Teion

Teion kept largely to herself while the gaggle of players seemingly converged on the redhead. Keeping to herself was her default setting, after all. It was Boreas’ pointed greeting that first got a word out of her, to which she exhaled a single chuckle through her nose, flashed a crooked smile, and nodded. ”Yeah, I remember you.” She rarely forgot the face of a customer. It was Kindling’s following commentary that wiped the smile off her face and drew a sharp glance back in his direction. What was this guy’s problem? She could only guess the sudden influx of company was cramping his style.

Casual greetings quickly progressed to a proposition. The redhead jabbed a finger towards the bandit camp and suggested they all go clear out a dungeon. Teion spent only a moment wondering if he was some kind of scout build, planning on gathering information before a party and half literally walked up on his reconnaissance. Her gaze hardly softened while he spoke, though. He had an interesting way of choosing his words. Not only that, but the more he spoke, the more his proposition rapidly changed shape into the way of things. His hand ended up hovering over his menus, eyes laying on them expectantly.

Teion frowned–or maybe that was just her neutral expression–and she looked towards Ryo. The curiosity she had felt earlier when she’d dragged him over this way was replaced with uncertainty, and now she was trying to read his thoughts from his features alone. She wasn’t that good at it yet, but maybe someday she’d get there.

Looking back at Kindling, her eyes landed on the spear he held. It felt like she was still mulling the whole thing over, but the atmosphere would hardly afford her the luxury of indecision. With a small sigh, she opened her own menus and navigated to her inventory. With a couple of taps she then held out her hand and a spear of her own making appeared in a flash. Simple but stylized, she tossed the weapon towards Kindling. ”Here. In exchange for our split.” His words implied that he would ask them for nothing and they’d all still receive a fair share, but that didn’t sit well with her for a few reasons. ”If you don’t like that one, I’ll make it any Tier 4 weapon at my shop in Fortaleza.” She jerked her head to the side as if she had any idea which direction the main settlement was from here.

With that, the decision was made. She looked to the basket of drinks Mina held out to them all and stole a glance at her face before reaching to take one for herself. ”Thanks.” She said simply, pulling off the cork with a small, satisfying ’pop’.

Kindling looked expectant. She wondered about his patience. Before she’d bring the bottle to her lips or indulge in any other combat boosters, Teion raised her hand in front of her shoulder, cork still tucked underneath her thumb. ”Bruiser. I can take a few hits and have some sustain, and I’ve got good AoE damage.” She explained. The woman was neither a strategist nor a leader, so she quietly let the others dictate their party formations. The redhead in charge even made comment about keeping her and Ryo together already, so she didn’t harp on it. She’d accept the party request that was thrown her way, silently noting the names of those who she’d end up with, and then waited patiently for the call to head out.

Trade Confirmation:

Consumes «Liquor of Light» - +3 DMG

To say the bubbly brunette with the twin-tails nearly bounding her way into the smithy with that huge smile on her face caught Teion off guard was an understatement. The blacksmith blinked, staring at Kairi from the other side of her anvil as she produced a simple weapon along with a hefty pouch of col and set them both on the counter. She cocked a brow, set her tools down, and took stock of the girl’s request.

”Wait, are you–” Teion practically bit her tongue to stop her from questioning the ridiculous amount of col she had just been presented with. She knew Aincrad’s economy was in shambles, but is this how much people were charging for unique fusions nowadays, or was this girl just really frivolous with her money? Either way, Teion wasn’t going to fight over it. Instead, she tried to focus on reading over the description of the item she wanted crafted. Her eyes drifted back over to the coiled whip waiting on the counter. ”I see… Hm, yeah, if you’ve got the scales then that shouldn’t be a problem.” She picked up the two glittering materials and turned them over between her fingers. ”I should have enough stock to handle this, give me just a few minutes.”

Trade Confirmation:

Fusing four Uncommon T4 Whips [ID#: 241977 & ID#: 241978 & ID#: 242886 & ID#: 72934] into:

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• Shop Post: [Here] and [Here]
• Transaction Date: 02/27/2025 and 03/06/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 8 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Divine Sigrdrífa
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Whip
• Item Rarity: Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Phase / Paralyze I / ACC I
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 243486
• Item Description: A slightly more detailed version of her previous whip sword, silvered blades attached by golden chains to a golden hilt. Infused into each of the blades are golden runes of the Valkyrie, the source of its power.

