Azide

Just as the battle had begun to wind down towards its inevitable conclusion, Azide rolled his eyes as the PumpKing's health immediately rebounded by over two hundred and fifty points immediately upon the conclusion of the Buccaneer's assault. Even more annoyingly, the feat was accomplished just as he'd drawn back his dagger. Whatever it was that was taking place here tonight, green glow or not, felt less 'spooky' and more 'irritating'. Already, he had waited two days just for the event to begin- waiting for God-knows-how-long for the overgrown gourd to regenerate in full was simply not on the table.

A light as red as wine consumed his weapon of choice as the system detected the intent of his movements and stance. Racing forward a short distance, Azide leapt into the air before descending upon the stubborn creature with a chain of downward, diagonal strikes. The creases in his brow were only darkened as he noticed that his attack had done less than he'd been expecting. 

"Looks like the King has just castled, as I have a sneaking suspicion that this thing's mitigation has increased to the neighborhood of forty or so." He turned to face Aincrad's most armored man- Tristan Delaney. "And I'm sure you're already aware of it, but we'll be needing another Howl now that the fight's managed to drag on for a few more rounds." The last thing they needed was for somebody to somehow [censored] a clutch death straight from the jaws of victory.

ID: 37674 | BD: 4 + 3 (Enhancements) = 7 (Hit)

<<Eternal Cyclone>> used (4x4)(10) = 160

160 - 40 (MIT) = 120 DMG

«HP»: 532/1300 (-120)
«Mitigation»: 40

(Enemy)
Calrex - Health: 120/189 Energy: 46/46 Hate: 3 (Safeguard)
Teayre - Health: 137/137 Energy: 33 Hate: 0
Ariel - Health: 145/145 Energy: 22/35 Hate: 1
Kalesh - Health: 82/92 Energy: 23/23 hate: 0
(Enemy)
Lowenthal - Health: 97/97 Energy: 23 Hate: 1
Ssendom - Health:170/130 Energy: 9 Hate: 3
Opal - Health:96/96 Energy:10 Hate: 1
Zelrius - Health:145/145 Energy: 12/35 Hate: 3
(Enemy)
Azide - Health:133/133 Energy:1/32 Hate: 2
Tristan - Health:110/136 Energy:34 Hate: 4
Rebekah - Health: Energy: 21 Hate: 2
Jomei - Health:97/97 Energy:17 Hate: 2

<<Galvanic Snapper>> [|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||] [|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||] 700/700 HP

10 Base Damage, Partial Phase (Will always deal at least 20 DMG), Paralysis Immunity (Does not apply to Stun)

The stillest waters run the deepest, or so the old saying goes. From somewhere far below the surface, the Galvanic Snapper emerges with a shriek for the ages, sending an army of shadows scurrying to the safety of the nighttime skies. The creature's colossal jaws creak open, revealing a mouth large enough to elicit a sudden interest in the size of one's watercraft...

Synergy mechanic: During each player's turn, each player's unmodified CD roll will be recorded. If the sum of these two rolls are greater than twelve (12), then the players have successfully managed to remain within range (WR) of the Galvanic Snapper. Otherwise, they are considered out of range (OOR) until the required total is reached. Whether the Galvanic Snapper is considered WR or OOR is determined during its own battle phase.

The Galvanic Snapper's attacks are determined by its position status (WR vs OOR):

Within Range
<<Seaside Whiplash>> (1x6) Multiplier
With a brutal lash of its serpentine tail, the beast slams a single target in a display of pinpoint precision.
*On a BD of 9 or 10, the Galvanic Snapper follows up by thrashing the boat, causing it to spin dizzily. The CD sum for at the end of the round is reduced to zero (0). 

Out of Range
<<Lightning Strike>> (2x1) Multiplier + AoE + Burn (4 DMG for 2 rounds)
The Galvanic Snapper propels itself forward, before turning around. It opens its mouth, making the air around it begin to crackle and spark. After a brief moment, creature discharges the buildup of energy in the form of two narrow arcs of electricity, which immediately ignite upon contact. 
*If either player is struck by the attack, then the boat is also set alight until the end of the round, reducing each player's CD roll that round by 1.

Enraged State:

If the Galvanic Snapper's health drops to 100 HP or below, it enters an enraged state. In this state, base damage is increased by three (3), the partial phase minimum is increased to twenty-five (25), and the creation's evasion is reduced to negative one (-1).

