Takao

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Gemini

Takao struggled against the might of Gemini, who in turned struggled against the might of Takao. Their blades rattled against one another as the stalemate continued, neither of the two wanting to risk breaking the stalemate. Takao didn't want to take damage, knowing full well how much he could deal to himself. Gemini knew that one more hit would be his last. Thus, they were at an impasse. Takao's eyes darted to his opponent's health bar, then looked himself in the eyes.

“One more hit and it's over!†Takao struggled out through clenched teeth, forcing himself to smile. “No shame in surrender, y'know!â€

The NPC hissed something about seeing the duel to the end, which turned Takao's smile to a frown. Even if it was just a non-player character, a collection of programming, it still felt too real. He was fighting himself; they shared an appearance and battle strategies. Maybe not personalities, for Takao would have yielded and given the loss to the NPC had their roles been switched, but still similar enough for the situation to be disturbing.

Gemini broke the stalemate and jumped back, charging the same sword art he'd tried earlier. “Don't do it, man! I'm serious!†Takao warned, but his doppelganger either didn't hear him or didn't care to respond. The blade glowed green and he sprinted forward. His feet left the ground and his left leg began to swing, but before he could complete the rotation, a gash appeared in his midsection. Takao stepped out of the way and allowed the NPC to fall with wide eyes. As his body hit the ground, it exploded and disappeared into nothingness. Takao stared on for a minute, his eyes holding a withering expression.

Is that what I'd look like if I died?

»ID: [23267]

»BD: [7]

»MD: [1 - 1 = 0]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 14/17]]

«Gemini»

» [[HP : 0/17]]

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Gemini

Takao moved behind a tree just as Gemini's strike would hit him. Utilizing his environment was a new tactic he'd been employing lately, luring enemies into disadvantageous situations made the process of defeating them much more pleasant for Takao. His opponent had little problem with prying his blade free of the jungle geomtry, but wasn't fast enough to prevent Takao's blade from sinking deep into his shoulder. It sliced clean through his torso before leaving at the bottom of his stomach. A nice chunk of health was depleted from the NPC's bar as a result.

Gemini grunted in Takao's voice, a factor of the battle that still disturbed him deeply. “Come on, me! You're better than this!†Takao provoked his doppelganger, an uneasy smile settled on his face. This duel wouldn't end up being a double edged sword, right? He wasn't actually killing himself, was he?

There wasn't enough time for Takao to mull over the thought as Gemini's sword swung toward him. He raised his sword and blocked the blade with his own. The two entered a stalemate, neither of their parameters allowing them the advantage. They were equal in might, but it didn't seem that the same could be said about skill.

»ID: [23266]

»BD: [6]

»MD: [5 - 1 = 4]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 14/17]]

«Gemini»

» [[HP : 3/17]]

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Gemini

Gemini finished charging Takao's sword art and sprinted forward. Takao raised his blade and smiled. Using his own tricks against him wouldn't work if he recognized them right off the bat, and Gemini was sending himself straight into a set course. A course that would lead to his defeat!

Gemini leapt into the air and kicked his left leg around to send his body into a spin. His right arm came around, carrying with it his blade. It snapped forward on a crash course for Takao's head, but a sharp hiss of metal clashing together with metal interrupted him. Takao batted the blade away and opened Gemini up for a clear shot in the air. He spun on his heel and swung the true edge of his sword for his opponent's exposed torso. The blade caught, sliced through, and Takao leapt back away to reduce the chances of backlash.

“If I beat myself this easy, does that mean that I'm good or terrible..?†Takao shook the thought from his head and looked to Gemini's health bar as he slowly climbed back to his feet. Just a little more.