Note: Spending 2 Gleaming Scales linked to this post to carry Phase over from Sigrdrífa v.2 to the final item. I checked Item ID#: 72934 from its 3.0 Conversion approval

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• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 02/27/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 8 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Basic Whip
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Whip
• Item Rarity: Uncommon
• Item Enhancements: Paralyze I
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 241977
• Item Description: An unimpressive whip with a metal chain. Would probably be useful as fusion material.

Quote

• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 02/27/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 8 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Basic Whip
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Whip
• Item Rarity: Uncommon
• Item Enhancements: Paralyze I
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 241978
• Item Description: An unimpressive whip with a metal chain. Would probably be useful as fusion material.

Quote

• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 03/06/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 3 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Basic Whip
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Whip
• Item Rarity: Uncommon
• Item Enhancements: Accuracy I
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 242886
• Item Description: An unimpressive whip with a metal chain. Would probably be useful as fusion material.

The duo had just vanquished the Cerberus and its pack of Hellhounds, and Teion brought her axe to rest at her back so she could brush her hands together with the soft ‘clap’s of a job well done. The dialogue box declaring their quest complete popped up in front of either one of them, and she slowly brought herself closer to Ryo as she reached a hand up to dismiss it. ”Yeah, fighting in the heat kind of sucks, but that really wasn’t as bad as I thought. The leads I heard made it sound like–” Something caught her attention enough to derail her train of thought. Her finger hovered over the blue circle at the bottom of the dialogue box, ready to send it away, when her eyes landed on the description of their reward. A «Cerberus Soul». She read what it did a second time. ”Wait a minute, that’s not right. We were supposed to get–”

Again she was interrupted, but this time it was not by her own distractions. This time, the ground quaked beneath their feet and Teion stumbled forward with the sudden shift in her balance. The hissing of fresh fissures bursting with steam just outside of the cave paired with loud ’cracks’ of the rock splitting. The fresh corpse of Cerberus’ body that lay slumped over beside them twitched. The extinguished mane that ran along its spine burned like the embers of a campfire, then suddenly roared to life. Flames burst from its hide and magma spewed from its three decapitated necks like open faucets. Its legs braced against the ground and slowly picked itself back up while each of its heads reformed out of molten slag. White-hot fangs solidified in all three jaws and gnashed against each other in a cacophony of snarling and growling.

Teion had placed a hand on Ryo’s shoulder to steady herself, and she stared up in slight awe at the beast reborn. It looked wilder, more vicious, and boasted a more intimidating title: «Cerberus, Inferno’s Rage». It turned towards them without patience, and Teion hastily reached behind her to redraw her weapon. ”Okay, so maybe this thing drops the item we want.” She suggested, nervously sizing up their new opponent.

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Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 54/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | BH:42 | REC: 4 | LD:4 | QTY: 2
Ryo | HP: 700/700 | EN: 92/102 | DMG: 21 | MIT:103 | BH:31 | REC: 8 | HM: 8 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:3 | Burn 10 (1/2)

VS

Cerberus, Inferno's Rage

• Head #1 | HP: 650/650 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2
• Head #2 | HP: 650/650 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2
• Head #3 | HP: 650/650 | DMG: 175 | MIT: 75 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2

Abilities

Spoiler

• Bloodless | This boss is immune to all status ailments.
• Bringing Hell | This boss can attack once per turn for each head active.
• Limited Availability | Players can only target one head at a time. This also extends to AoE attacks.
• Burning Bite | On Cerberus' successful attacks, the player is afflicted with T4 Burn. (56 unmitigatable damage per turn for 2 turns.) This ailment is negatable by Fireproof.
• Boiling Hide | On successful attacks against Cerberus, the player receives 30 thorns damage. Successful critical attacks against Cerberus increases damage received by the player to 50. This damage is negatable by Fireproof.
• Infernal Punishment | On a critical attack, heads of Cerberus that have not yet attacked for that turn will gain additional damage and 50% Phase for their attack that turn. (+25 on minor crit | +75 on major crit)
• Blazing Bite | If all three heads are reduced to 150 HP or less without any having been destroyed, <<Cerberus, Inferno’s Rage>> will howl with all three heads, summoning 3 <<Infernal Hell Hounds>> to come to its aid as a Free Action. They attack immediately, as part of the same post. Damage from new applications of Burning Bite is now doubled. (112 unmitigatable damage per turn for 2 turns.) 