Galvanic Snapper Theme

---

A slight frown came to his lips as Calrex offered abrupt reassurance. "I appreciate the thought, but I'm not the least bit worried," said Azide, as he continued their steady row. It wasn't so much the insinuation of worry that irked him, but rather that the man had thought it to be the case in the first place. "We're among the strongest in Aincrad, between the two of us. There's hardly any reason for me to worry," he added. It'd been a long, long time since he'd stood helpless in that field- nearly dying to a mere boar. If it hadn't been for the intervention of one Arrekusu Separa, he probably wouldn't have made it far enough to be considering any of this. But these days, he was perfectly capable of looking after himself. It bothered him- that he'd been in any way obvious about his misgivings.

He nodded as the blue-haired man pointed out the change in inclination. By now, the water was running whiter with its newfound vigor, which seemed to only be increasing with every second that passed. Rushing water sprayed in a fine mist in his general direction as it splashed against the blade of his paddle, forcing him to wipe away the damp sheen with the back of his sleeve. As their vessel passed through the burning isles, he gawked at each of them in wonder. What had caused all of this?

The once-gentle breeze shifted from a whisper to a howl, and as he gazed up at the sky, he watched as the moon was swallowed up by angry, sullen clouds. The sky flashed once, nearly blinding him, if it hadn't been for the hand he'd thrown up to block the glaring light. By the time he lowered it, his eyes opened just in time to bare witness to an eruption of water roughly fifty meters ahead of them, followed by a clap of rolling thunder. Smoke bellowed into the air as flames broke out upon the water's surface, and a dart of his eyes revealed the drifting log which had been ignited a short distance from their own canoe. 

Azide glanced over his shoulder, finally catching sight of the monster behind it all. The system flashed a single message over the head of the enormous creature:

WARNING! 

---

ID: 37606 | CD: 1 | MD: 2 (Miss)

Party Info

Azide: 141/141 HP | 34/34 EN

Calrex: 193/193 HP | 47/47 EN

Enemy Info

Galvanic Snapper: 700/700 HP (OOR)

From out the woodwork, two additional creatures came jetting in to replace their fallen comrade, putting their numbers at a total of four. Azide smiled as his fingers clenched tighter around the handle of his dagger. If the Queen herself had not been intending to show before, then she almost certainly would after this. Admittedly, he felt a certain amount of regret, that Hikoru had not had many opportunities to prove himself here today. But at the same time, that sensation was not nearly as strong as his desire for efficiency- to get this over with at the very first opportunity. Ultimately, a promising player such as Hikoru would have plenty of time in the future to find his glory.

"Don't sweat it," said Azide. The nameless knife in his hand began to emanate crimson light as he shifted his grip to reverse. "I'll go ahead and finish up here, but I believe that Her Majesty just might appear soon enough. If my hunch has any merit, then do whatever you can to chip away at her health." He took a step forward, his eyes narrowing as they homed in on the hovering targets. "I'll be counting on you. But in the meantime, I think I'll start first by taking care of one that fellow that's been giving you the bug eye."

In a flash, Azide raced forward. Throwing two slashes in a single revolution, the steel of his blade tore through all four wasps without hesitation. 

ID: 37563 | BD: 8 (Hit) | LD: 9 (No loot)

<<Round Accel>> used (2x1)(7) = 14 DMG

Azide: 110/110 HP | 13/25 NRG (+1)(-4)
Hikoru: 44/44 HP | 12/12 NRG

Wind Wasp 2: -2/12
Wind Wasp 3: -2/12
Wind Wasp 4: -2/12
Wind Wasp 5: -2/12

The flickering flames danced across his retinas, and he reveled in the light they so graciously offered. But at the same time, he found the sight a mesmerizing one- it was difficult to look away. In a way, the hypnotic sensation reminded him of a certain named phenomena- the so called 'call of the void'. In his own case, such a phrase held meaning beyond its original intent, but was no less accurate because of it. With a plop, into the water went the flat of his paddle, followed by roughly a third of the rest of its length. With a dreamy nod, Azide went to work, and began to stroke on one side of the vessel with the expectation that the other player would mirror the action. "It's not something I'd expected to see tonight, to say the least," said Azide. He had to wonder, what was the reason behind this? They were, after all, in the middle of a river- and there had been no clap of thunder or bolt of lightning since he'd first set foot on the twelfth floor. It seemed entirely unlikely that a waterlogged island would spontaneously combust. "In any case, what the heck. I'm feeling up for some adventure tonight," he continued, as another push and pull of the paddle inched their boat further forward.

But if the smoke and the fire had not come from torches and candles alone, then his suspicions had not been simple paranoia after all. How many other times had his intuition been unjustly denied? It felt wrong, in a way, to leave himself to at the mercy of another's actions. For once, he had allowed himself to be guided by the judgement of another, reasoning that it would be both reckless and foolish to contest the man with both Reveal and Night Vision. But he could not deny that the whole experience left him feeling antsy, and even little anxious. It was only logical that he entrust something like this to Calrex- after all, navigation these conditions was more or less his niche. But even then...