»ID: [23265]

»BD: [7]

»MD: [4 - 1 = 3]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 14/17]]

«Gemini»

» [[HP : 6/17]]

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Gemini

“I picked a fight with the wrong me!†Takao yelled out to his doppelganger. The two clashed again, their blades singing with shrill tones of clanging metal throughout the dense jungle. It wasn't the best place to be fighting, but there wasn't any time to be having regrets now. Gemini sent a low strike that Takao parried to the side, opening his opponent's defenses. He lunged forward and sent a slash into the stomach of Gemini. When his boots hit the jungle floor, he spun to face him again, and smiled when he watched the health drop.

Alright, so I'm fighting myself then. He doesn't seem to have my gear though, so I don't think he has the same bonuses... Takao glanced to his health in the top left. Gemini's earlier strike had dealt less damage than Takao's own. His damage is about in line with my own... his health too. He must have identical stats.

His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar humming sound, followed by a green light engulfing Gemini's blade as he raised it behind his head. Takao's eyes narrowed. Same sword arts too. This shouldn't be too hard, after all, the person who knows me best is me!

“Aww hell no! Using my own business against me? I am so going down! E-er... and by me, I mean you!â€

»ID: [23264]

»BD: [9] (+1 critical damage)

»MD: [5 - 1 = 4]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 14/17]]

«Gemini»

» [[HP : 9/17]]

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Gemini

Takao landed swiftly behind Gemini. He spun, not wanting to give his opponent the opportunity to strike him in response. The NPC spun around on his heel and Takao raised his sword for another strike. He intended to be on the offensive for the duration of the fight, to force his opponent to sacrifice any opportunities to inflict damage in favour of defending himself. But Takao was stunned momentarily when the hood of the cloak, the latter being damaged from his strike just seconds earlier, flipped up from the sudden turn.

His own face stared at him, mouth curled into a wicked smile. Takao's eyes widened in realization, only snapping out of the shocked trance when he felt a sharp sting of pain course through his midsection. His immediate response was to place distance between the two, then assess the cause of the pain. He jumped back and glanced down, frowning at the gash in his stomach. Something was telling him that this wasn't an ordinary duel.

»ID: [23263]

»BD: [2]

»MD: [7 - 1 = 6]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 14/17]]

«Gemini»

» [[HP : 13/17]]

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Gemini

… 3 …

… 2 …

… 1 …

START

Takao reacted first after the counter stopped. He raised his blade and placed it behind his back, the blade glowing green and humming lowly. Takao was the first to move, but the NPC charged shortly after, his own sword raised. The distance between them was closed rather quickly since they seemed to be about the same in terms of speed. His challenger swung first, but was unfortunate enough to miss. Though it would have been more accurate to say that his swung had been evaded. Takao dropped down and slid against the earth, his boots quickly slowing him down to a stop just as the sword swung over him.

His legs tensed and he pushed off with his left leg. He pulled his right arm forward and, since he was now behind the NPC, had little issue with slicing straight up its back. Takao imagined the smile his challenger was wearing a moment ago had faded as he watched the health deplete slightly. Watching the amount of damage he did gave him a good idea of how much health he had; it seemed to be about in line with his own.

»ID: [23262]

»BD: [9] (+1 critical damage)

»MD: [2 - 1 = 1]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 17/17]]

«Gemini»

» [[HP : 13/17]]

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. The prompt was something he'd never seen, as nobody had challenged him to a duel. Had the system realized that, with his level, he might be getting duel requests soon? That would explain the NPC showing up so suddenly – it could be a tutorial.

“Well, y'know, loot isn't the best thing to tempt me with. But this could be fun! Let's give it a go!†Takao pressed the circular icon labeled “Accept†and watched the menu fade away. Between them, a larger menu appeared.

DUEL

CHALLENGER «VS» TAKAO

Beneath the text, numbers began to count down. He watched the cloaked NPC draw a blade from beneath the fabric and narrowed his eyes. It looked like a normal sword, nothing special about it, but that was to be expected from a tutorial.

If only Takao knew what he'd gotten himself into.

He drew his own blade and widened his stance. The Impravidor was spun in his grip once, testing the balance, before being poised and ready to strike the NPC.

