Baldur

"A little somethin' *cough*cough*cough* ole Rori taught me." The Dark Elf taunted Baldur, revealing that he had a substitution effect of some kind, leaving behind an after image and assaulting Baldur from his blind spot.

"Baldur!" He smiled at the concern he heard in his friend's voice.

"This trick only works once." Baldur said, suddenly thrusting his sword backwards, as if to stab himself, but instead the blade missed his own side, coming through the blind spot created by his haori, and drove into the dark elf. Baldur quickly pivoted suddenly bringing the elf in front of him, and tore the katana out of the figure, leaving it to crash to the ground as the last of its health bar was depleted.

"You'll never find the boy *cough* we've made sure that." Baldur shot Hirru a quizzical glance, and then the dark elf exploded into a shower of luminous polygonal fragments, and then to nothing.

Baldur whipped his sword around in a way Hirru had seen hundreds of times, as Baldur sheathed his katana in one long, ritualized, fluid motion.

"What do you think he meant by that? It was kind of a weird encounter for a sub dungeon."

ID#197100 BD: 8 (hit) CD: 7 Recovery +4 EN
Zekkai: 25*14=350 -150 MIT = 200 DMG Dealt, -10 Energy

[H:4] Baldur | HP 669/820 | EN 67/96 | DMG 25 | ACC 5 | EVA 2 | BH 41 | REC +4 | MIT 78
[H:2] Hirru | HP 720/720 | EN 79/110 | DMG 23 | ACC 3 | EVA 1 | ENV 32 | MIT 107 
Dark Elf Antiroyalist | HP 118/1200 | DMG 270 | MIT 135 | ACC 1 | EVA 1 | Crit 9 = 300DMG + 150 AOE | Crit 10 = 330 DMG+225 AOE [Shatter I 3/3]

Loot: 197108 CD: 12 LD: 5
3600 Col + 2400 Col (even) + Nothing (LD 5)

Baldur smiled as the spoke, but waved away her dismissal. The blonde was conveniently forgetting that she too, fit into a role akin to his for many many people, and he intended to remind her of it. While she may not have taught him to use a katana, she did save him often, through days like this, and walks like this, which meant so very much to him.

"I, too, am glad you didn't kill me that day." His ocean blue eyes sparkled.

"But you don't need a sword or to kill NPCs to save people. You don't have to teach someone how to kill to help them survive. You've saved me many times over, and you've taught me so much just by being my friend. Our love for one another has forged a bond between us. You give me strength through the lessons you have taught me, the example you have set, the kindness you show others, and by knowing that when the chips are down, I will have you in my corner."

He was watching his feet as he spoke the words, and but when he paused for a moment he glanced up at her from under his bangs to see how she was responding to them.

"What I needed wasn't help learning to fight. What I needed was a reminder to be kind to people, that we're all human -- well okay, most of us -- we all are trying to find our way, to get through the day, and that just because we're in a fight for our life doesn't mean life stops. You taught me to nurture people's growth, to seek out players lower level than myself and help find their path, as you did for me. I needed someone to see me for who I am. I needed someone I could confess to, that I could trust, and that wanted to see me succeed at a time when it felt like there wasn't anyone else."

He raised his head and flashed her one of his more confident smiles.

"And I will always be that person for you too."

"Now then." He said with a dramatic flare, "how do we figure out how to go horse back riding through the snow."

Shards obtained Here
Purchasing <<Asgard's Finery>>

The dungeon had been a wild ride, but while Baldur had enjoyed seeing some of the gods from his own namesake's origin, it had been a bit of a slog to get through bosses who healed so much. If they had played a few things different, they would have been able to get through the fights much faster. Still, it was considerably less of a drug induced hallucination than the Easter event had been. He would never look at a peep the same.

"I'll take one of the Asgard's Finery please." he handed over the three spirit shards to the NPC vendor for the event and then tucked away the finery. This was going to go to his trinket, so see if he could add on an extra slot of evasion to his already maxed out accuracy. It would curb his reliance on consumables a fair bit. At least for non-floor bosses.

The dark elf attempted to stand after Baldur's <<bull rush>> and Hirru's devastating critical hit, but he couldn't find his feet in time before Baldur was already on the menace. His katana cut down in a flurry of blows that would have looked wild if they weren't animated by the system that gave him super human strength and speed. Instead, the arcs of inky darkness that revealed the night sky no mater where struck, tore into the sub dungeon boss. The red wires that animated his shape and gave him volume were exposed by the deep slashes.

"So it was you *cough* people *cough* that did this to us."

The dark elf struggled to his feet.

"You're the ones who trussed up your own queen like some kind of display piece and lied to your people."

It was uncommon for Baldur to engage with NPCs in a situation like this, but he knew it weighed heavily on Hirru. He stepped to the side as soon as the system would allow to let Hirru get his own follow up hit off. One more good hit, maybe two, and this boss would expire.

ID#196919 BD: 5+5 (Acc) +1(keen) -1 (Eva) = 10 (hit), CD 9 Recovery Proc +4 energy, regen 4 energy, -14 energy
San Ge: 25*14=350 Raw - 150 Mit = 200 DMG Dealt

[H:3] Baldur | HP 820/820 | EN 73/96 | DMG 25 | ACC 5 | EVA 2 | BH 41 | REC +4 | MIT 78
[H:1] Hirru | HP 720/720 | EN 96/110 | DMG 23 | ACC 3 | EVA 1 | ENV 32 | MIT 107 
Dark Elf Antiroyalist | HP 328/1200 | DMG 270 | MIT 150 | ACC 1 | EVA 1 | Crit 9 = 300DMG + 150 AOE | Crit 10 = 330 DMG+225 AOE [Stunned]

Baldur's katana flew through the air once more, lacing the lupin form of the world ending doggo, Fenrir, in more red lashes, revealing the polygons that constituted his form. Sometimes it was really easy to forget this was a video game with how real the world is around them, but it was never more apparent to Baldur than in combat.