As he looked out at the widening body of water, he took note of the ripples which raced away from the center, eventually dispersing somewhere beyond the limits of his vision.

Although he had, in fact, met Lowenthal, it'd be a stretch of the truth to claim that either of them knew very much in the way of anything about the other. For all he knew, the guildmaster of the Velvet Room was the leader of a small, but loyal bunch. On top of that, the man had once been an orange player, and was a fellow dagger wielder. But those things aside, he could not claim to know much about the man as a person. Still, from the tone that Ariel used in reference to him, he guessed that there must be some bitterness between them- or at the very least, on one side of the equation. In any case, he was not here to take sides when he himself had been absence for the entirety of the period in which they'd transpired.

"He has a certain presence about him, our Commander," spoke Azide. Thinking back, he could still remember his first impression of the man Heathcliff: strong, tall, imposing, and with a cool-running confidence. There had been no swagger in his step, or arrogant smirk upon his lips- all there had been was the undeniable air of a man equipped with an almost effortless control. Sporting a full suit of gleaming crimson, Commander Heathcliff had seemed almost invincible that day... "As soon as he steps into the room, it's hard to forget that he's there. It's different from almost anyone else I've ever met," he continued. Of those he'd encountered here in Aincrad, only Mari had possessed even a fraction of the man's aura; back there on the third floor, in the dark of night, the woman's orange cursor had been a humbling sight.

Straightening his jacket, he nodded once again. "I have full confidence that you'll get to meet him. However, the Commander is a very deliberate man, so I can't pretend to give you an estimate of when that day will come. But when it does, you'll be able to feel it coming." 

"In any case, it's all a bit reminiscent of more primitive times," he began, as he looked once more to the unknown structure. "No central power or authority to be found- outside of Kayaba himself. But other than that, we're closer to being a medieval society than the one we all came from. In a place like this, every decision is backed up by the strength of one's swing- and if not one's own prowess, than that of his brethren." It was by the sword that people like Mari had become so influential- at least, back when the pink-haired woman had been around. And this was by no means a recent trend; he could trace this line of work back to the days of the infamous Argumail, and his Crimson Inquisition. The man had been mad, but when the price of resistance was the hanging threat of la guillotine, his ambitions had largely withstood the will of those unable to fight back. It was only by the hand of Mari that the tyranny of Argumail was finally brought to an end. Not by some higher power had the madman fallen, but the blade of another player.

As the lighting conditions improved, Azide darted his eyes all around the dimly lit structure. "It's a mangrove," he said simply, as his eyes traced the twisted tangle of roots. In the soft light, he could now see that the section he'd hit with his paddle had been one of the many trunks which snaked their way skyward, culminating in a dense canopy which hung overhead the pseudo-island. "They're really quite a beautiful sight, don't you think?" he asked, continuing to stare at the midwater huddle of trees.

Again, he detected the acrid scent of smoke, which this time around had lost all pretense of subtlety. He turned, wondering if the air itself had been set alight, and his eyes widened as they caught sight of something in the horizon. Perhaps he was simply out of it due to the lateness of the night, but for one reason or another, he had not questioned the sudden shift in lightning which had taken place moments before. There, in the distance- clusters of flames burned from atop still waters. Upon closer inspection, he gleamed that each of these sites consisted of mangroves set aflame. In the darkness, the fires raged, holding back the tide of darkness.

Topic Complete

+200 col to Azide and Calrex

+1 SP to Azide and Calrex

Although he'd suspected as much, hearing the words straight from the man's lips still made his heart sink just a touch lower in his chest. "This is probably about the time that I should tell you I can't swim," Azide conceded, as he rubbed the back of his neck. He folded his arms across his chest and cleared his throat, before tucking the hand away. "It's not that I don't know how to swim- I've done plenty of reading on the subject, mind you. I'm just lacking in hands-on experience is all." He took a slow, deep breath through his nostrils, before breathing out slowly through his mouth. Once, he'd even written a physics paper on the mechanics behind swimming, as a sort of biological benchmark to which he could compare artificial methods of water propulsion. So it was safe to say that he'd seen all of the charts and diagrams, and was more than familiar with the techniques employed. But theoretical understanding didn't always translate into practical application...

Topic Complete

+1075 col to Azide and Opal [(400 + 1750)/2]

+4 SP to Azide and Opal

+1 material to Azide

+1 Dagger of Sands (+2 DMG/+1 BLD) to Azide

Azide sheathed his dagger, which had since lost the red luster that had previously engulfed the length of its razor-edged steel. The time for its use had to come to an end, if only for today. It was at moments like this that he could fully appreciate the game's distinct lack of blood- laundering his clothes and polishing his weapon were not among the first things he'd like to do after spending the better part of his morning in the desert. Regardless, with the knife safely tucked away, he removed his hand from its vicinity and allowed the ends of his coat to fall back into place. 