… 6 …

… 5 …

… 4 …

The sun was far along in its never ending journey from one side of the horizon to the next. The skies, once clear and blue earlier in the day, had turned to bright mixtures of blue, orange, and purple as the last rays of light fell upon Aincrad. Takao pulled his blade free of the Kobold he'd just slain and watched it erupt into shards of light. He gave the menu a quick glance over before clearing it from his view and swiping his sword through the air in a flashy movement. He placed the tip of the blade at the mouth of the scabbard on his back and slid it inside, then dusted off his new coat.

“Sucks I can't keep it on my side anymore... But it's much more manageable on my back now. Plus it looks cool!†He glanced over his shoulder, grinning wide at the blade. His grin slowly faded as he noticed somebody standing behind him. His eyes darted to the symbol hovering above their head. An NPC?

He turned and placed his right hand on his hip as the NPC approached him. A black cloak shrouded him in his entirety, which put an odd feeling in Takao's stomach, but he suppressed it. Wearing a cloak was no reason to just judge somebody outright!

«Evening, Player. Might I interest you in a friendly duel?»

The NPC's voice sounded strangely familiar. Takao knew he'd heard it before. Maybe the NPC was in a town before and he hadn't noticed it? He glanced down at the prompt that appeared and read it off.

« Â«CHALLENGER» wishes to duel! Do you accept? Â»

One of Takao's expressive eyebrows quirked upward effortlessly as he looked back up at the NPC. He could see a hint of a smile beneath the shadows of his hood. His hand hovered over the accept button, but he hesitated.

«If you win, I'll reward you handsomely. Beyond your wildest dreams!»

Man did that voice sound familiar.

Takao was careful about everything he touched when he'd found something that interested him. He'd usually only hold it for a few fleeting seconds before setting it down. He really didn't want to go breaking something, or worse, accidentally using them. Causing trouble wasn't something that he usually did, but with how clumsy he'd been lately while fighting, he wasn't exactly going to take any chances. His ears twitched slightly as he listened to the conversation behind him, not paying much mind to what was said beyond acknowledging the fact that the two were speaking.

He picked up a peculiar looking item and examined it, though he couldn't see well in the slight darkness. When he heard a set of footsteps approach, he cocked his head to the side, noticing Mari once she urged his hands toward the light. “Huh?†His momentary confusion faded quickly, and he obliged her motion, raising the object to the light. “Whoa, check that out!†His emerald eyes looked in awe at the item, a broad smile forming on his face.

“This is awesome! What's it do?†He asked, his words lined with a curious tone as he looked aside to Mari.

The corner of his pursed mouth pulled to one side when he noticed her raised eyebrow. He didn't have any doubts that it was an unusual question, most people preferred to keep their offline lives private. It was a perfectly acceptable decision that Takao had no problem with, but getting to know a person on a personal level was just one of his preferred methods of interaction. After all, people could only bond so much over numbers and statistics. The nostalgic look on her face reassured him that he hadn't pressed a matter he shouldn't have.

“Michigan, hm...†His jaw set as he tried to remember where exactly Michigan was on a map. He'd never really paid too much attention to Geography. “You know, you're right actually. You're the first American I've met so far.†He was rather surprised that she had managed to get a bootleg copy of the game, but with how big of a milestone Sword Art Online was in the world of gaming, the surprise didn't last for very long. “Three brothers, huh? I bet that must be tough.†Despite being the younger sibling of his family, he recalled the unrelenting goading his sister had been subjected to by his own doing.

“You're a teacher then? That's cool! I mean, I have to admit that history isn't really one of my favourite subjects, but still.†He chuckled lightly and hooked his thumbs around the belt loops of his pants. “I live in Japan. Osaka to be specific, the city part.†Living in the second largest city by population meant that it was quite the tourist destination, which also meant that his English wasn't half bad. “I don't have much else goin' on besides school. Well, besides the whole death game deal.†The last part was added lightheartedly in a joking tone.