They were nearing the home stretch. The boss was in the red.

"We're almost there..." his eyes slid to the energy bar. He only had a few more strikes left in him.

"Keep it up! We've got this!" Thankfully Odin was tanking the boss for them, as well as adding some powerful DPS.

"Don't worry, Ragnarok can't happen as long as I'm still alive!" Baldur shouted out cheekily, but made sure to keep his eyes open in case the universe tried to do something to spite him. It would only be fitting after tempting fate.

ID#196428 BD: 7 (hit) CD: 10 (recovery! +4 energy)
San Ge: 24x15=360 raw - 150 mit = 215 DMG Dealt

[7] Baldur-san | HP: 1488/1560 | EN: 31/144 | MIT: 49 | DMG: 24 | Absolute ACC: 8 | EVA: 2 | BH: 78 | Conc (3/3) | Parry (2/2) | QChange (3/3) | Zanshin Equipped
[7] Hidden-hikoku | HP:1405/1405 | EN:57/124 | DMG:23 | MIT:79 | EVA:4 | ACC:6 | VAMP OFF:140 | HLY:8 | BH:70
[3] Crozeph-Kun | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 35/106 | ACC: 4[+2] | DMG: 18[+3] | EVA: 2[+2] | MIT: 45[+30] | FRZ: 1 | BRN: 1 I REC: 1 | BH: 30 | LD: 1
[3] NIGHT | HP: 1550/1550 | EN: 111/167 | ACC: 6 | DMG: 25 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 7 | BH: 77 | BRN: 36 | BLI: 72 | BLD: 36 | TXV: 24 | VV: 10 | LD: 5 | HM: 6 | VANISH [0/3]
[7] Calrex-kun | HP: 1805/1805 | EN: 77/176 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 116 | ACC: 4 |  EVA: 3 | ACH: 0.5 | TNT 1 | Stonewall
[0] Zajcica-chan | HP: 1312/1570 | EN: 110/136 | DMG 2 | MIT 232 | EVA -1 | BH 78 | THRNS: 135
[99] Odin | HP: 8825/10000 | DMG: 500 | MIT: 250 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2

Fenrir: HP: 888/4,000 | DMG: 750 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 150 | THORNS: 75 | INCARCERATED | [DoT: 356 (1/2)]
 | Hati&Skoll | Additional 300 DMG * 2 to Fenrir's target. Vanishes at Ragnarok, returns after health halved after.

Their progress was slower this time, but not due to any lack of skill the players had. The smol orange one seemed to be wielding a holy weapon capable of powerful critical hits, and the one called <<Night>> appeared suddenly, for Baldur hadn't even noticed she had vanished, and tore through Fenrir's back, leaving behind a massive DoT of unbelievable power. It would do a tremendous amount of damage over the course of its life, they just needed to make it count. They had almost put the wolf into the yellow again.

"We're almost to yellow again! Watch out for any new tricks, but keep it going!" Would the wolf try to eat the moon next? Perhaps it would gain some bonus damage, or resummon those wolf companions that didn't seem to do anything for it before. They were lucky to have Odin tanking for them, since Yuki seemed to be having some connection issues. What unfortunate timing. 

ID#196533 BD: 1+8-3=6 (hit) CD: 1 no recovery
San Ge: 24x15=360 raw - 150 mit = 215 DMG Dealt

[6] Baldur-san | HP: 1485/1560 | EN: 38/144 | MIT: 49 | DMG: 24 | Absolute ACC: 8 | EVA: 2 | BH: 78 | Conc (3/3) | Parry (2/2) | QChange (3/3) | Zanshin Equipped
[5] Hidden-hikoku | HP:1405/1405 | EN:67/124 | DMG:23 | MIT:79 | EVA:4 | ACC:6 | VAMP OFF:140 | HLY:8 | BH:70
[2] Crozeph-Kun | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 47/106 | ACC: 4[+2] | DMG: 18[+3] | EVA: 2[+2] | MIT: 45[+30] | FRZ: 1 | BRN: 1 I REC: 1 | BH: 30 | LD: 1
[3] NIGHT | HP: 1550/1550 | EN: 111/167 | ACC: 6 | DMG: 25 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 7 | BH: 77 | BRN: 36 | BLI: 72 | BLD: 36 | TXV: 24 | VV: 10 | LD: 5 | HM: 6 | VANISH [0/3]
[4] Calrex-kun | HP: 1805/1805 | EN: 93/176 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 116 | ACC: 4 |  EVA: 3 | ACH: 0.5 | TNT 1 | Stonewall
[0] Zajcica-chan | HP: 1312/1570 | EN: 110/136 | DMG 2 | MIT 232 | EVA -1 | BH 78 | THRNS: 135
[99] Odin | HP: 9425/10000 | DMG: 500 | MIT: 250 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2

Fenrir: HP: 2,038/4,000 | DMG: 750 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 150 | THORNS: 75 | INCARCERATED | [DoT: 356 (0/2)]
 | Hati&Skoll | Additional 300 DMG * 2 to Fenrir's target. Vanishes at Ragnarok, returns after health halved after.

"Sure would be great if my legendary brother would show up right about now, eh?" Baldur joked as the now free monstrous wolf plunged them into darkness. Had he been an ancient warrior that believed this world real, seeing Fenrir eat the sun would be an impressive feat and likely would have inspired terror. But that's now how the sun worked. Or the sky. Or gravity. Though he supposed, if Fenrir had managed to accomplish that in the real world it would have been many times more impressive and definitely would have driven Ragnarok, though not in the way one might have thought.