His eyes were drawn upward by a distinct ping, and he found himself greeted by a newly appeared window, which he promptly dragged down to a more comfortable position. Skimming over the notification, as well as the brief note of congratulations, he soon held within his hands the item which had been granted to him. "The Dagger of Sands..." observed Azide, as he turned the blade over. It was no Chemikaze, but the distribution of its enhancements allowed for a tangible degree of usability, no matter how niche. Touching his finger to the tip, he tapped against it ever so lightly. "It's been a long time since I've used made use of the bleed enhancement," he said, thinking aloud more than anything. Nonetheless, he sent the haul to the depths of his inventory, and turned to the woman in red and white.

"They're pretty much the Napoleons of the weapon world," remarked Azide, sporting the usual wryness in his smile. His hands slid down the sides of his jacket, seemingly of their own accord, before slipping snugly into his pockets. He closed his eyes as a breeze came rolling past the crumbling walls of the makeshift arena, and to be frank, he'd fully expected it to carry both grit and frustration. But he was pleasantly surprised to find this wind a soothing one, which swept away the building heat from his crown, and made his coat flutter and wave. As the moment came to an end, he weaved a single hand up through his hair, smoothing back the now-wilder locks. He returned the hand to its pocket, and nodded at woman's sentiments. "I think it's about time we took our leave of this place."

And just like that, they were off.

With a clean slice of her sword, Opal contributed another mark to the Butcher's growing collection which spanned across the creature's battered chest. Both he and Opal had managed to avoid the Sando Satsu's first attack sheerly through outmaneuvering the lumbering giant, but it had been through calculated intention that they had incapacitated the beast and avoided its mild wrath for a second time. Mild, in that it would take three rounds of incredibly bad luck for the creature to down even one of them- and that particular scenario was an exceedingly unlikely one, to say the least.

By now, the Sando Satsu was quickly on its last legs. As he'd estimated, the field boss had been dropped to a measly eighty of its original three hundred and fifty total health points. Considering how no noticeable change in the creature's behavior had come about, he gathered that the true threshold must lay somewhere within the range he'd referenced earlier. With how cleanly the numbers tended to work out in this game, it seemed questionable to entertain the idea that the true value was anything other than sixty or seventy. But by taking the average of the original set, he guessed that the answer was likely to be the latter.

But whatever the case, he was not here to gather data. If he had to destroy the Sando Satsu without satisfying his vague curiosity, then that was a price he would be willing to pay. Chemikaze inherited the same blood red aura as it always had, and from there, he knew that their time with the monster was quickly coming to a close. With a burst of movement, Azide had closed the distance between himself and the giant to nil. The dagger pulsed a total of nine times- once for every slash which had been thrown in those tumultuous few seconds. By the end of it, the behemoth gave a final screech, before toppling face-forward. It shattered soon thereafter, leaving behind a generous amount of col, along with a fragment of its hardened skin.

---

ID: 37427
BD: 10 (Crit +2)

LD: 17 (Loot acquired; Is a quest field boss, mitigation requirement bypassed)

<<Accel Raid>> used (9x1) [10 + 2 (BD 10)] = 108

108 - 20 MIT = 88 DMG

Opals HP: 100/100  | Energy: 10/25 

Azide HP: 133/133 | Energy: 8/32 (+1)(-9)

Sando Satsu: -8/350 HP, 20 Mit, 40 DMG [Dead]

+1 mat to Azide

+1750 col to party

"Just enough obviousness keeps things simple," Azide answered, showing a hint of a smile as his expression softened. On some level, he could see where she had come from. The Knights of the Blood had never been the first place that he had turned to- rather, it was a destination he'd arrived at only after eliminating all other factors. He had met both Mack of the Crimson Blades, as well as Lowenthal of the Velvet Room. In fact, he had even gathered information on both as they'd engaged in combat- but neither one had ultimately been quite impressive enough to him over. A pair of good and upstanding men, yes, but they had not inspired within him the direction which he had been seeking.

For a moment, he simply looked the woman in the eye. It was funny, that her reasons were so familiar- almost as if she had recorded his very own explanation when he had first declared it. "People like you, me and Opal?" he began. "We're all birds of a feather." He nodded slowly, recalling the words he had spoken to Opal. "From the very first moment I returned, I knew that I could never in good conscious join the ranks of the Velvet Room, or even the Crimson Blades." He'd neglected to mention the Azure Brigade, albeit the decision had been a conscious one. A bunch of elitists- that was what they truly were. Never would he forget the way they had turned their backs on the rest of the front-liners on the eve of their confrontation with Yamato. Azure reminded him far too much of certain figures he had felt immense disdain for back on the other side; he would never join their ranks, even if they were to ask really really nicely and give him a bouquet of flowers and perhaps a box of chocolates. Even if those chocolates were both dark and Swiss, he would probably still say no.