»ID: [23260]

»CD: [5]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 17/17]]

The winds were present but still steady and weak, not yet reaching the point that they would become an issue. Truthfully, even if they did pick up to unbearable speeds, there would be no place to take shelter. He glanced around and found that they were still in the middle of a flat expanse, and from the looks of it, they would be for a while. Takao's attention settled back on their destination, or rather, the direction of their destination. He was sure they wouldn't be seeing their actual destination for a while. He cast a sidelong glance at Lessa as he stretched his arms out and placed his hands with fingers interlocked behind his head.

“Yeah... It's still a pretty big decision to make, y'know? I'm a good ways off from it, so I might end up changing my mind at some point.†Takao fell silent shortly after speaking. Why had he mentioned the front lines anyway? It wasn't something he thought about... well, ever. It was better than admitting he hadn't the slightest clue what he was doing at least. It wasn't necessarily a lie either, he'd certainly work on progressing at the same rate regardless. It was just the destination that was a bit hazy. After Takao felt that the silence had gone on for too long, he looked her way.

“So, how about you?†His arms dropped back down to his sides, swaying back and forth with each step he took. “I mean, you don't have to say if you don't want to. I know a lot of people don't like talking about their lives offline, which is totally cool with me.â€

»ID: [23258]

»CD: [10]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 17/17]]

"18:32 ...Huh. I've been at this for longer than I thought." Takao rubbed the back of his head and glanced up at the sky for confirmation. Sure enough, the sun sat exactly where he'd expected it to at this time of day. It was late in the afternoon, on the verge of evening, and the sun had noticeably progressed in its path toward the horizon. He'd spent so much time on the prairie already that he figured he might as well stick around to catch the sunset. It wouldn't hurt to get some extra levels in, or even pick up some more crafting materials.

As if on cue with his thought process, he noticed an interesting looking plant. Takao knew better by now than to glance over every little oddity, simply passing them off as decoration in the incredibly deep and well developed world of Aincrad. No, he'd started checking most things that seemed to spark his interest, and he'd learned a lot. The bolls of cotton and deposits of ore were obvious, there wasn't much to learn from them. But plants like these were interesting. It was a broad leaved plant with a single stalk. Sitting atop the stalk was the flower, whose shape faintly reminded him of a rose, or perhaps something similar. He picked it from its stalk and read the menu prompt that appeared shortly thereafter. It was an item used for crafting healing items. Takao memorized the appearance of the flower, now interested in finding more.

»ID: [23231]

»LD: [19]

+1 Material

Emerald hued eyes stole a sidelong glance at her as she spoke. From his quick look he'd come to the conclusion that she was thinking; perhaps reminiscing about places she'd been as a result of his question. Or maybe the memories weren't so fond, it was hard to tell from a single glance. He turned his gaze forward. His expression had eased away from smiling but maintained a positive air, as was the norm for him. She didn't explain much in the way of what exactly she'd seen, but Takao wouldn't fault her for that either. He listened in silence on his part as she began to speak at length, and a small smile returned to his face. At the very least, he imagined her speaking meant he hadn't dug up any unpleasant memories.

"That's very noble of you," he said, his words laced with sincerity. "I haven't met many players that pay attention to others. Outside of their own circles, I mean. Wish I'd of had you around when I was getting my butt kicked by boars." A light chuckle escaped as he exhaled, recollecting the rather unpleasantly close call when he'd first started. As the two progressed further into the desert, the increase of wind had become apparent. It wasn't very noticeable, but the open area provided little to nothing in the way of protection. Takao imagined it might eventually become an issue.

"Well, once we all get out of here, I'm thinking about getting into hardware development." He always did that sort of thing, prefacing those kinds of questions to reaffirm both his own hope and the hope of others that they would eventually free themselves. A little motivation never hurt, after all. "But for now, I think I'm going to work on going to the front lines. I bet they could always use a hand up there."

(Figured we've gone far enough into the desert to start doing those crafting rolls.)