"Bad dog Fenrir! Bad! Slipp! Slipp!"

When Fenrir didn't let go of the sun, Baldur charged up his katana, the nebula of the night sky eminating around him as he charged forward, cutting through the sky box and into Fenrir's lupin body.

"Alright then, time to put you down!"

ID#196076 BD: 9 (Crit) CD: 3 no recovery
25*15=375 RAW -150 = 225 DMG Dealt + 72 Burn

[5] Baldur-san | HP: 1560/1560 | EN: 49/144 | MIT: 49 | DMG: 24 | Absolute ACC: 8 | EVA: 2 | BH: 78 | Conc (3/3) | Parry (2/2) | QChange (3/3) | Zanshin Equipped
[3] Hidden-hikoku | HP:1405/1405 | EN:77/124 | DMG:23 | MIT:79 | EVA:4 | ACC:6 | VAMP OFF:140 | HLY:8 | BH:70
[2] Crozeph-Kun | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 47/106 | ACC: 4[+2] | DMG: 18[+3] | EVA: 2[+2] | MIT: 45[+30] | FRZ: 1 | BRN: 1 I REC: 1 | BH: 30 | LD: 1
[1] NIGHT | HP: 1550/1550 | EN: 120/167 | ACC: 6 | DMG: 25 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 7 | BH: 77 | BRN: 36 | BLI: 72 | BLD: 36 | TXV: 24 | VV: 10 | LD: 5 | HM: 6
[4] Calrex-kun | HP: 1805/1805 | EN: 94/176 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 116 | ACC: 4 |  EVA: 3 | ACH: 0.5 | TNT 1 | Stonewall
[0] Zajcica-chan | HP: 1312/1570 | EN: 110/136 | DMG 2 | MIT 232 | EVA -1 | BH 78 | THRNS: 135
[99] Odin | HP: 10000/10000 | DMG: 500 | MIT: 250 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2
 

Fenrir: HP: 3,165/4,000 | DMG: 750 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 150 | THORNS: 75 | INCARCERATED | 72 BURN [2/2] | FROZEN (+36 DMG)
 | Hati&Skoll | Additional 300 DMG * 2 to Fenrir's target. Vanishes at Ragnarok, returns after health halved after.

Baldur stood there, prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder with Odin and bear the brunt of Fenrir's attack alongside Hati and Skoll. However, just as the wolves were beginning to charge them down, Calrex sailed past, his fist emblazoned with ultramarine light and struck the giant wolf like he was a big green superhero in some cheesy old MCU movie.

It was enough, though, and the giant wolf was staggered.

Baldur lept forward, his blade alight with the evening sky, and tore several more red gashes through the model of the legendary doggo. They were flying through the evil k9's health, and would be finished with this monster's health bar very quickly.

"Keep it up everyone! Don't even think about the fact that Fenrir brings about the end of the world."

That last bit was unnecessary, but Baldur was feeling a bit cheeky, since they were touching on his lore. As long as he himself didn't die, it wouldn't be the end of the world though.

ID#195749 BD: 7 (hit) CD: 4 (no recovery)
24x15=360 raw - 125 mit = 235 DMG Dealt

[3] Baldur-san | HP: 1485/1560 | EN: 60/144 | MIT: 49 | DMG: 24 | Absolute ACC: 8 | EVA: 2 | BH: 78 | Conc (3/3) | Parry (2/2) | QChange (3/3) | Zanshin Equipped
[1] Hidden-hikoku | HP:1330/1405 | EN:87/124 | DMG:23 | MIT:79 | EVA:4 | ACC:6 | VAMP OFF:140 | HLY:8 | BH:70
[1] Crozeph-Kun | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 47/106 | ACC: 4[+2] | DMG: 18[+3] | EVA: 2[+2] | MIT: 45[+30] | FRZ: 1 | BRN: 1 I REC: 1 | BH: 30 | LD: 1
[1] NIGHT | HP: 1475/1550 | EN: 125/167 | ACC: 6 | DMG: 25 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 7 | BH: 77 | BRN: 36 | BLI: 72 | BLD: 36 | TXV: 24 | VV: 10 | LD: 5
[2] Calrex-kun | HP: 1805/1805 | EN: 126/176 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 116 | ACC: 4 |  EVA: 3 | ACH: 0.5 | TNT 1 | Stonewall
[0] Zajcica-chan | HP: 1312/1570 | EN: 110/136 | DMG 2 | MIT 232 | EVA -1 | BH 78 | THRNS: 135
[99] Odin | HP: 10000/10000 | DMG: 500 | MIT: 250 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2
 

Fenrir: HP 2,245/4,000 | DMG 300 | ACC 2 | EVA 1 | MIT 125 | THORNS 75 | INCARCERATED | 72 BURN [1/2] | STUNNED
 | Hati&Skoll | Additional 300 DMG * 2 to Fenrir's target. Vanishes at Ragnarok, returns after health halved after.
 | Ragnarok | Upon being reduced to half health, Fenrir will restore his HP to full. Stat block as follows:
 | Fenrir: HP: 4000/4000 | DMG: 750 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 150

No sooner had their victory arrived, than the rainbow light of the bifrost engulfed them and pulled them away through the universe (probably just a fancy loading screen) to the rainbow bridge itself, where the party could witness a ferocious battle between the demon dog <<Fenrir>> and <<Odin>> himself. The two were locked in a bitter struggle, with neither seeming to be able to get the upper hand.

"This is Fenrir. He is destined to one day bring about the end of all things. Having proven your worth against malicious Hrym and duplicitous Hel, I believe you are mighty enough to help me slay this beast. I will reward you greatly for your help!"