"Between guilds like that, and the idea of rebuilding Square One from the ground up, I wanted no part of either. If there's anything I've learned from my own hiatus, it's that everything in this world has a habit of falling, given enough time." In those five months alone, the Guardians of Aincrad had both risen and fallen, Azure had fallen and then risen, and the Crimson Blades had skyrocketed to the forefront of relevance before sputtering out entirely. Oikawa, X, Xanatos, Crozeph and more- all had seemingly vanished. Everything changed, and he could not say that the knowledge comforted him. "But Commander Heathcliff has always been here, both before and during my time at the front-lines, and should the worst happen, I have no doubts that he'll continue to be here even afterward. There's a certain sort of peace that comes with the realization that everything you've worked for won't simply come crashing down at the drop of a hat."

It was with a bang, rather than a whimper, that they stormed the arena. Like a bolt of lightning, Opal descended upon the Sando Satsu with a blinding vengeance, leaving the Butcher standing deaf and dumb. Though Opal herself quickly affirmed what she had accomplished, Azide had already taken off by the time the last of the words had left the young lady's lips. Like the color of the woman's lips, the dagger clutched between his fingers flashed a ruby red as he hurled himself at the hulking reptilian. This was a quest which had been a long time in the making; today, thanks to their combined efforts, he would finally be able to check it off of his list.

Again and again, boots struck the sand in a rapid staccato succession as the young man blazed a trail straight to his target. Atop the fine grains of the desert, he appeared to be almost skating as if the ground were the clearest sheet of ice. As his acceleration reached its peak, Azide shot into the air for a brief moment, before driving the glowing blade straight into the body of the beast- in its petrified state, it seemed more suited for a job as a statue than as a boss.

Chemikaze plunged deeper into the creature's flesh, having pierced its armored skin as easily as if it were the ripened insides of an avocado. With a twist of his body, Azide spun himself clockwise, leaving the Sando Satsu with a trailing wound. Just as easily as it had entered, the dagger was torn back out from the Butcher, leaving him free to continue the onslaught. His hands guided by the instruction of CARDINAL, Azide slashed another three times in just as many revolutions, before falling back to the ground. Sharp eyes darted up to confirm the creature's health- a very workable one hundred and sixteen. 

"You're up again, Opal!" he shouted. If he wished, he could tip the woman off to what he had learned- that the Sando Satsu had been reported to undergo a shift in its characteristics somewhere between sixty and eighty points of health. But it wouldn't matter either way, for the Sando Satsu would be unable to launch even a single counter attack, and so he held his tongue.

ID: 37380
BD: 8 (Hit)

<<Eternal Cyclone>> used = (4x4) [10 + 3 (Charge R3)] = 208

208 - 20 MIT = 188 DMG

Opal HP: 100/100 | Energy: 16/25

Azide HP: 133/133 | Energy: 16/32 (-16)

Sando Satsu: 116/350 HP, 20 Mit, 40 DMG [Stunned]

Azide nodded at the girl's subtle reprimand. "I don't mean to imply that she isn't. I've probably never mentioned it, but the Guardians of Aincrad are the only other guild I've ever seriously considered joining. And I'm sure that you can figure out the other through the process of elimination." But regardless of whether or not players such as Lessa, Mari and Oikawa were mentioned with a past tense or a present one, it didn't change the fact that all three were currently out of the picture. Even if they were all out there somewhere at this very moment, they had become old news the moment they'd chosen to step away from all which they'd once embraced. If they wished to become current, they would have to step up, and earn it. But until then, he had no time to play games with those unwilling to play them.

The young lady unequipped her cloak, and scratched lightly at his head, while his eyes remained placid throughout. He could either drag out the exchange with a few playful or snappy remarks, or he could cut right to the chase. Seeing as how he'd met his quota for the former within the first few minutes of their meeting, he leaned towards the latter. Remaining seated, he asked the young lady, "What is it that makes you wish to join the Knights of the Blood, Ariel?"

So where was a man like him to go from here? He had neither the taste, nor the appetite to join either the Crimson Blades, nor the Velvet Room. Though the leaders of both had been made known to him, he knew himself too well to entertain the idea of swearing himself to their judgements. They were a pair of perfectly upstanding guys, Mack and Lowenthal. But at the same time, he had no interest in hopping aboard trains which were inevitably destined to either crash or peter out. Perhaps if Lessa had still been around, he might've resigned himself to a quieter life, serving a quieter life as a well-intentioned Guardian. After all, he had already gotten his day in the sun. But Lessa was not around, and so he ended the thought there and then.

