now. It is good to meet you, Bahr. My name is Genji."

He continued to lead the man through the path, designated more by the map than anything he could see ahead of him. It was obvious he had navigated the area thoroughly, and very likely more than a few times. "After a while, it's just a memory game," he commented. "Knowing which turn it take comes down to the quest you want to do, and I imagine when these were the frontlines, it was a lot more dangerous than it is these days."

He gestured as they entered a copse of trees and the massive skull stood at just about the self-proclaimed Samurai's shoulder height. "Here we are," he gestured toward the place he had agreed to show Bahr. "This is what you're looking for, right? The path back isn't too hard to remember, but I'd be glad to show you once your business is done."

 

@Bahr

Edited August 22, 2019 by Genji

[Bahr 0]

Bahr squinted as he attempted to decipher that the man had said. Sumimasen? The hell was that supposed to mean? His eyes flickered toward the edge of his HUD, where the language filter indicated it had picked up on Japanese speech. Suddenly, everything clicked. "Genji, huh? You'd be the first person I've met with a name like that. You know, I've actually found it strange how few Japanese players I've come across in SAO. You'd think it would be more common, y'know, given the game's origin and all."

Through the dense foliage, the visage of a gargantuan skull slowly came into view. "Damn, just look at the size of it!" Bahr exclaimed he ran forward, his stiff joints creaking in protest against every step. In his frenetic fervor, he had neglected to test the ground beneath his boots as he scampered along. One caught a tree root that had been hidden beneath the thick sheet of frozen precipitation, and before he knew it he was eating the snow, both legs scorpioned over the rest of his body in an almost cartoonish fashion. Muffled exclamations could be heard through the insulation of the fluffy white material, but discerning their meaning was an exercise in futility.

He placed both hands firmly against the snow and pushed, one of them slipping on another hidden root and sending him further into the snowbank. After some interesting maneuvering, he managed to pluck himself from the ivory pillow and shake his head, particles and clumps of snow cascading from his hair and visage as his teeth chattered loudly. "I hate this [censored] floor, let's get this over with."

As he stood, he looked back over his shoulder and regarded the silver-haired youth once more, snow still clinging to his brows. "You sure you want to stick around? This thing packs a wallop. Couple hits and you're probably toast. No judgement if you decide to stay, I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting yourself into."

Edited August 22, 2019 by Bahr

[Genji 0]

Genji crouched next to the other player with his arms folded neatly across his thighs. "I'm frankly surprised so many people outside of Japan were able to get copies of the game, but I suppose when there's enough money involved, anything is possible." He never thought much about how the world worked, honestly, before he had become trapped. It had only made him more cynical.

As @Bahr picked himself up quickly and dusted off the remnant snow, Genji slowly rose and stretched his arms behind his head. The man seemed to have found his prize, whatever that prize was. Maybe they both came in knowing something the other hadn't. That would have been worth a chuckle.

"It's quite pretty, honestly, I think," he murmured in response to the exasperated assertion of his acquaintance. "But I'm not used to these sorts of weather patterns. I may just be envious."

When the other man started getting serious, he peeled the Scimitar from his belt and readied it. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of leaving before I finish what I start. It's important to always follow through, you know." He fell low into a stance, bent at the knees, with the curved sword held outward behind him. 

Of course, he'd let the other man confirm he was ready, first. "Let me know when to start."

[Bahr 0]

"Alright, if you insist. Don't say I didn't warn you," he jested as he approached the skull, crouching in front of it. After a bit of digging, Bahr pulled a stray bone out of the snowbank, giving it a pat and a shake to loosen up and remove any snow that had clung to its icy surface. He gave it a quick look over before reeling it back over his head and smacking it down against the massive skull's overgrown forehead. 

Gong!~

The sound emanated from the ajar jaw of the bony visage like a bad omen, bouncing off of the trees within its vicinity and permeating outward into the surrounding woods. A flash of azure sparked to life within the eye sockets of the creature and flickered away just as quickly, before a blue glow slowly bloomed into existence within them once more. The jaw of the skull began to stutter before the entire thing was lifted off of the ground by some unseen force, along with the surrounding pile of bones that littered the area. Powered snow cascaded from the skeletal remains as they whirled about, their seemingly listless movements eventually culminating in a full-blown structure of sinister magnitude. It crashed back down to the ground, the resulting shockwave blasting Bahr back and smacking him forcefully into one of the pines. A cursory glance revealed that he had lost a little bit of his health in the process, but nothing to be particularly worried about.

"Oof, he's a big one alright. You wanna take the first swing?" he inquired, giving Genji and somewhat pleading glance. "I'm gonna need a second or two to catch my breath."
 

Spoiler

Encounter: Frost Beast
HP: 250 | DMG: 160
[Partial Phase]: <<Frost Beast>>'s attacks always deal a minimum of 24 DMG instead of a minimum of 1 DMG when calculating Mitigation.