Baldur wasted no time in rushing to his dad's defense. He quickly <<charged>> forward, and unleashed his <<San Ge>> upon the foe, the first strike causing it to both freeze and burn.

"Come on! Surely this is the final boss of the dungeon. We're almost there!"

195319 BD: 9 (Crit and Proc) CD: 4
San Ge: 24+1+5=30*15=450 RAW - 125 = 325 DMG Dealt + FROZEN + BURN

[2] Baldur-san | HP: 1560/1560 | EN: 71/144 | MIT: 49 | DMG: 24 | Absolute ACC: 8 | EVA: 2 | BH: 78 | Conc (3/3) | Parry (2/2) | QChange (3/3) | Zanshin Equipped
[0] Hidden-hikoku | HP:1405/1405 | EN:97/124 | DMG:23 | MIT:79 | EVA:4 | ACC:6 | VAMP OFF:140 | HLY:8 | BH:70
[0] Crozeph-Kun | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 59/106 | ACC: 4[+2] | DMG: 18[+3] | EVA: 2[+2] | MIT: 45[+30] | FRZ: 1 | BRN: 1 I REC: 1 | BH: 30 | LD: 1
[0] NIGHT | HP: 1550/1550 | EN: 135/167 | ACC: 6 | DMG: 25 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 7 | BH: 77 | BRN: 36 | BLI: 72 | BLD: 36 | TXV: 24 | VV: 10 | LD: 5
[0] Calrex-kun | HP: 1805/1805 | EN: 126/176 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 116 | ACC: 4 |  EVA: 3 | ACH: 0.5 | TNT 1 | Stonewall
[0] Zajcica-chan | HP: 1312/1570 | EN: 110/136 | DMG 2 | MIT 232 | EVA -1 | BH 78 | THRNS: 135

Fenrir: HP 3,675/4,000 | DMG 300 | ACC 2 | EVA 1 | MIT 125 [FROZEN] +36 BURN [0/2]

Baldur stood up suddenly with a smile, and moved the chair Hirru had placed at the door keeping it closed and them safe from anything that could potentially come and harm them while they rested and gathered their energy. He placed his hand on the door knob and began to pull it open.

"Alright, you ready?"

Suddenly the door exploded, much as it had when Hirru had kicked it in, but this time it was their room. Black ichor filled the room and Baldur's limbs felt sluggish. He hadn't taken any damage, but he didn't feel like he could move very well, either.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A pair of filthy human meddlers and-"

The Dark Elf's eyes focused on the badge of honor Hirru wore, making him as a favored of the dead queen.

"Where did you you find something like that, scum?!" The Dark Elf whirled to face Hirru, and Baldur strained against the system, refusing to admit defeat and allow his friend to be hurt again.

Baldur tore against the darkness until the sensation was the closest to pain he had ever experienced in SAO. Suddenly, the effect limiting his movement ended and Baldur erupted from the wall he had been held against like a force of nature. The single arc of light that normally would have filled the room instead was almost invisible as if looking at the side of a ribbon, and before anyone, even Baldur, could blink, he was on the other side of the room and a clap like thunder filled the room, wind and debris moving in his wake as the Boss' HP plunged and he was left stunned where he had come into the room.

ID#195277 BD: 8 (focus crit) +5-1-1=hit, CD: 7 = +4 Energy
Iai: 25+5+1=31*16=496 RAW - 150 MIT = 346 DMG Dealt, -21 EN

[H:2] Baldur | HP 820/820 | EN 79/96 | DMG 25 | ACC 5 | EVA 2 | BH 41 | REC +4 | MIT 78
[H:0] Hirru | HP 720/720 | EN 110/110 | DMG 23 | ACC 3 | EVA 1 | ENV 32 | MIT 107 
Dark Elf Antiroyalist | HP 854/1200 | DMG 270 | MIT 150 | ACC 1 | EVA 1 | Crit 9 = 300DMG + 150 AOE | Crit 10 = 330 DMG+225 AOE [STUNNED]

"You sure are sighing a lot, Cordelia-chan." Baldur rounded the corner of his home, sprawling across a lagoon with several bridges linking the smaller islands which held gardens and rooms for not just his guild mates, but his friends and those he had taken in to his home. He was ready to expand it for more, but was surprised when after the boss fight, Cordelia had come calling. Without hesitation, the gaijin samurai had welcomed her. It filled his heart with joy that she had come to him. Ever since he had stumbled upon the girl, he had felt a bond with her. Not the normal bond he had experienced with others, but something akin to a partnership between the two of them. Inspite of having many other students, Cordelia truly felt like something akin to a daughter. Not as if she was his daughter that he had raised from childhood, but someone who had grown under him as a Sensei, and may some day carry on a piece of his will.

Still, the philosophy was something he needed to pass on as much as his sword play.

"Would you like to walk the gardens with me? I would enjoy your company." He gave her his patented warm and charming smile. The one that seemed to make people trust him. It wasn't really the smile, but the sincerity behind it. When Baldur's eyes held their steely blue, people knew he meant business and a fight was immanent, but when his eyes held that ocean blue, it meant that he was happy, and you had become the most interesting person in the whole world.

"How are you handling the change? I know everything has been so sudden, perhaps even dizzying, but have you been comfortable here?"

"I think you'll find more two hand straight sword users these days. It has seemed to grow in popularity before this, but AoE weapons have become the most common place weapon." Baldur slowly stood up and brushed dust and dirt off his his hakama, even though none existed there in the world of Aincrad.

"The most important thing is to be comfortable with your weapon, and be effective at it. So far, you seem to be doing well at both. I know it's been a while but I feel like your combat effectiveness as really grown, especially thinking back to the time we almost got burried in that ant hill." Baldur smirked at the memory. It had been a traumatic moment, but the two of them had pulled through and become closer for it. As much as Baldur had felt betrayed but Hirru at the time of the floor 23 boss fight, he knew that Hirru would always have his back. It was why Baldur had responded so viscerally to his actions at the time.

