[EVENT - F01] They Like You For Your Brains, Not Your Body

[Bahr 0]

As he took a seat against the nearby cannon - wait, there was a cannon? How had Bahr not noticed this until now? Had it just been sitting there the whole time, waiting for him to use it? He couldn't believe that he had allowed an opportunity like this to go to waste. Anyways, as he took a seat against the cannon, he looked out over the tent and observed the various battles that were taking place. He saw players of every level. Some were noobs, others were intermediate like Bahr, and there were even a few pros mixed in there. Which was strange. Did this mean that the Zombies didn't have a set level, and instead had a power relative to whoever was fighting them at the time? What a bizarre setup.

Though, it made sense. Cardinal was many things, but it was ultimately fair. Bahr couldn't think of any reason that the master system would be unfair to players of a lower level, allowing them the opportunity to participate in the event the same as anyone else. If they were brave enough, that is.

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 690+30=720/840 | EN: 3+1=4/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 52

 

[Bahr 0]

Bahr's mind trailed off to two particular noobs that he had encountered as of late; Dederick and Jackpot. He had given each of them a few things to get their journey into Aincrad started off right. He had always remembered that, during his earlier days, he had wished that there was someone there to help guide him through the beginning. Macradon had given him the sword that he currently used, but he had had to advance all the way into the second tier to get it. He had trudged through the entirety of the first tier with nothing but a rare weapon with normal enhancements. Nowadays, he wouldn't be capable of tolerating something like that. He would need a perfect weapon once he graduated into the next tier, at the very least.

He wondered if they were down there, fighting to their hearts content. Did they even like fighting? Bahr didn't know. 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 720+30=750/840 | EN: 82/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 52

 

[Bahr 0]

Another batch of Zombies. Right on cue. Bahr ditched his thoughts about the noobs and turned his attention to the horde. While he was still far from completely cooled off, he had his wits about him far more now than he had had before. I small rest had done him a lot of good. "Come to die, huh? Or did you come to die again? Let's find out together, shall we?"

A flicker of a moment later and he was in front of the grouping, his sword charged up and ready. As it sliced through the air, the signature Sword Art whistle sounded out, filling the air with a whine that anyone who was accustomed to combat was familiar with. It chopped its way into three out of the four Zombies that stood before him, and a tinge of disappointment filled his visage. He couldn't say that he was surprised, though. This just seemed to be the new normal for him.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 750/840 | EN: 82-18=64/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 52

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

Zombie 53: HP: 200/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125469 | BD: 1, Miss | MD: 5, Miss 
Zombie 54: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125470 | BD: 8, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 5, Miss | -2 EN
Zombie 55: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125471 | BD: 5+3=8, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 3, Miss | -2 EN
Zombie 56: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125472 | BD: 5+3=8, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 3, Miss | -2 EN
-18 ENERGY TOTAL

 

[Bahr 0]

And when he swung for the second time, the same thing happened. Only this time, it was somehow worse than the first. He missed one target, managed to take out another, hit the one he had missed before but didn't even clear half of its HP, and the final Zombie used its passive ability to hang onto life with a sliver of HP remaining. Bahr silently cursed his luck as he got to dodging the attack of the one he had missed, but found that he wasn't able to move out of the way in time. Its claws raked against his torso and through his light armor, inflicting a minor amount of damage.

He definitely wasn't the fighter that he used to be. Perhaps it was time that he started accepting this. He would probably never be as fearsome as he once was on the battlefield. He had been tainted by the fear.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 750-66=684/840 | EN: 64+3-14=53/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 53
CD: 8 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x8 AoE Stun] Tempest, -8 EN

Zombie 53: HP: 200-94=106/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125473 | BD: 7, Hit for 18x8=144-50=94 DMG | STUNNED | -2 EN
Zombie 54: HP: 34-102=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125474 | BD: 9, Hit for 19x8=152-50=102 DMG | Zombie 54 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 55: HP: 34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125475 | BD: 1, Miss | MD: 9, Crit for 150-84=66 DMG 
Zombie 56: HP: 34-94=1/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125476 | BD: 7, Hit for 18x8=144-50=94 DMG | STUNNED | -2 EN
-14 ENERGY TOTAL

 

[Bahr 0]

And so he swung again, this time packing a bit more punch behind the attack. While two of the Zombies fell and disintegrated before his eyes, the one that he had missed during his previous attack - and had consequently landed a hit on Bahr - managed to avoid taking damage once more. Miraculous, from the Zombie's point of view. Bahr couldn't believe how much energy he had wasted already. He was definitely going to need to wait before engaging the next wave, regardless of whether or not they came before he was ready. He simply didn't have what it would take to actually bring down another four Zombies before running out of stamina.