»ID: [23230]

»CD: [7]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 17/17]]

Emerald hued eyes glanced up at the sky. He'd realized just how long he'd been at it upon realizing the position of the sun. Takao checked the menu and read the time, noting that it had past noon. He'd felt like he'd been at it for much longer, but then again, his perception of time had always been a bit hazy. He approached another cotton plant and picked the bolls from the stalk. When he'd collected all the resource node had to offer, it disappeared, and a window appeared in his face informing him of information he was already well away of.

»ID: [23193]

»LD: [19]

+1 Material

With his health having returned to full following his level up, he decided that grinding on monsters could take a break. Takao had resigned to the much less entertaining process of gathering materials. He knew oh so little about the art of crafting, but he knew that these rare things he would find every so often had to be of some value. If not for himself then they would surely be of use to a crafter. Plus, he might even be able to meet some new faces and make some new friends, which was reason enough for him. So for now, he would avoid the few mobs that remained in the prairie, and instead focus on locating materials. An odd plant with strange, fluffy white growths lay before him. “Cotton? I bet that's a material for tailoring.†He reached out and took a few of the bolls of cotton. “Since I'm going for light armour, I should get a bunch of this stuff. Since Lowenthal is a tailor, he could probably use this. Then maybe I can get some real good armour.â€

»ID: [23172]

»LD: [15]

+1 Material

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Stray Kobold

Takao landed less than a foot behind the Kobold with finesse. His sword lost its green glow following the completion of the sword art, and Takao smiled. The acrobatics of Sword Art Online hadn't come easy to him at first. Jumping felt unnatural with strength in his legs he never could have dreamed up. He wasn't leaping over buildings with a single bound, not by any means, but it was definitely... inhuman. Supernatural, even. He had never cared much for gymnastics or acrobatics in the real world either, but he'd have to change that once the game was cleared, because he was enjoying it almost too much.

The Kobold swung at him in response to his damaging of it, and Takao reacted fast. His grip left the sword for a split second as his position changed, reversing so that the blade was pressed against his forearm as the scimitar struck. It dealt no damage, his weapon took the brunt of the force, but it did give him a perfect opportunity to attack. Takao batted the Kobold's weapon away and turned about face, then rammed his blade straight through the Kobold and its weak, leather armour. It erupted into a flash of shapes before disappearing, leaving only Takao and his blade where it once stood. A menu appeared, experience and a crafting material were gained, and he wiped his forehead. Following that menu was a second, informing him of his new level of seven.

“That was the first humanoid monster I've fought so far.†He thought to himself, having long since resigned to the much less entertaining method of beating back his lack of companionship. His eyes moved to the top left corner of his screen, taking notice of his health. It hadn't recovered any since his fight with the bull, but he hadn't taken any damage either. “'n I didn't even take a hit. Guess that means I must be getting' pretty good!†In a display of confidence he twirled his blade around his hand. It left his grip and flew into the air, and his hand extended toward it as if it had been his intention, but it ultimately fell to the ground. He exhaled a sigh and picked it up, slid it into its scabbard, and continued on his way.

»ID: [23172]

»BD: [10] (+2 critical damage)

»MD: [7 - 1 = 1]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 7/15]]

«Kobold»

» [[HP : 0/10]]

+1 Material

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Stray Kobold

Two blades clashed, the sounds of clanging metal rang out across the otherwise quiet prairie. Takao's blade slid along the edge of the Kobold's own curved sword, and after a momentary stalemate, both humanoids leapt back, just out of reach of each other. The Kobold swung first, his arm cocked back for a wide and broad swing. Takao parried the blow to the side, using the Kobold's excessive momentum against it to create an opening. He pulled his arm back and held the blade over his shoulder. It hummed lowly and glowed green, prompting the use of a sword art. Takao jumped and swung his left leg forward, twisting his body and sending his sword toward the scaled shoulder of the Kobold. It caught and dug in deep, slicing clean through the digital flesh. Takao landed behind the Kobold and swung its sword around, trying to catch Takao while he was behind him. In response, the Kobold's brown-haired assailant reversed his grip on the sword and blocked the swing.