"I feel like I've heard the name Shelob's Fang before. Perhaps from Beat, though I've only partied with him a few times. It sounds like a good sword, though I'm always after Absolute Accuracy ever sine what happened in the floor 24 labyrinth guardian fight. I'll never forgive myself for what happened there because I missed a couple of critical attacks." He was still frustrated from that fight, but it was more behind him now.

"By the way, if you're interested, I've opened up a dojo at my house, for people to come and train together in safe way. You're always welcome to do it. I have everyone use wooden swords, so no matter how well built someone is, its perfectly safe. And I'd be very interested in getting you and Shield together as some of the best scouts I know of. I have a few items I've never seen before, and figuring out a way to farm these would definitely be beneficial to everyone.

He wiped his hands clean of imaginary dust and rested his left hand on the handle of his katana.

"Well, all of my cooldowns are up. How long until your big gun is ready?"

(Energy Regen 2/2: Housing Bonus: Baldur is at full energy, and all sword art cooldowns have reset)

"There are definitely worse people you could emulate than Macradon." Baldur said with a smile as he righted one of the chairs and sat down. It was good to take a minute and let Hirru recharge his sword arts, they would be facing the boss monster next, and who knew what that would look like.

"All in all, I think we're doing pretty good though. I haven't used my newest sword art yet, but that is because the cooldown is longer, and we haven't needed it yet. For the boss, we'll want to unload on it with everything we have. I have the <<bull rush>> mod, so I can stun it with my opening, strongest attack. So let's get your stuff recharged and we'll really let loose on the boss."

The smile on his face was casual and calm. He hadn't seen anything that would put his nerves on end, so this was just a fun excursion with a good old friend.

"I'm glad you're considering joining us, but also glad that you're reconnecting with people and apologizing. I don't know what Mac will be like, but I've been wanting to get him to join us a Jacob's Ladder for a while as well. He's good people, and has done a good job of helping out new people as well. We've also teamed up with Raidou's guild, I'm not sure if you're familiar with him, but that's how we were able to stock the raid. We supplied him with a tremendous amount of materials, and he had a long enough time to craft a good stock of them. I think this next raid will look very different."

Baldur nodded his head towards Hirru's newish sword, "So what do you have there? New blade since it's two handed, but what do you have on there?"

(1/2 rounds out of combat before complete regen)

The team pounded Hel as if they were trying to send her to the underworld... which they were already at, he supposed. Whatever the analogy, her health was rapidly dropping. He was feeling confident about this fight, but then a thought crossed his mind as he realized this was the first time they had let their CC of the boss lapse. They didn't really know what she was going to do. Was she going to heal to full again? Was she going to unleash some super move?

"Now you die!" She screeched, as death whirled about her and she racked suddenly massive, scythe like claws across Yuki, but her armor held and the thorns damage she reflected seemed even larger.

"Way to go, Yuki-chan!" Baldur called out to the tank even as the claws raked and sparked across the shield.

Baldur himself went in on the boss in the opening, unleashing his <<San Ge>> attack once more and dropping the boss even further, but she didn't heal back up.

"We've got this!"

ID#194956 BD: 3+8-2=9 (hit) CD: 2 (no regen)
San Ge: 24*15=360 RAW -50 MIT = 310 DMG Dealt

ID#194957 MD: 8+3+1=hit
Hel Deals 400-232=168
Hel takes 135 damage from Thorns!

Crow ran up and managed to stun Hel once more. Baldur hadn't even realized the immunity timer had expired. Well done my friend. He truly was proud of how far his oldest friend had come in the relatively short time since they had become reunited. Then in rushed the orange cursor girl and Calrex, freeing the last two of the imprisoned souls.

Hel was stunned, but Baldur could see the simulated cold fury storming through her eyes. This was the final phase now. Did she have some kind of special ability to use, or was this it?

"Alright, time to kick this into gear!" He whirled his sword like an out of work power ranger and stepped into the motions for <<San Ge>> and then his new blade cut through the underworld skybox, revealing the nebula beyond, and tore a chunk out of her HP. Not as much as if he had charge still up. He only hoped they had enough energy left to whittle her down.

"Time for an all out attack!"

ID#194276 BD: 5 (hit) CD: 5 (no regen)
San Ge: 24*15=360 RAW -50 MIT = 310 DMG Dealt

[3] Baldur-san | HP: 1560/1560 | EN: 93/144 | MIT: 49 | DMG: 24 | Absolute ACC: 8 | EVA: 2 | BH: 78 | Conc (3/3) | Parry (2/2) | QChange (3/3) | Zanshin Equipped
[1] Hidden-hikoku | HP:1405/1405 | EN:117/124 | DMG:23 | MIT:79 | EVA:4 | ACC:6 | VAMP OFF:140 | HLY:8 | BH:70
[2] Crozeph-Kun | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 68/106 | ACC: 4[+2] | DMG: 18[+3] | EVA: 2[+2] | MIT: 45[+30] | FRZ: 1 | BRN: 1 I REC: 1 | BH: 30 | LD: 1
[2] NIGHT | HP: 1550/1550 | EN: 146/167 | ACC: 6 | DMG: 25 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 7 | BH: 77 | BRN: 36 | BLI: 72 | BLD: 36 | TXV: 24 | VV: 10 | LD: 5
[0] Calrex-kun | HP: 1805/1805 | EN: 158/176 | DMG: 18 | MIT: 116 | ACC: 4 |  EVA: 3 | ACH: 0.5 | TNT 1 | Stonewall
[8] Zajcica-chan | HP: 1402/1570 | EN: 110/136 | DMG 2 | MIT 232 | EVA -1 | BH 78 | THRNS: 135

Hel - The One that Hides | HP: 2341/3,000 | DMG 400 | ACC 3 | EVA 2 | MIT 50 |  STUNNED [0/3 Stun Immune]

"That's too bad. I thought you'd still have more AoE than that. I know right now I'm deeper in my bench of sword arts than I usually would be."