Curses. What a stupid event. With stupid mobs. Bahr never wanted to see another Zombie ever again for as long as he lived after this event concluded. If it ever would. It was difficult to tell whether or not it would at this point.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 684/840 | EN: 53+6-16=40/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 55
CD: 10 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

Zombie 53: HP: 106-166=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125477 | BD: 3+3=6, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | Zombie 53 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 55: HP: 34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125478 | BD: 1, Miss | MD: 4, Miss 
Zombie 56: HP: 1-178=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125479 | BD: 9, Crit for 19x12=228-50=178 DMG | Zombie 56 defeated | -2 EN
-14 ENERGY TOTAL

 

[Bahr 0]

Bahr had had enough. He really didn't want to wait around while yet another Zombie somehow managed to evade his strikes without even trying. He didn't have the patience for it - not the waiting around, nor the fact that he continued to miss for absolutely no reason whatsoever. He had come equipped with the highest accuracy he could reasonably have. The fact that it wasn't enough to reliably hit a practically stationary target was beyond him. He felt like he was back on the fields of the first floor as a measly level one, fighting a boar that he just couldn't seem to land a hit on while it continuously landed crits on him until his HP was in the red. It wasn't that this situation was as dire as that one had been, because right now Bahr was nowhere near death. He just had the same sense of helplessness.

Luckily, the next attack that he let loose finally did the job, and the Zombie fell.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 684/840 | EN: 40+3-5=38/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 56
CD: 10 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

Zombie 55: HP: 34-40=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125480 | BD: 3+3=6, Hit for 18x5=90-50=40 DMG | Zombie 55 defeated

 

[Bahr 0]

Though, despite having absolutely every intention of avoiding combat until his energy had been allowed to recover, it seemed that he was destined to suffer. The next batch of Zombies was upon him the moment he turned around, and it took everything he had in him to dodge the onslaught of attacks that were instantly leveled at him. Completely on an act of instinct, he charged up his blade and unleashed a retaliatory strike, somehow managing to hit each and every last Zombie in the grouping without any trouble whatsoever.

Why was that? That, when he didn't put much thought into it and relied purely on instinct, he was capable of cutting down his foes without even trying. But when he tried his hardest to hit them, he often found himself missing. Was that the secret? Instinct? Had he simply been putting too much thought into it? It was a possibility.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 684/840 | EN: 38+3-20=21/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 56
CD: 8 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

Zombie 57: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125481 | BD: 6, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 6-3=3, Miss | -2 EN
Zombie 58: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125482 | BD: 4+4=8, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 3, Miss | -2 EN
Zombie 59: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125483 | BD: 3+4=7, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 3, Miss | -2 EN
Zombie 60: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125484 | BD: 5+4=9, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 7-3=4, Miss | -2 EN
-20 ENERGY TOTAL

 

[Bahr 0]

Trying his best not to think about it, he charged up his blade again. This time, he didn't even intentionally select a Sword Art - he simply allowed his instincts to act as a guide and select whatever was best for the situation. His instincts settled on Temptest, its electricity crackling through the air as it tore into the group of Zombies once more. Just as with the attack before, each and every Zombie was affected by the attack, three out of the four shattering like blue glass and dissipating into oblivion while the fourth clung to life with a sliver of HP, stunned, and fear in its eyes.