»ID: [23169]

»BD: [10] (+2 critical damage)

»MD: [2 – 1 = 1]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 7/15]]

«Kobold»

» [[HP : 5/10]]

Takao looked up from the map as his new traveling companion started walking and started following behind her. The gump still hovered in front of him as he checked various other parts of the town that were marked. The teleport pad and some points of interest, mostly shops, were given icons while various other buildings were unmarked. When he finally closed the map and paid more attention to where he was going, the sight of a vast expanse of desert laid before him. The mountains in the distance looked massive even from a distance, the flat plains were broken up by dunes of sand, and the entire excursion seemed like it would be rather miserable. Well, it didn't seem that way to Takao, not exactly.

“Oh, y'know, the usual low level MMO stuff. Questin', grindin', and gearin' up.†The friendly nature of the question didn't phase him in the slightest. He gave his collar a tug and glanced down at the shirt he was wearing. He rolled his shoulders to feel the blade that rested on his back. However simple they might've been, they were the fruits of his labour thus far.

“What about you? I mean, you seem pretty tough, so you probably get to see all the cool places, huh?â€

“A stranglehold, huh?†He chuckled lightly as he was pressed tighter, his thumbs hooking over the belt loops of his pants. “You must be makin' profits like mad if you have a monopoly on healing items.†He made a mental note to remember her trade, as well as the usefulness of crystals over potions. Having not encountered either on his journey thus far, the information was greatly appreciated. She mentioned her low stock and he shrugged slightly, a smile still present on his face as he was lead to one side of the alchemist's boutique.

“You sell items that can heal people instantaneously. I think calling them popular would be a bit of an understatement.†He cast her a sidelong glance as her attention shifted over to Lowenthal, then looked toward Lowenthal over his shoulder, and finally turned his head forward to browse the wares. Everything seemed to catch his attention, so he found an item at random to examine, opting to read its description to learn of its effects.

Takao turned his attention to Lowenthal at the mention of a guild icon. He had noticed it before, but didn't pay much attention to it. Now that he was aware of its purpose, it had caught his attention. He pulled his attention away from the icon and glanced over at Mari. He noticed she sported a similar icon of a different design, denoting her affiliation with a different guild. She spoke with Lowenthal for a moment, presenting him with some time to resume looking around the shop. Once he was returned to the subject of the conversation, he flicked his attention back their way.

“Ayep, I'm pretty green. But I've done a quest or two by myself, some grinding too, just nothin' serious. Not yet, anyway.†Takao said as he watched her walk over to him. He didn't move or flinch when her arm fell over his shoulders, instead offering a small smile.

“It's kinda hard not to look around when there's a bunch of neat stuff everywhere.†He gave her question a thought and gave the tent another quick look around. “Hm... To be honest, I don't really know what any of this stuff does.â€

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Frenzied Bull

“Man, you hit like a freakin' train.†Takao rubbed the back of his head with his left hand, then slid his feet apart. He raised the blade and placed it behind his head, a low hum entering his ears as the sword began to glow a lucent green colour. It was the only sword art that he knew of, but it had worked well in the past. The bull kicked at the ground and barreled after him, eager to end their fight. Takao shared in his eagerness, but he knew that the win would be his.

He ran toward the bull and jumped into the air a good two meters before they would have collided. The bull raised its head as Takao swung his left leg around, twisting his body in the air. His right arm whipped forward, the blade slicing through the bull's fur and skin, leaving a crescent shaped digitized wound in its wake. The bull fell immediately and crashed into the ground, sliding against the earth until it dispersed into nothingness. Takao landed with a thud on his right leg, immediately turning about face to glance at the bull. That had been the most difficult fight by far, and even then, it didn't seem like the difficulty curve for the monsters had caught up with his level. He was fighting monsters with half his health, after all, so the difference in their skill was to be expected.