Hirru seemed to be very proficient with the two-hand sword, but then Baldur realized he didn't yet have a way to contextualize whether Hirru or himself were proficient with their new weapons. It would take a lot of trial and error to figure out what was actually optimal versus how they normally went about things. Perhaps that's another area training would come in handy. Get a couple of wooden swords and let people go at it.

Instead of focusing on Hirru, Baldur turned his steel blue eyes back to the remaining dark elf and the gaijin samurai stepped into a stance he wasn't normally seen using, though he practiced all of them in his dojo.

Suddenly the system took over and he rushed forward with a downward strike that sent the last dark elf into the floor with so much force that he bounced into the air like this was some kind of side view fighting game, then Baldur took him with an upward strike, sending the body high into the air again, and when it was just barely eye level, Baldur thrust forward, skewering the body of the dark elf and causing it to explode into a shower of twinkling polygons.

"That's one I haven't used in a long time."

He whipped his sword around and sheathed it.

"Do you need a minute to regen some hit points before we move on to the boss of the dungeon?"

Baldur uses <<Hi Ougi>> x9, 9 EN 135 damage after mit, 225 DMG RAW
ID#194036 BD: 3+5=8 (hit) CD: 9 (+4 Energy!)
Hi Ouig: 25x9= 225 RAW - 90 MIT = 135 DMG Dealt
(-9) -7 EN, (-2 Stamina) +4 Regen, +4 Energy
ID for loot: 194046 LD: 8

[H:0] Baldur | HP 820/820 | EN 75/96 | DMG 25 | ACC 5 | EVA 2 | BH 41 | REC +4 | MIT 78
[H:0] Hirru | HP 602/720 | EN 96/110 | DMG 23 | ACC 3 | EVA 1 | ENV 32 | MIT 107 {SA Count: G.A.: 4/4 | TP: 3/2}
Dark Elf Extremist 1 | HP 0/450 | DMG 225 | MIT: 90 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 0 | FROZEN  | BURNING (1/2) 56 DMG

Baldur nodded at Shield's words and feelings. He had expected them, and some he shared as well. Baldur's main reluctance in ever even forming a guild was the lack of consistent, active, coordinated leadership, and they had all banded together to push through and share the burden, but they needed comrades to do that. They also needed the emotional strength and motivation themselves to tackle that problem and have the energy and effort to move forward.

"I understand. Believe me. But while some are less active, there is also a lot of new blood circling around, excited to take their first steps towards the peak. They're the reason we started all this. They're the ones in need of guidance. They're where our mission rests. We need to be ready to adapt. If Beat and Mari and Oikawa aren't here to help, then we find those who are."

Then Baldur heard a shoji panel slide to the side and he turned to look, seeing a mop of blue hair.

"Well well, if it isn't sleeping beauty." the gaijin samurai's eyes twinkled with mirth as he poked fun at his kohai.

"Come on out and join us Cal. We were just discussing our feelings. Shield here was saying he's felt less tanky, and had to give up his swiss army knife approach. I imagine you're much the same, since you also tried to be able to do almost everything, though in a different way." Baldur moved his haori out of the way so that the bluenette had somewhere to sit.

"How do you feel after the boss fight?" he asked Cal. "This was certainly a strange one. I have yet to go to the new floor as well, but it seems many of the old quests have changed."

He turned his head back to Shield, "I noticed Freyd at the boss fight. What are you thoughts about him?"

Baldur laughed at Shield's dogged, "realist" philosophy. The man had once been unstoppable, and that was probably a prime example of why the system was trying to correct itself. But then, the man had long been one who broke the mold. He had almost single handedly re-pioneered the way tanks work in Aincrad, since he had Beat could team up to tag-team any content. It seemed that the system change had hurt him more than most.

"I am sure you won't be surprised, but almost nothing changed for me. I wasn't quite the swiss army knife you were though." Baldur gestured to the floor besides him, where the gaijin samurai dangled his bare feet in the refreshing coolness of the water.

"I've felt the same way though. It will take people time to get accustom to changes and head out into the unknown again... especially after what was quite the unknown. But that's what we're here for, right? To provide the safety rails, or the bowling lane inflatable bumpers, if you will." the wanna-be samurai gave the nigh unkillable tank a lopsided smile, "I am interested in taking your new build out for a spin though. Perhaps we could put together a guild group for a sub-dungeon at some point in time."

Baldur lightly flicked his foot at some of the koi fish in the pond.

"How it your morale holding up after that battle?"

"The door!"

Hirru shouted just after he kicked down a door and cut most of a room in half with his AoE sword art. It was an impressive blow he leveled at everyone. Baldur scanned the room quickly, trying to decide what his friend meant. The first elf was rapidly losing HP when Baldur's steel blue eyes found the second. <<Dark Elf Extremist>> looked to be gathering itself for an attack on them but Baldur was just a hair faster. He rushed forward, driving his sword through the dark elf, his blade blazing with the light of coldfire. As he pulled it free, the elf was frozen solid in a block of ice, and Baldur was fine leaving it there.

"If you've got another AoE, I think you can take them both out!" he called to his verdant haired friend. "I got this one over here pretty good.

The other one, whom Baldur had dismissed as its HP was dropping, stood up and rushed forward, digging it's sickly twisted kryss into Hirru's side. It dealt a significant portion of Hirru's HP, but not as much as Baldur had been worried. He must have a decent mitigation. The gaijin samurai let out a breath he didn't know he was carrying since it looked like the Jade hunter could still take a hit.