Ah, so it was another of those. One of the Zombies on its 'last life.' How pitiful. It was probably one of the Zombies that had laughed at him before. Who was laughing now? Not Bahr. Not the Zombie. Nobody. It was time to end this useless mob's putrid existence.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 684/840 | EN: 21+3-16=8/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 59
CD: 11 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x8 AoE Stun] Tempest, -8 EN

Zombie 57: HP: 34-94=1/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125485 | BD: 7, Hit for 18x8=144-50=94 DMG | STUNNED | -2 EN
Zombie 58: HP: 34-94=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125486 | BD: 7, Hit for 18x8=144-50=94 DMG | Zombie 58 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 59: HP: 34-94=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125487 | BD: 5+4=9, Hit for 18x8=144-50=94 DMG | Zombie 59 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 60: HP: 34-110=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125488 | BD: 10, Hit for 20x8=160-50=110 DMG | Zombie 60 defeated | -2 EN
-16 ENERGY TOTAL

 

[Bahr 0]

Just has he had done with a few of the Zombies before it, Bahr didn't even bother charging his sword up with a Sword Art for his next attack. Why would he, when all the thing needed was a love tap to put it down? He almost laughed as he did it, literally tapping the pommel of his sword against the Zombie's forehead and watching it disintegrate into a cascade of azure polygonal fractals. He knew that when they hung on by a sliver like that, they were fragile. But he hadn't expected them to be quite that fragile. Good to know for when it inevitably happened again, he supposed.

It looked like he was going to get a brief reprieve between waves. Which was good, because once again he had exhausted all of the energy that was available to him. His Recovery armor had served him well in that last engagement, and he was positive that things would not have gone so smoothly had it not been regenerating his energy throughout the fight.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 684/840 | EN: 8+1-1=8/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 60
CD: 3 (No extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x1] Basic Attack, -1 EN

Zombie 57: HP: 1-1=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125489 | BD: 10, Hit for 20-50=1 DMG | Zombie 57 defeated

 

[Bahr 0]

He didn't bother looking around the tent while he rested this time. What was the point? To see the same thing he had seen every time he looked around before now? It was a waste of time and energy. All he needed to do was remain at his post, keep a vigilant eye out for the next wave of Zombies, and keep to himself. As long as he did that, he had a good feeling that they could beat this event and get on with their lives. Perhaps even with a few rewards in hand after the fact.

Was that wishful thinking? Absolutely. Bahr was sure that practically everyone was thinking it at this point. That there had to be a light at the end of the tunnel. That this would eventually end. And that, when it did, they would all have something to show for it besides the blisters covering their hands and exhaustion that would follow them through the next several weeks.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 684+30=714/840 | EN: 8+1=9/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 60

 

[Bahr 0]

There had to be something to this. Some sort of reward. Something to show for all of their efforts. If there wasn't, what was all of this? What was it all for? Just another deathtrap in this game designed to weed out players? How sinister. But Bahr didn't think that that was it. Again, Cardinal was, at the very least, fair. It wouldn't put players through a gauntlet such as this without some sort of reward at the end to show for all of the effort they had put in and hell they had suffered through.

With a sigh, Bahr stood. Any minute now, another batch of Zombies would be flooding into the tent, and he would be forced to contend with them. Energy be damned. He had one job, and that was to prevent as many Zombies as physically possible from entering this tent and overwhelming the players in the pits. Come hell or high water, that was exactly what he would do.

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 714+30=744/840 | EN: 82/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 60

 

[Bahr 0]

Then the next wave came. It seemed that they were now coming in on a set interval, to the extent that Bahr was starting to accurately predict their next arrival - even without measuring the time between each influx. By pure instinct along he could tell when the next wave was coming. This was partially due to his innate sense of spawn flow he had developed over years of playing MMORPGs such as this. It was also partially due to the stench.

Yes, they certainly did stink. Especially when he sliced into them with his sword. In the brief moments before they dissipated, when the blade would tear into their rotting flesh sack torsos and reveal the contents within, a putrid gas that permeated the area would set his teeth on edge and compel him to gag. He would not physically revolt, however, as that would foolishly leave him vulnerable to attack.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 744/840 | EN: 82-20=62/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 61

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

Zombie 61: HP: 200-190-24=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125834 | BD: 10, Crit for 18x12=240-50=190 DMG | BLEED INFLICTED | BLEED INFLICTS 24 DMG | Zombie 61 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 62: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125835 | BD: 2+4=6, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 5, Miss | -2 EN
Zombie 63: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125836 | BD: 6, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 7-3=4, Miss | -2 EN
Zombie 64: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125837 | BD: 6, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 5, Miss | -2 EN
-20 ENERGY TOTAL

 

[Bahr 0]

Instead he would do what he had always done - press on no matter how rough it gets, and tolerate whatever smells or sensations he had to to get the job done. It had been a method that had worked well for Bahr leading up to this point, so why fix what's not broken? Sticking to the old methods was sometimes the ebst way forward, as ironic as that may have sounded to the casual onlooker. But to those in the know, and those who knew Bahr, it was essentially the only way he operated. Perhaps foolishly.