In hindsight, the answer to that was rather simple: he could not bring himself to deny such a blatant truth. All that he did, and all that he had done- at least in the context of this past month- it had all been done in the name of his own stupid pride and ego. Down to the last skill point, he knew that none of it had been for the purposes furthering the clearing efforts as a whole. With every day that passed, the idea of actually clearing all one hundred floors of this damned place seemed more and more like a pipe dream than an outcome to actually expect and prepare for. No longer was he the leader of Square One- a noble organization which had so desperately worked towards bettering their ranks. Everything that he had once worked for had all been for nought in the end.

"If anything, I feel as if I've somehow only become more businesslike," offered Azide, with a sigh. As recently as just a handful of months ago, the idea of donning a uniform alone would've been unthinkable to him, and yet here he was now. Though his disposition towards green had not wavered in the least bit, he had to admit that the red and the white had grown on him with time. Appearances hadn't been the end of it either- the changes had not been limited only to his wardrobe. His newer garbs were but a symptom of a realization which had been long in the making.

He listened intently as the blonde-haired girl carried on, and he raised a brow at her mention of spending time on the tenth floor. This was news to him- the floor of constant darkness was precisely the very same one in which he'd wandered aimlessly for a long five months. But never in all of that time had he run across Ariel, nor the furry white creature that always seemed to accompany her. Still, he passed on commenting for the time being, and allowed her to continue. 

When her tale had been made known, or at least the aspects which she had deemed relevant, Azide gave a nod of his head. "Lessa was a good woman, and someone I've always held the utmost respect for- even though the interactions we shared were regrettably brief." His eyes shifted to catch a glimpse of the blue wings which hung by the girl's name. "But as far as I can tell, both Lessa and the Guardians have gone dormant on us for a second time. Am I correct in saying this?"

1) Yes, all items aside from crystals are used in place of any combat actions, or even equipment switching.

2) Yes

3) Yes, like-items are currently allowed unlimited stacks. i.e., having 20,000 perfect health crystals in one slot

4) Yes

6) Only one item may be eaten per turn, but I believe fisherman bonuses are usually prepared by a cooperating cook (acting as bonus enhancements to whatever the cook prepares with the enhanced ingredients)

Azide shook his head as he rose from the rock. Even just the simple act of standing made it feel as if the whole world was spinning beneath his feet- but it was pointless to stick around out here any longer. Besides, he could still hear them here... But even still, he forced himself to look up at Calrex and Rebekah, in spite of the dazed look that was almost certainly dulling his own two eyes. "I'm fine- and besides, there'll be plenty of time for me to rest up after I've gone home to a proper bed," said the young man. In all fairness, he supposed that a 'proper bed' was something absent from even the shop which doubled as a makeshift home, unless one counted a mat on the floor in the backroom. Still, it would be nice to have a blanket again, or even just a few pillows.

"By the way," he began. For one reason or another, he couldn't shake a certain nagging feeling. He figured that he should've been joyous- elated beyond all imagination. Hadn't he spent a whole five months wandering blindly through the darkness? And now here he was, about to finally return home. "I'm not sure if either of you were fully aware of this, but your eyesight never quite adapts to the darkness in this world. At least, not to the level that it might back in our own. You can consider me a firsthand witness in that regard," added Azide. All things considered, he felt as if he should at least be, at the most basic level, happy. So why was he not? He shrugged, as his lips twitched to form a bitter smile. "So if you ever get the bright idea to take an extended vacation to this place, then I have only a single piece of advice to offer: don't."

Noticing that they'd drifted uncomfortably close to one side of the boardwalk, Azide reached out to push off from the wooden structure using the blade of his paddle. But as the flat of the oar met a tangled wooden mess, he couldn't help but lean over the edge to get a closer look; either his eyes deceived him, or this was no pier at all. Out of a sense of curiosity, he ran the end of his paddle across the gnarled structures which seemed to weave in and out of each other at will. It twisted and turned, showing no concern for achieving any sort of discernible pattern. And if this was not the pier, then just how wide had their little river opened up? He glanced over to the opposite side, but could see absolutely nothing of use- all he could say was that the left bank showed no signs of candle light or otherwise.