 

[quest info] Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 90/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | BH:42 | REC: 4 | LD:4 | QTY: 2  NOTES   Hide contents   THREAD INFO   Hide contents equipped »Eclipse Edge (+3 ACC) »Amethyst Set (+48 MIT, +4EN Recovery) »Sun Spot (+2 Quality, +1 LD)   battle-ready inventory »Sand Armor Potion (Parry next attack) »Bottled Banshee Scream (Stun all enemies for one turn) »*Potion of Fallen Strength (+3 DMG, -9 MIT) »Banner of Command [3 Charges] (+1 ACC to your party until start of your next turn) »Teleport Crystal (1) skills »Axe R5 (+7 DMG) »Light Armor R5 (+30 MIT, -2 Stealth) »Battle Healing R5 (38 healing per turn) »Searching R3 (+3 LD, +3 Stealth Detection) »Charge (+3 DMG -1 ACC attack | 3 post CD | 8EN) addons »[Axe] Precision (+1 ACC) »[Axe] Ferocity (+2 DMG) »[Axe] Stamina (-2 EN) »[Light Armor] Resolve (+1 ACC, +40 HP) mods »Meticulous (+1 DMG) »Emergency Recovery (Heal 76 when brought below 190 | Once per thread | 10EN) »Night Vision (No penalties from low light/darkness) »Detect (+2 Stealth Detection, +1 LD to dungeons/labyrinths) »Bull Rush (Charge may stun instead) buffs Spoiler »

She approached while keeping a healthy distance, originally not wanting to interrupt Ryo’s one-on-one with the boss of the cavern. He threw out a bit of a verbal jab and she smirked, opening her mouth to rebuff his taunts. She had no interest in kill-stealing or showing him up. She was about to say something about how finishing his own battles built character, but then she caught that desperate look in his features and the guilt found her again. The Inferno Cavern certainly wasn’t the best hangout spot, and while she could argue all day and night about the importance or worth of trudging all the way out to these god-forsaken locales in search of rare drops or interesting monsters, she couldn’t deny how taxing each of these outings was. How she missed those lazy Sunday afternoons at her apartment, sprawling out on the couch and spending the whole day binging that show she’d been meaning to watch. They’d earned a few days full of just…nothing, hadn’t they?

Teion was wearing a frown as the situation demanded her wandering attention. She glanced up at the Cerberus, its single remaining head biting and slobbering wildly. She let out a small sigh and then wordlessly readied her axe again. The beast was completely preoccupied with Ryo, letting her approach freely from the side. Her pace picked up. A jog, a run. She had to build up enough speed to get in close, and fast. Her foot planted hard on the ground and she leapt up towards the base of the Cerberus’ outstretched neck, swinging her axe up in a wide arc that slashed all the way through. Her sword art was like a ripple of slashing energy that carried forward past the other side of its flesh. The last head had been cleaved away, and its expression froze as it fell towards the ground. The body slumped in place, and the head disappeared into a burst of light and pixels that signified its defeat. Only the body of the magma-dog, limp and unmoving, remained in the cavern with them. Teion landed and brushed the sweat-soaked bangs up and away from her forehead. ”There we go. Mission complete.” She declared.

Recovery...
ID#: 243282 | CD: 6 - None recovered

Teion attacks! ST-I vs Cerberus Head #3 (-10EN)
ID#: 243283 | BD: 3+4=7  [Hit] | Teion deals 23*12 = 276 DMG | MD: 5

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Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 54/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Ryo | HP: 700/700 | EN: 92/102 | DMG: 21 | MIT:103 | BH:31 | REC: 8 | HM: 8 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:3 | Burn 10 (1/2)

VS

Cerberus

• Head #1 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 40
• Head #2 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 40
• Head #3 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 40

Thread Summary

Quote

Quest Complete!