He laughed as he swung his blade and destroyed two of the remaining Zombies, the third somehow avoiding damage, standing there and cackling at him in a taunting manner. Well, of course it had survived. This rotation of Zombies wouldn't have been the same without that. It didn't even bother him anymore at this point - he would get it on the next attack.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 678/840 | EN: 62+1-16=47/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 63
CD: 3 (No extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

Zombie 62: HP: 34-166=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125838 | BD: 7, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | Zombie 62 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 63: HP: 34-178=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125839 | BD: 9, Hit for 18x12=228-50=178 DMG | Zombie 63 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 64: HP: 34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125840 | BD: 1, Miss | MD: 9, Crit for 150-84=66 DMG
-16 ENERGY TOTAL

 

[Bahr 0]

Bahr laughed so hard and for so long that the petulant Zombie brat actually decided that it had enough time to snake behind him and make an attempt at a sneak attack. This made Bahr laugh even harder, to the point that he didn't even try to keep up with it and allowed it to do as it wanted while he keeled over, placing each of his palms against his knees and exhaling forcefully with each laugh that escaped his lips while facing the ground.

When the time was right, he activated a Sword Art and flung around in a dramatic manner, cutting the creature down and splintering it into hundreds of blue polygonal fractals that cascaded into the ether, never to be seen again. He stood firm in anticipation of the next wave, knowing that it would be coming any second. Such had been the tempo of the waves and the flow of the battle for some time now. 
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 678/840 | EN: 47+1-5=43/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 64
CD: 4 (No extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x5] Back Rush, -5 EN

Zombie 64: HP: 34-40=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125841 | BD: 7, Hit for 18x5=90-50=40 DMG | Zombie 64 defeated

 

[Bahr 0]

And he was exactly right. Not even five seconds after he had originally had the thought, another wave of Zombies came pouring in. Since Bahr was ready this time, he had already had his Sword Art charged and was sitting in waiting for the next helping of helpless ghouls to wander in from beyond the curtain. He waited patiently until they had all made an appearance, carefully picking his time to strike and ensure that he hit the lot of them with no misses. To his delight, he plan worked flawlessly, and two of the creatures even instantly combusted into piles of azure dust before his eyes.

The last two that survived held on with the usual amount of HP, seemingly uncaring that they were facing certain death within the next attack or two. Clearly they weren't on their final lives. Which didn't matter to Bahr - he would simply bring them one tick closer to permanent death, and get the chance to slaughter them all over again soon enough.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 744/840 | EN: 43+2-20=25/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 66
CD: 8 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x12 AoE] Calamity Disaster, -12 EN

Zombie 65: HP: 200-178-24=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125842 | BD: 9, Crit for 18x12=228-50=178 DMG | BLEED INFLICTED | BLEED INFLICTS 24 DMG | Zombie 65 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 66: HP: 200-178-24=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125843 | BD: 9, Crit for 18x12=228-50=178 DMG | BLEED INFLICTED | BLEED INFLICTS 24 DMG | Zombie 66 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 67: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125844 | BD: 8, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 7-3=4, Miss | -2 EN
Zombie 68: HP: 200-166=34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125845 | BD: 3+4=7, Hit for 18x12=216-50=166 DMG | MD: 1, Miss | -2 EN
-20 ENERGY TOTAL

 

[Bahr 0]

It was when he unleashed his next attack and managed to miss both of his targets that he began to doubt himself again. Had he simply misjudged the distance? No, he was certain that he was within range. Had he hit them, only for them to hang on with a sliver of HP due to their passive ability? No, that didn't seem to be it either - their health gauges hadn't moved a single pixel. It was perhaps that his fatigue was beginning to wear him down, causing him to hallucinate, or at least not see things as clearly as he ordinarily would.