He turned to Calrex, who seemed to be nodding at him; it was difficult to tell based on sight alone, but it helped that their conversation provided much-appreciated context. "Blue is probably more of your color, if you ask me," Azide quipped, as he prodded at the matted mass. Whatever this was, it seemed to straighten out somewhat the higher up one travelled. Curiously, he noted that the structure seemed to be obscuring a considerable amount of the moonlit sky above and around it, like some sort of large umbrella. He stared at the shadowed shapes and bunches that hung over them like corporeal clouds. "And as for the issue of good and bad? I'm willing to look past motivations, as long as the actions that accompany them continue to speak for themselves. After all, at the end of the day, I'm not here to play judge or the preacher- I'm just another guy trying to do his part in clearing this castle."

Pausing for a moment, Azide gave the length of the rising structure a firm thwack with the flat of his oar. Feeling the vibrations travel through his very bones, he plopped the pole down across the boat and wrung out his hands and arms. It was definitely quite solid, whatever this was. Again, he peered around. "By any chance, do you think it's possible that we've left Lazaro?"

"Sort of funny how that works, isn't it?" asked Azide, as he gazed out over the sides of the boat. It was dark, as usual. But he swore that he could make out even less of the riverside houses now than before; admittedly, the number had been a meager one to begin with, but the sight of those primitive huts was growing increasingly fewer as they continued their course. It seemed as if more and more time was passing by between his occasional sightings of the humble lodgings, although rationally, it seemed important to keep in mind the context of his observations. After all, his data was quite limited due to an inability to see either clearly even a few feet in front of his face, let alone from a distance. It was entirely possible that some of these houses were simply located too far from the river's edge for him to see. But then again, he felt as if it should still be possible to catch the warm glow of fire from those window-bound candles...

If there were something else he could admit, it would probably have to be that he had not avoided Calrex's eyes sheerly out of a desire to look at a bunch of darkness. But even that was not the sort of thing he would admit freely, and so, he continued to stare out into obscurity. "First, things got in the way of life," he started, in reference to the incident which had trapped them all inside this virtual world. "Then, just when we've become accustomed to this newer life, things just keep getting in the way again." He dipped the tip of a finger to the water's surface, letting it trail against the slow-moving current. Two steps forward, and three steps back. Lifting his hand away from the rippled surface, he finally looked back to Calrex. "Honestly, I had no idea that a wedding was actually in the works. But for it's worth, you can bet that I'll be there- and not just for the possible skill points either."

Taking into account the other player's subtle adjustments, Azide did what he could to help guide their canoe safely through the waters, although each stroke felt more like a wild guess due to the lacking visibility of the surrounding area. "The way I see it, people are nothing more than a combination of their nature and their history." A stroke of his oar tilted the bow of their craft slightly too far to the left. "And I think we can both agree that we're a pair of level-headed, upstanding lads." With another stroke, just the opposite happened- he'd overcompensated. "But at the same time, if we were given an adequate push, I think it's safe to say that we could just as easily veer into the deep end." With a final stroke of his paddle, their trajectory was righted to his satisfaction, and he removed the instrument from the water. "So in the same way that we're all just a few misfortunes away from lawlessness, I believe that people are very much capable of bettering themselves. All it takes is a nudge in the right direction."

He noticed the young man taking another steady inhalation, and he smiled an easy smile.

It would be a long road for all of them, when this whole incident blew over; the day they stepped back out into the real world was the day that they would have to come to grips with the reality of what had taken place within the world of Aincrad. Hopes of Noctis making a miraculous reappearance had diminished significantly when their expedition into the caverns had been abruptly aborted, notably without finding even a single trace of their black-garbed friend. After that day, even Xanatos had vanished, and he wondered if perhaps their disappearances had been related. Had the self-proclaimed Squire of Minos perhaps ventured alone back into the underground cavern of the King's usurper? Or perhaps the musician had gone mad with guilt at the player's presumed casualty, having organized the exploration in the first place. But it was not his fault...

After all of that, a deep breath had been the least of what Azide had needed. So while he held no illusions that Hikoru had moved on from his troubles at the drop of a hat, seeing a boost to the young man's composure was a reassuring sign. Aincrad would not be kind to those who broke down within its walls; all they could do was drive deeper into its depths, all for the hope of someday peering out from the highest tower. Only then would they receive closure on the conditions of those they had lost.

Feeling a tap on his shoulder, Azide snapped out of his daze and spun around as a new group of wasps revealed themselves from amidst the brambles. "Do what you can to the one on the far left," began Azide, as he shifted his stance. He shot a glance to the dark-haired boy, and flexed his fingers around the grip of his knife. "You can leave the other two to me." He took a brief pause as his eyes darted left and right. "I have a feeling that the Queen won't be too happy to lose another three of her drones." 

Racing forward, Azide swung his blade twice, slashing the wasp twice consecutively across its midsection. The creature exploded in a shower of fragmented data, sending bluish particulars flying into the air in a manner reminiscent of fluttering dandelion seeds.