Word Count: 5,978
Teion: 5,978 / 10 * 5 * 0.7 = 2,092 EXP
Ryo: 5,978 / 10 * 4 * 0.7 = 1,674 EXP
Quest Rewards: 1,000 EXP
1 Page completed: 400 col
Laurel Wreath (Teion): 464 col

Teion receives:
3,092 EXP
864 col
1x «Cerberus Soul» (T1/Unique/Consumable/Single-Use) | For the duration of a thread, natural successful attack rolls of 8-10 deal 12 unmitigated Burn damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. Burn damage does not stack, but can be refreshed. The Burn enhancement overrides this effect.
«Gatekeeper of FIre» Quest Unlocked

Ryo receives:
2,674 EXP
400 col
1x «Cerberus Soul» (T1/Unique/Consumable/Single-Use) | For the duration of a thread, natural successful attack rolls of 8-10 deal 12 unmitigated Burn damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. Burn damage does not stack, but can be refreshed. The Burn enhancement overrides this effect.
«Gatekeeper of FIre» Quest Unlocked

”Left!” The single word was all she needed. The ground was trembling, the sands shifting under Teion’s feet, and matching her call just a moment later, a geyser of desert erupted to the left of a purple-haired man in the distance. Teion stood in a battle-ready stance, her hands tight around the handle of her ivory-white axe. She waited for the right moment to move, the correct time to lead her partner’s strike. Emerging from the ground in an explosion of force was the rounded head of a massive, segmented creature–a sand wurm. The center of it seemed to splay open in a ring of thousands of tiny, jagged, malformed teeth like a gnarled garbage disposal. One might expect a roar or a screech to pierce the air as the giant monster breached and thrashed about in the open air, but the wurm was quiet, unable to emit such a battle cry.

It wriggled as its head swiveled through the air and its mouth heaved with a gasping-like motion. It was hunting. Teion’s eyes were sharp, and she snapped into action to make her move. She pulled her axe close and broke out into a run. She darted across the uneven sand with practiced steps that had walked these dunes hundreds of times before. She made to circle the beast rather than approach it head-on.

The monster took the bait. Its eyeless body seemed to track her movements in a slow, careful swivel before it deigned to strike. The sands shifted again as it made its move. Propelling itself up and breaking free from the ground with the rest of its length, the wurm launched through the air in a steady arc. Cardinal had calculated her speed, predicted her path, and the wurm’s huge maw was aimed directly for her as it dove down. Its form cast a dooming shadow over her, but she didn’t stop to gaze up at her would-be killer. ”Now!” She shouted.

------

Teion stood with the weight of her axe resting across the back of her shoulders and she brought a free hand up to wipe the sweat from her brow of a job well done. She held out a hand to invite Ryo for a high five while she caught her breath. ”That one-hit wonder build is really something.” She complimented. ”You’re taking that in to the front lines?” She only hoped those boss fights were so generous to allow Ryo that precious time he needed to build up to those devastating attacks.

A cool breeze graced them as the light of the sun began to wane and the sky was taking on a noticeable orange hue. She paused before she would dismiss the loot window still hovering in front of her, mulling over their next course of action. The pair had really only come out this way as a means of killing time. Wurm guts and sand-filled boots hardly made for a romantic evening. ”Should we head back now?” She was at a loss for any better suggestions.

Then something caught her eye. ”Wait,” She squinted at the bits of motion in the distance that she swore she was seeing. Something like a camp, or tents, or maybe just propped up tarps were real in her vision, and she pointed it out. ”That can’t be Saharda. And any players camping out here overnight would have to be out of their minds.” She remarked. She cast a glance to Ryo, trying to gauge whether his curiosity matched hers.