A window appeared, also to be expected. It read «REWARDS» as it usually did, and listed off the fruits of his labour. Experience that brought him that much closer to the next level. Underneath the experience was an item, and the smile on Takao's face that had faltered momentarily returned full force. He pumped his fist into the air and shouted out excitedly.

» ID: [23053]

» BD: [10] (+2 critical damage)

» MD: [2 - 1 = 1]

» LD: [19]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 7/15]]

«Frenzied Bull»

» [[HP : 0/8]]

«REWARDS»

+1 Uncommon Item

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Frenzied Bull

The Bull's eyes glowed a bright red. Steam was exhaled through its snout. Its hoofed feet pounded against the grass and dug into the earth as it stampeded his way. Whatever he'd done to it, the beast was certainly pissed off now. The gap between them was closed in what seemed like an instant, he blinked and there it was.

Takao flipped the sword in his hand over and pressed the blade against his forearm. As the bull crashed into him, the blade took the brunt of the impact, but he was still sent flying. He landed on his back and yelped in pain. His health was depleted over halfway now, which was dangerous. The colour turned orange and he grit his teeth. Takao rolled backward and pushed off the ground, landing on his feet to meet the bull's gaze again.

» ID: [23050]

» BD: [5]

» MD: [10 - 1 = 9] (+2 critical damage)

«Takao»

» [[HP : 7/15]]

«Frenzied Bull»

» [[HP : 2/8]]

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Frenzied Bull

Takao's attempts at evading the bull didn't seem to be working too well. After another swing and miss, the bull slammed head first into him again. The horns pierced his shirt and the force sent him rolling. His gloved hand reached toward the ground and slowed his stop, then pushed off the ground to regain his balance. He clenched his hands into fists and his face worked itself into a smile. There was a certain thrill to a fight like this. In the back of his head, he knew if this was a normal roleplaying game, this fight would be no problem. It would be nothing more than a random number deciding if he hit or was hit, the outcome decided before their fight even started. But here, in Aincrad, he knew he had the ability to influence the outcome. His life was on the line, after all. He'd better bring his A game.

» ID: [23049]

» BD: [5]

» MD: [7 – 1 = 6]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 10/15]]

«Frenzied Bull»

» [[HP : 2/8]]

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Frenzied Bull

The bull thrashed about and turned to face Takao. It charged immediately, not presenting him with the chance to react before it turned. Takao braced himself regardless and raised his sword, catching the bull's horns with the blade and preventing it from impaling him right there. He struggled to hold it in place, his arms shaking and his boots digging into the soil beneath him. He grunted and grit his teeth, pushing forward with his entire body, but the monster's strength was superior. It thrashed its head around and, with his sword hooked on the horns, Takao went with it. He toppled along the grass, but eventually caught his balance and returned to stand again.

» ID: [23044]

» BD: [2]

» MD: [8 – 1 = 7]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 11/15]]

«Frenzied Bull»

» [[HP : 2/8]]

[Combat Sequence]

Takao

Frenzied Bull

There wasn't any opening for the bull to charge after Takao righted himself. He took off after the monster again and leapt into the air, his blade glowing with a charged sword art. His left leg swung forward, the momentum spinning his body. His sword arm snapped forward like a whip and dug into the back of the bull, taking a good chunk of its health with it. Takao's right leg swung around as the blade left the bull and he landed, stumbling back only a single step.

Unfortunately for Takao, he also happened to land directly behind the bull, which was the danger zone. It reared its hind legs and kicked him in his chest again. A louder cry of pain was fought back as he grunted. A single flip in the air allowed him to correct his position and prevented him from tumbling again.

» ID: [23043]

» BD: [7]

» MD: [7 – 1 = 6]

«Takao»

» [[HP : 12/15]]

«Frenzied Bull»

» [[HP : 2/8]]