ID#193147 BD: 9 (Crit) Zekkai vs Dark Elf 1, CD6 +4 energy
25+1=26 x 14 DMG = 364 NET - 90 MIT = 274 DMG dealt
12 Energy, -1 (housing), -2 Stamina, +4 regen, +4 energy recovery

MD: 5+1-2=4 vs Baldur (miss)  Frozen

ID#193148 MD: 9 (crit) 225 DMG - 207 MIT = 118 DMG Dealt to Hirru

[H:2] Baldur | HP 820/820 | EN 80/96 | DMG 25 | ACC 5 | EVA 2 | BH 41 | REC +4 | MIT 78
[H:1] Hirru | HP 602/720 | EN 96/110 | DMG 23 | ACC 3 | EVA 1 | ENV 32 | MIT 107 {SA Count: G.A.: 5/4}
Dark Elf Extremist 1 | HP 120/450 | DMG 225 | MIT: 90 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 0 | FROZEN  | BURNING (1/2) 56 DMG
Dark Elf Extremist 2 | HP 149/450 | DMG 225 | MIT: 90 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 0

[This thread is open to members of Jacob's Ladder - Please remember that your character must be approved and converted to 3.0 before posting - This the takes place a couple of days after the floor 25 boss fight]

The sun was beginning to rise high in the spirits, and a cooling breeze rustled the red leaves of the trees surrounding the islands of Baldur's home and the Jacob's Ladder compound. It was difficult to tell where one ended and the other began, but that was by design. Some of the building of Baldur's home seemed to rise from the water of the lagoon, while others had large courtyards for training, and still more had beautiful zen gardens. It melded the beauty of the landscape with the man made structures.

Baldur sat there on the engawa, his sandals off to the side as his toes dangled into the water. He had picked up the shakuhachi, but without training in the craft he wasn't particularly good. Instead, he just sat there trying not to make obnoxious noises and learn how to actually play the instrument, rather than just letting the system do it for him.

He would have described it as a perfectly relaxing day. It was something everyone needed from time to time. Just a few days ago, they had all just risked everything in the floor 25 boss fight, and it had been a very different experience than anything that had come before. Apparently there had been a floor that everyone had tried to run from that somehow coincided with the boss fight. They all hadn't really had a chance to talk much, since not only had floors changed, but there had been some kind of a mass respec, and everyone was still getting settled. He couldn't blame everyone for taking their time getting here.

"Baldur-shishou, it looks like someone is ready for the boat. I'm going to go down and pick them up."

He was a good kid, one of the younger members of his dojo and the Jacob's Ladder guild. When they had the floor 25 boss meeting, he had made a name for himself by sheepherding players from the docks down on the floor and through the portal that takes you up to the island here where he would drop them off.

"Yes, thank you."

The boy gave him a quick bow and then ran down the boards of the engawa down to the dock to get the small boat to go and pick up anyone from the docks that wanted to come. The rooms at Baldur's house and the guild were used by some, but not everyone. Perhaps I can get Hirru to use Crow's old rooms.

Baldur Stats:

"Baldur, I know I asked you up here, but what did you bring me to?  It looks like a dungeon?"

Baldur gave Hirru a bit of a sheepish smile.

"Oh come on. We've almost been buried alive together. We've gone through floor boss fights together. I figure a little sub dungeon could be interesting. Besides, this was my last hit bonus from the floor 23 dungeon. Something about an undercover cell of council something or other. They opposed the Queen. I figured you wouldn't mind since I saw you wearing that pin around."

The gaijin samurai's blue eyes twinkled for a moment before they slowly slid around the courtyard. It was two stories all the way around them, with an exterior walkway on the second floor looking down at them. Four <<Dark Elf Assassins>> had come out of the shadows on the second floor to challenge them. It seemed they didn't like their hideout being discovered. Suddenly the background music changed from being ambiance music to being fight music.

"Tell you what, since this is a bit of a surprise, I'll take round one."

Steel blue were the color of Baldur's eyes as he delivered that message, a subtle sign that he was invested in the fight, carefully tempering his feelings. They were a tier below him here, so this should be pretty easy.

"<<Haku Senpu.>>" The samurai almost spat out, and then the system took over.

Baldur spun like the wind, each slash of his katana cutting the air with such vicious force, that the cut tore into the structure of the building wear each of the four Dark Elf assassins stood as arcs of light extended from his blade where he stood next to Hirru. It was over as quickly as it had begun, and Baldur sheathed his sword once again.

"Well, I think they know we're here now." His smile was almost embarrassed as pieces of the structure fell about him.

Haku Senpu - x12 AoE CD: 0/2 - 10 Energy +2/target, -2 Stamina, -1 well rested 
25x12=300 DMG to all targets

Baldur | HP 820/820 | EN 81/96 | DMG 25 | ACC 5 | EVA 2 | BH 41 | REC +4 | MIT 78
Hirru | HP 720/720 | EN 110/110 | DMG 23 | ACC 3 | EVA 1 | ENV 24 | MIT 107
Dark Elf Assassin 1 | HP 150/150 | DMG 120 | ACC: 0 | EVA: 0 
Dark Elf Assassin 2 | HP 150/150 | DMG 120 | ACC: 0 | EVA: 0
Dark Elf Assassin 3 | HP 150/150 | DMG 120 | ACC: 0 | EVA: 0
Dark Elf Assassin 4 | HP 150/150 | DMG 120 | ACC: 0 | EVA: 0

Baldur smiled sadly at the Jade Hunter, but stopped and turned to face the man, placing his hands on leather shoulders of Hirru's jerkin.