[no active quest] Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 90/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:5 | BH:42 | REC: 4 | LD:4 | QTY: 2  NOTES   Hide contents   THREAD INFO   Hide contents equipped »Eclipse Edge (+3 ACC) »Amethyst Set (+48 MIT, +4EN Recovery) »Sun Spot (+2 Quality, +1 LD)   battle-ready inventory »Sand Armor Potion (Parry next attack) »Bottled Banshee Scream (Stun all enemies for one turn) »*Potion of Fallen Strength (+3 DMG, -9 MIT) »Banner of Command [3 Charges] (+1 ACC to your party until start of your next turn) »Teleport Crystal (1) skills »Axe R5 (+7 DMG) »Light Armor R5 (+30 MIT, -2 Stealth) »Battle Healing R5 (38 healing per turn) »Searching R3 (+3 LD, +3 Stealth Detection) »Charge (+3 DMG -1 ACC attack | 3 post CD | 8EN) addons »[Axe] Precision (+1 ACC) »[Axe] Ferocity (+2 DMG) »[Axe] Stamina (-2 EN) »[Light Armor] Resolve (+1 ACC, +40 HP) mods »Meticulous (+1 DMG) »Emergency Recovery (Heal 76 when brought below 190 | Once per thread | 10EN) »Night Vision (No penalties from low light/darkness) »Detect (+2 Stealth Detection, +1 LD to dungeons/labyrinths) »Bull Rush (Charge may stun instead) buffs Spoiler »

at least until we get guild storage

They were thinning out. The Hellhounds were running out of numbers and Cerberus was running out of heads. She allowed a hand to come off the handle of her axe for just long enough to run the back of her hand across her forehead. Her bangs were slick and stuck to her skin. "So," She called over to Ryo between heavier breaths, "We can stop back at your place for a shower before the next thing, yeah?" For someone who boasted about living in a desert, a volcano was apparently a different kind of beast. The air was thicker, the craggy blackened ground looked as if it would burn her skin, and a slight haze seemed constantly present. It wasn't the heat--it was the humidity.

The last of the hounds rushed at her, barking and snarling. Teion swung wide, catching the first dog in the shoulder. Her axe kept going, tilting downward and digging into the ground as she put her weight onto the polearm with a firm grip. She braced herself, turning and bringing her boot up to slam into another hound's jaw. The sound of paws beating against rock in a run behind her caused her to spin around and she ducked as the last remaining monster leapt at her. Planting her feet flat, she wrenched the blade free and swung it back around to catch the hound's flank. Each one was down after a single strike.

"The fight actually wasn't as bad as I thought." She surmised, straightening back up and catching her breath.

Recovery...
ID#: 243099 | CD: 11 - 8EN recovered

Teion attacks! ST-I vs Hellhound 6 (-10EN)
ID#: 243100 | BD: 4+4=8  [Hit] | Teion deals 23*12 = 276 DMG | MD: 7

Cerberus attacks!
Head #3 | ID#: 243101 | MD: 4 [Miss]

Theo’s boisterous celebration demanded their attention, and Teion cracked another smile as their arms pumped in the air with excitement. However briefly, she got the answer to her question. This was the simple joy of playing a video game with her friends. Watching Theo take down their first monster. Listening to Ryo giving pointers. Considering some of the insane things she’d dealt with up to now, unpleasant memories wriggling to the surface, maybe it was a good thing that Theo hadn’t strayed far from the first floor. Maybe she shouldn’t be encouraging him to fight at all.

Joy turned to melancholy like the shift of the breeze. Teion would rather eat a hundred of those half-stale chunks of bread before she’d see Theo subjected to a haunted mansion, or stalked by that creepy French waiter. She shifted uncomfortably where she stood, shrugging the handle of her axe as if that might alleviate the weight she felt on her shoulders. But she couldn’t think of any way to say any of the weird, unsettling things nibbling at the edges of her mind, so she stopped trying. Instead, she spotted another boar. She only had one more to kill, right? She was distracted, losing track of something so simple.

It hadn't occurred to her that she basically hadn't acknowledged her friend's great accomplishment. She'd switched her focus to stop her thoughts from wandering where she didn't want them to be, and that left her withdrawn. She was quiet, even for how Ryo had known her since SAO had thoroughly developed the cynical, broody side of her.

So, she wordlessly ran up on another unsuspecting boar. Before it had the chance to register the start of combat and engage her with its signature charge attack, Teion rolled her shoulder and pulled her axe straight down over its head. The boar was briefly sliced down its front before Cardinal registered the last of its few hit points as depleted and it vanished in a burst of glowing shards.

»Forgoing Recovery roll - Full EN after passive regen
»Combat | ID: 242999| BD: 7+4=11 [Hit] | MD: 5 (Monster Dead!)
Basic Attack vs. Boarlet VI - Dealt 14 DMG

 [TIER LOCK] PARTY STATS

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• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 03/06/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 3 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Pluto's Lament
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Spear
• Item Rarity: Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Damage III
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 242887
• Item Description: A long spear that has a handle the color of chiseled bone, with an aggressively pink three point-trident tip, their converging point is crowned with a small skull wearing a pink laurel.