---

ID: 37226 | BD: 2 + 3 (Enhancements) + 1 (Concentration) = 6 (Hit) | MD: 7 - 3 = 4 (Miss) | LD: 14 (No materials found)

<<Side Bite>> used (2x1)(7) = 14 DMG 

Azide: 110/110 HP | 16/25 NRG (+1)(-2)
Hikoru: 44/44 HP | 12/12 NRG

Wind Wasp 1: -2/12 HP (-14)

Wind Wasp 2: 12/12 HP

Wind Wasp 3: 12/12 HP

Again, the fuzzy white feline known as Kimba, seemed to throw caution to the wind as she slinked right up to his legs. Thankfully, the creature seemed to show no intent on licking any exposed parts of his limbs today, apparently choosing instead to present him with one of her paws. At a loss for what to do otherwise, Azide gave the familiar a half-hearted pat on the head, and found himself struggling to recall whether it was dogs or cats that preferred that sort of gesture. Taking a step back, he gave an obligatory chuckle at her reference to his relatively recent ascension to knighthood- in a manner of speaking. "I'll be honest, I'd rather you left the whole knight shtick to Calrex. He seems to embrace it rather readily," he began, scratching lightly against his cheek. Despite the obligation of his laugh, his smile held no less truth at that moment than at any other given time. It would be a stretch to say that he considered himself and Ariel to be 'close' per-say, but he could not deny that they were quite familiar with each other, at least on a relative scale. With the loss of so many old acquaintances and allies, he could not help but smile knowing that at least some subset of Aincrad did not intend to fade away just yet. The continued existence of people like Ariel represented stability, and that in itself was something he could believe in.

From his face, he moved his hand to brush aside stray strands which had shifted to his eyes. "Back in my green days?" he asked. An upward glance brought into view the green cursor which hovered constantly above his head. "As far as I can tell, I haven't gone orange just yet," Azide remarked. He let his gaze fall back to meet that of Ariel's, knowing very well what the young lady had meant. Taking a few paces to his right, he took a seat atop the lip of some concrete structure, and rocked his neck to the left, then the right. "But all jokes aside, you have my full attention."

Seeing the strenuous effort required for the woman to down the dried protein, Azide waved his hand a single time to dismiss her offer, but followed the gesture with a nod and a smile. "I've actually only just eaten before I left," said Azide, in an arguable stretching of the truth. In reality, he simply did not find the idea of chewing on dry food and salted food while walking around in the desert to be a particularly appealing one- let alone chewing on wolf jerky. Wouldn't that be similar to eating dog? Perhaps that sort of thing flew with certain cultures and peoples, but canis was not a genus which he wished to know the taste of. "But once again, I'm glad to see you so prepared. You could say that I've been slacking off lately with that sort of business- aside from the usual research itself." While the young lady chewed away, he paused to summon a bottle of water from the depths of his inventory, and unscrewed the top before gulping down another generous portion. 

There had been a time when he had once worked day and night producing all sorts of alchemical curiosities, laboring away in his lab in order to fill an ever-increasing self-imposed quota of crystals and potions. It had been a different time- back when the possibility of being one-shotted by even a boss monster was nigh-unthinkable upon reaching a certain level threshold. But now, it seemed more likely than not that tanks would survive with little intervention, and that those who fell short of the highest level of mitigation would be dealt grievous injuries from even a single unplanned hit. Health crystals were an outdated invention nowadays- it seemed as if alchemy's only remaining uses were in damage boosting, along with the invaluable enhancement of safeguard. But the drive which had once kept him pushing forward belonged to a time since past. Was it selfish? To pass on the burden to a newer generation of craftsman? He had no illusions that the answer was anything other than an affirmation, and yet, it was difficult to keep a train moving after it had run out of steam.

Gone were the days of a full-speed throttle. But he inched ever forward, if only at his own pace, on nothing more than a will and a dream.

Once more, the shifting sands settled in the distance, and the vortex of unchecked winds dissipated until it was nothing more than a soft whisper flowing through his ears. Where the winds and the sands had raged furiously, a new arrangement now stood proudly, with no architect in sight. As his eyes beheld the ring of enormous, embedded spears, he noted that the builder could only be none other than CARDINAL itself. There was no question that this was what they had come for.

"I want you to remember that you are in no danger today, Opal," he spoke, in a calm and level voice. He carried on in closing the distance between themselves and the newly revealed arena, but turned to look at the woman beside him. "Know that this is a battle I've studied with quite a bit of depth and introspection. The Sando Satsu is an erratic foe, showing an unprecedented disregard for the normal conventions. Our mitigation and evasion are irrelevant against a creature like him- nor does he seem to be affected in any way by hate." He shifted his eyes back to the structure ahead. "But none of that will matter, as you'll come to find."