"I'm glad you feel that way. And I agree with your course of action, but Shield and I staked you for the floor 24 fight, and we'll stake you again for the guild."

He patted Hirru's shoulders then directed them down an alleyway that looked a little seedier than the others.

"Maybe you don't remember her, but we've taken in Mari and Oikawa. So divisiveness is not something we're shy of. The old grudges are dying away with the old blood, being replaced by new fresh ambition."

He ducked around some clothing and squeezed past some debris that was begging to choke there passage.

"But what I don't think you realize my friend, is that - " Baldur climbed over some boxes and then dropped down on the other side of a fence into a courtyard. "Redemption is literally my business. I have made a home, literally, for the lost, the disenfranchised, those seeking to turn it around or find a new way. Jacob's ladder isn't named for a toy, it is named for a vision of the stairs ascending to heaven. It is the the dream to wake the sleepers and find salvation."

They were here. This was the spot on the dungeon map.

"I won't push you to join the guild, the door is always open. But you would not be alone on the path you walk within our guild. Everything you just said, that's our purpose. It's what our mission is. And you'd be a perfect fit."

"There hasn't been much that I can say.  After our failure to secure the sahagin fight, I sort of....sort of took off instead of helping, as I said I would."

"Don't feel guilty, Hirru, you were not the only one. After what happened, it only got worse with Hestia. I and many others backed out. The floor 24 boss fight was a struggle. I don't know if Hestia learned anything from it, but without her divisiveness, the floor 25 fight was the most well coordinated boss fight in history. I hope we can keep that going."

Mentally, Baldur scolded himself for being so passive aggressive about Hestia, but he felt her betrayal keenly because they had been so close. He had been wrecked when she had appeared to die at a Halloween event so many years ago, and she was one of only two people who knew his real name. The wound obviously still hurt him.

"So, what does a 'System Update' entail?  I read the small amount of information that had been given, but I understand only a little.  I remember something like this happening a few times before, but nothing to this degree.  Nearly all of the floors that I investigated have been radically changed!  Does this normally happen in games, Baldur?"

"I'm a bit surprised by it as well. System Updates are normal in a normal game, but that's usually because developers are working on improving it continuously. Unless Kayaba is sitting around making patch notes... which I guess may be the case, but it would imply he's either in here with us, or monitoring things. Regardless, it is typical. It means that the developers identified parts of how things worked that were performing suboptimally, and tried to make them work better. Typically it's called a "patch" because they're repairing something that was broken."

He let them walk on in silence for a few minutes.

"When Shield and I came back after the floor 24 fight happened, we decided we could do better to help out the frontlines and... well... everyone really. We got together with a few others, Oikawa, Mari, Calrex, and Beat and we created a new guild called 'Jacob's Ladder.' Our goal is help everyone escape this death game by helping people who want to join the front line do so, and by coordinating and supplying the frontline. So we're trying to find and foster new talented players. I also worked with Raidou, one of the crafting guild leaders, and was able to supply the entire raid with a full stack of group heal crystals... 5 for every frontliner. We also made sure we had feasts of every buff for every party. It was a success, but we'll need to keep pushing forward. When you feel up to fully diving back into everything, I just wanted to let you know, we'd welcome you with us."

"Good idea, Cal-kun!" The gaijin samurai said with a smile.

Baldur rushed up behind his kohai, sword in hand, and struck soundly at where the ultramarine knight had already done severe damage. Sparks flew wildly, and the chain seemed to cut, but the cut itself was too clean, and not large enough to let the link out. It would need to be bent just a little bit more before the soldier would be freed.

"Tsk." Baldur spat, annoyed. Just a little short again. Perhaps the orange girl had been right and they should have tried to kill Hel before she had a chance to activate her abilities. But they might have been just shy of enough damage there as well.

"We're almost there. Yuki-chan, get one of the soldiers free, I think you've got more than enough hate lead, and we can try to get the last one free if one of us procs a CC."

ID#191490 LD: 18

The scabby city of the dark elf settlement Kalanaes surrounded them, the dim darkness of the subterranean lit only by the glowing moss... and Baldur's welcoming smile at seeing his old friend again. He had once been hurt, harboring feelings of betrayal by Hirru over the scout's actions on this floor, but then Hirru had revealed what his situation was. He did, honestly, think he was saving a child in their confrontation with the dark council. That was something he could understand and respect. He had not understood the nature of this world as a game. And so, in the normally steel blue eyes of the gaijin samurai, he was forgiven.

And so the smile he bore was one of eternal optimism. It would not be hampered by Kayaba's mechanations of death, by furtive glances of would be dark elf assassins, or the whispers of the street. It was a bastion, a foundation to build on, and a lighthouse in the dark age.

"Hirru-san! It is so good to see you once again!" In spite of any protests Hirru might have tried to raise, Baldur pulled the Jade Hunter into a one armed hug, patting his back heavily and transferring the warmth that only old friends and comrades can impart.

"I am glad you reached out to me. I have wondered how you have been, and thought of you often, but I admit I was a bit embarrassed of how things fell off to be the first to reach out. But I am glad to see you up and out again." He let the man go and gestured with a nod down the street as the two began to walk.

"The 25th floor boss raid was certainly a tribulation. The scouting party almost didn't make it out, and it was almost more like a typical boss fight itself. But the floor boss himself fancied himself a god, and had the ability to chunk even the best of our tanks for quite a bit of health, but we had 4 full parties of frontliners. It was quite the site. Thankfully, though it was touch and go a few times, there were no casualties. We were the most prepared, most well buffed frontline assault in the history of the frontlines." Baldur seemed to swell with a bit of pride at that.

"Now, for what seems like the first time in a long time, we have unlocked another floor, and it seems a system update at that... though truth be told, nothing really changed for me."