Whatever. At the very least, it didn't seem as though they were closing in any quicker than before. He had a bit of time to steel himself for the next attack. The good news was that the Recovery Enhancement on his armor had been procced, and he ironically gained energy throughout this rotation as opposed to losing it. Which was, in its own way, very nice.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 744/840 | EN: 25+3-2=26/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 66
CD: 8 (2 extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x8 AoE Stun] Tempest, -2 EN FOR MISS

Zombie 67: HP: 34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125846 | BD: 1, Miss | MD: 5, Miss
Zombie 68: HP: 34/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125847 | BD: 1, Miss | MD: 7-3=4, Miss

 

[Bahr 0]

Not like the extra energy was really going to matter in the end, though, because he was going to slay these things on this next attack. Yes, for sure this time, he was going to get them. There was no scenario in his mind in which he did not succeed in the epic task of slaying the remaining two zombies that stood before him in one fell swoop with one final attack. It was his destiny to kill these two zombies. Right here, right now. There was no other reason for his existence. Everything in his life had led up to this one, singular moment. This was his peak. The pinnacle of his life - the exact second in which he enacted positive change throughout the world by destroy a paid of Zombies too stupid to even see it coming.

And so he swung his sword forward, it carved into the two Zombies, by some miracle their passive sturdy ability didn't go off, and they were both reduced to cloud of polygonal blue confetti in an instant.
 

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 744/840 | EN: 26+1-12=15/82 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 84 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | BLEED 1
KILL COUNT: 68
CD: 5 (No extra energy recovered this turn)

Bahr used [x8 AoE Stun] Tempest, -8 EN

Zombie 67: HP: 34-94=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125848 | BD: 2+4=6, Hit for 18x8=144-50=94 DMG | Zombie 67 defeated | -2 EN
Zombie 68: HP: 34-94=0/200 | DMG: 100 | MIT: 50 | ID: 125849 | BD: 5+4=9, Hit for 18x8=144-50=94 DMG | Zombie 68 defeated | -2 EN
-12 ENERGY TOTAL

 

[Bahr 0]

That was it. It was all that he could take, for the time being. He had been through a lot in Aincrad - probably more than most - but he had still never encountered a situation that exhausted him to the extent that this one had. It didn't matter if his energy was recovering, there was a fatigue of the mind that had to be factored into things like this. He couldn't bear to feast his eyes upon the disgusting bags of flesh that plagued this cursed ground any longer. That being said, he couldn't bring himself to actually leave the tent. He felt compelled to stay and see the event out to the fullest, raking in as many rewards from it as he could. But for the time being, he had to take a break. For his mental health. For his sanity. It would be unhealthy to press onward like this, and he knew that the best bet he had at actually surviving through the whole thing was to take breaks when he became tired like this. 

[Bahr 0]

It just so happened that, as soon as he had dispatched the last group of Zombies, another player walked up to where he had been. It seemed that the tent was now becoming crowded with players, and there were now fewer places to run it solo. Bahr gave him a glance, his tired eyes practically staring straight through the newcomer. The player seemed to recognize Bahr's fatigue, and simply gave him a nod that seemed to say, "It's alright. I've got this section. Go get some rest and come back when you're ready." Bahr wasn't usually the type to pawn off his responsibilities on someone else, but he knew he needed rest, so he obliged.

Walking back down into the original staging area, it became evident that Bahr's technique had been a success. There were fewer Zombies here now, and it seemed that players were gathering in small groups to discuss battle strategies and how to best deal with the incoming hordes. Had he not been so tired, Bahr would have joined them.

[Bahr 0]

Instead, he made his way back to the concession stand, where he purchased a few items to better help with his next combat endeavors. Gazing upon the groups of players out of the corner of his eye, he tried to gauge what their levels were. Based on the gear they were wearing, they could have been any myriad of levels or tiers, and nobody seemed to abt an eye at partying up with someone far weaker than themselves and carrying the noobs through the event. It was probably the right thing to do, and Bahr knew that. But there were also going to be players that were riding solo that the event hinged upon.

That being said, he couldn't hold back any longer. He approached one of the groups at random, sipping on one of the horrible energy drinks he had purchased, and placed a hand on his hip before crushing the now empty can and looking into the group. "Alright, then," he exhaled, expression becoming somewhat stern, "What's the plan?"