Spoiler

Genji: HP: 220/220 | EN: 22/22 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 12 | EVA: 3 
Bahr: HP: 680-113=567/680 | EN: 66/66 | DMG: 15 | MIT: 48 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3

Bahr used [x0] No Action, -0 EN 

Frost Beast: HP: 250/250 | DMG: 160 | ID: 122618 | BD: x | MD: 9, Crit for 161-48=113 DMG

 

[Genji 0]

It creaked before anything else.

The bone rattled as the snow-covered floor quivered beneath the weight of a waking Titan. Genji watched as the jaw of the beast came unhinged and dropped open, and two frigid orbs swept across the two men. He watched as starch-white flesh and uncovered bone scraped up tundra and fresh powder in its effort to tower over them. He chewed on his lower lip in anticipation as it let out a half moan, half roar.

"Wight," the silver-haired boy muttered as the beast stopped at its full height to glower down at its prey. "Not at all what I was expecting, but-"

It seemed disinterested in what he had to say, and since he was the closest of the two of them, it deigned to send its ire in his way first. He was lucky enough to see the hint- a lurching movement, sweeping from left to right in an attempt to send him sprawling to the ground.

Genji threw himself out of the way in abject surprise as the attack came, more powerful and vicious than he had expected. He hit the snow face first and slid, losing any opportunity he might otherwise have had to launch a counterattack.

But, he was alive. That was what mattered- because he doubted that the thing was going to show him any kind of mercy.

"I think it has its own ideas on who's going to swing first," Genji jested.

@Bahr

 

ID# 122619 results:

Battle: 3 Craft: 6 Loot: 3 MOB: 2

Genji: HP: 220/220 | EN: 22/22 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 12 | EVA: 3 
Bahr: HP: 680-113=567/680 | EN: 66/66 | DMG: 15 | MIT: 48 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3

Bahr used [x1] Normal Attack, -2 SP

Frost Beast: HP: 250/250 | DMG: 160

 

Edited August 25, 2019 by Genji

[Bahr 0]

Bahr chuckled as he approached the youth and wrapped his finger's our his bicep, hoisting him up to his feet. He kept a firm hand on the kid's arm as he leapt back, hauling the boy with him as they narrowly avoided the next stomp the Frost Beast issued. Once they were in the clear, he released the arm, giving Genji a glance out of the corner of his eye. "Feisty sucker, isn't he? He looks pretty badass, but his stats aren't actually anything to write home about if my intel is correct. Let's test it out."

As Bahr finished the sentence, a crimson aura surged through his hilt and into his blade, illuminating the pair and the surrounding snow with a scarlet hue. He dashed forward and readied his sword for the attack- but it was a feint, goading yet another stomp out of their adversary. He jumped back moments before the skeletal foot came crashing down, jumping forward and landing on the creature's knee. One of his boots slipped out from underneath him, but fortunately he had the presence of mind to kick off from the bone he had landed on and toward the creatures hideous face. 

It shrieked at him as he neared, but the noise was promptly interrupted when Bahr's blade came from below in an uppercut motion, connecting with the skull's chin and harshly jamming the jaw up into the monster's face. Muffled moans could be made out coming from the gargantuan heap of ivory material as Bahr gingerly landed on the forest floor below, but its jaw was now stuck shut. Hopefully that could keep the noise down for awhile.

"Yeah, about what I was expecting," Bahr mused as he meandered back toward Genji, tagging him in with a slap on the shoulder. "Your turn!" he boomed as he pushed the man forward with a grin, the angry and thrashing Frost Beast bearing two angry blue orbs down upon the pair from above.
 

Spoiler

[H: 0] Genji: HP: 220/220 | EN: 20/22 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 12 | EVA: 3 
[H: 1] Bahr: HP: 567/680 | EN: 66/66 | DMG: 15 | MIT: 48 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3

Bahr used [x13] Galaxy Destroyer, -13 EN 

Frost Beast: HP: 250-195=55/250 | DMG: 160 | ID: 122626 | BD: 7+3=10, Hit for 15x13=195 | MD: 6-3=3, Miss

 

[Bahr 0]

It became pretty clear very quickly that Genji didn't really plan on doing anything. Either he hadn't heard Bahr, or he had simply ignored him, simply gawking up at the creature with an awestruck expression. Behavior like this was the sort of thing that got men killed in Aincrad. Where was the boy's hustle?

No matter. Bahr was quick on the draw, pouring his energy into his blade once more. It began to hum and emanate a scarlet hue in response, the signature Sword Art whistle ringing through the air as he drew upon the beast and slashed at one of its gargantuan ankles. The attack ended up cleaving the appendage clean off, and by the time the pile of bones had crashed to the ground the light had left the mob's eye sockets. Moments later, a loot panel populated which displayed the 'Essence of Steel,' the exact artifact that Bahr had been after since the beginning. 
 

Spoiler

[H: 0] Genji: HP: 220/220 | EN: 20/22 | DMG: 5 | MIT: 12 | EVA: 3 
[H: 1] Bahr: HP: 567/680 | EN: 66/66 | DMG: 15 | MIT: 48 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3

Bahr used [x13] Galaxy Destroyer, -13 EN 

Frost Beast: HP: 55-195=0/250 | DMG: 160 | ID: 124461 | BD: 6+3=9, Hit for 15x13=195 | Frost Beast defeated

 

[Bahr 0]

He dismissed the panel and cast a glance back over his shoulder toward Genji, giving the boy a somewhat concerned look. "I'm not really sure what happened there, but you should know better than to stop in the middle of a fight like that. Could have put either of us in danger doing that," he gibed gently, approaching the youth and placing a hand on his shoulder. "My work here is done, and I don't really have a reason to stick around anymore. The fight heated me up a bit, so with any luck I'll be able to make it back without any trouble. I appreciate your help, and you can follow me back if you want to, but don't feel pressured. Take all the time you need."

With that, he concluded his brief monologue with a pat on the kid's shoulder before walking past him, back the direction they had come. He had the general wherewithal to make his way back, but the prints in the snow that they had left on the way there served as a guideline of sorts.

[Bahr 0]

That didn't mean it wasn't still a long trip, though. Before long the comfort of the heat he had generated in the abttle began to leave him, and he was back to shivering once more. To make matters worse, the sun was starting to set and shadows were now descending upon the frigid landscape of the fourth floor. Standing in a shadow in these parts could lower the temperature as dramatically as fifteen to twenty degrees (Fahrenheit, of course), so the fact that almost everything was a shadow at this point made things a tad more... uncomfortable.

On occasion, he would look behind himself to check and see if Genji was following him back. So far, he hadn't caught sight of the boy since his departure from the battlefield. He hoped the kid was alright. Seeing a mob that large would be enough to scare the shorts off of any new player, but Bahr didn't think he had ever seen it affect someone as much as him. Had it been a good idea to leave the youth alone in the forest like that, especially with the sun setting?

[Bahr 0]

Oh well. Too late to change his mind now. The kid was savvy enough with the floor that he shouldn't have any trouble making his way back. Hell, Bahr even half expected that Genji had already made his way back to town, using some sort of traveling shortcut or loophole that managed to take him further than Bahr, and faster. Perhaps, for that reason alone, it would have been a good idea to stick with the boy. But having gotten everything that he had come for, he had no desire to stand out in the cold when the sunset was on the horizon, waiting for a boy to recover from the mental anguish that he apparently found himself in. Or was that a failure in the way that Bahr had perceived things? It was equally possible that the kid was just lagging, and that had been the reason he had frozen up like that. He didn't really seem to react when Bahr was talking to him after the fact, either.

[Bahr 0]

All of that was behind him now, though. Town was now in his line of sight, the light that emanated from within its walls projecting itself against the roiling clouds above, which the refracted back down to the landscape, then back up again upon reaching the snow and reflecting off of its crystalline structure. To people who weren't from a cold environment like Bahr, it would really seem like a spectacle of immaculate beauty. But for someone who grew up in the midwest, it was just another winter day. Nothing special to see here.

When he finally made his way into town, he immediately headed over to a bar that he frequented there - The White Rabbit Tavern. He had gone there countless times to grab a cup of coffee and warm up after a day of exploring on the fourth floor, but had been missing it as of late. Not much business on the fourth floor, after all. Not for someone like Bahr, anyway. He would only come to a place so frigid and miserable if he absolutely had to. At all other times, he would stay away at all costs.

[Bahr 0]

When he opened the door and made his way into the tavern, a gust of cold gushed into the structure behind him. The patrons seemed uncaring about his entrance, if not slightly perturbed by the invasive cold that he brought along with him. As the door closed behind him, he was graced by a blanket of warm air that immediately surrounded his entire body and began to thaw him out. Just another reason he loved this place. Homely, warm, great coffee. He would have to start coming here more often.

He sat at the Bahr and motioned toward the NPC that ran the joint, and the NPC graciously nodded in understanding before retrieving a cup of coffee for bahr and placing it in front of him. Straight coffee with a hint of creamer, no sugar. Just the way Bahr liked it.

He found his thoughts again returning to Genji, and whether or not the boy had managed to make it out of that forest alive. Surely he had. He was more adept at navigating this floor than Bahr himself was.

[Bahr 0]

That wouldn't stop Bahr from worrying, to a certain extent. He suddenly felt awash with guilt for just abandoning the kid like that, especially after he had helped Bahr discover the location of the Frost Beast. It seemed unappreciative to just leave him behind like that. Hopefully he understood.

In the end, though, it wasn't Bahr's problem. He ruminated on this as he took a thoughtful sip of his coffee, letting the soothing liquid heat his body from the inside out as it rolled down the back of his throat. Anyone who was going to lock up in a battle like that had problems that ran far deeper than someone like Bahr leaving them behind. Besides, they had only known each other for a couple of hours. It wasn't like Bahr owed him anything.

No, in the end, he had made the right call. It wasn't worth worrying about someone like that. He would be fine, and Bahr hadn't done anything wrong by continuing on without him. Hopefully if and when they met again in the future, the could share a laugh about it over coffee or something.