Quote

• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 03/06/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 3 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Eclipse Edge
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: 2H Battleaxe
• Item Rarity: Perfect
• Item Enhancements: ACC III
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 242889
• Item Description: image // A massive curved blade like a crescent moon, shining an impossibly bright silver with purple accents.

With a grunt of effort, Teion pulled her massive axe around in another sweeping arc that cleaved a lunging dog in two before its fangs could find her. The bladge sank into the black rock at her feet and she switched her grip to pull up and dislodge it. Sweat flung off her brow just the same as flecks of searing molten rock flew off of the sharpened edge of her axe. She braced and the polearm came to rest in the crook of her left shoulder.

Ryo called out, having just dispatched a third of the leader while she worked to thin out the packs of hellhounds. She cracked a grin at his enthusiasm, and then Cerberus’ immediate retribution cutting him off caused her to double over with a chortle. ”It was!” She called back, cupping a hand to the side of her mouth so he could hear her over the dirt getting shoved in his ears. ”Just do that two more times!”

Wearing a cheeky grin, Teion got back to work. Those little dogs weren’t gonna cleave themselves.

Recovery...
ID#: 242902 | CD: 5 - None

Teion attacks! AOE-I vs Hellhounds 3-5 (-17EN)
ID#: 242903 | BD: 5+4=9  [Hit] | Teion deals 23*15 = 345 DMG | MD: 1
ID#: 242904 | BD: 6+4=10 [Hit] | Teion deals 23*15 = 345 DMG | MD: 3
ID#: 242905 | BD: 4+4=8 [Hit] | Teion deals 23*15 = 345 DMG | MD: 3

Cerberus attacks!
Head #2 | ID#: 242906 | MD: 1 [Miss]
Head #3 | ID#: 242907 | MD: 5 [Miss]

Quote

Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 60/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Ryo | HP: 700/700 | EN: 92/102 | DMG: 21 | MIT:103 | BH:31 | REC: 8 | HM: 8 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:3 | Burn 10 (1/2)

VS

Cerberus

• Head #1 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 40
• Head #2 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 40
• Head #3 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 40

Hellhound 3 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 50
Hellhound 4 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 50
Hellhound 5 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 50
Hellhound 6 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 50

Crafting Day 03/06/2025:

Quote

ID#: 242886 | CD: 7 - Uncommon T4 Weapon
ID#: 242887 | CD: 12 - Perfect T4 Weapon
ID#: 242888 | CD: 2 - Salvage | LD: 11 - Success
ID#: 242889 | CD: 12 - Perfect T4 Weapon

Total EXP: 25
Expended materials: 3

As Ryo had his hands full with three growling heads, Teion was left with the pack. She caught the jaws of one with the handle of her axe, bracing her footing to hold the rabid dog at bay with a grunt. The others wouldn’t wait for their wrestling match to conclude, though–she had to move. Her forward leg pulled up and kicked across to jab the toe of her boot into the monster’s ribcage and it let out a yelp as it released her weapon. Teion ran forward, swiping at nearby hounds in wide arcs. She caught two with clean cuts that ran nearly the whole length of them, and shortly after the damage registered they stuttered and burst into shards of light.

She kicked up dust and rock as she skidded to a stop, turning and cleaving at a couple more that darted warily around her. If only they would group up and let her him them so she didn’t have to go chasing them around. A quick glance over to Ryo and she silently decided she wasn’t envious of the task she’d forced on him.

”Yeah! Get mad!” Teion questionably cheered in reply before she was forced to quickly duck and roll out of the way of a leaping hellhound. She tried to pull her weighty axe up as she caught her bearings, but the thing was too fast and cleared her reach with ease. ”Tch.” She scoffed, seemingly taking her own advice as she cut through nothing but air and her brows came together in annoyance.

Teion attacks! AOE-I vs Hellhounds 1-3 (-17EN)
ID#: 242863 | BD: 3+4 = 7 [Hit] | Teion deals 23*15 = 345 DMG | MD: 1
ID#: 242864 | BD: 6+4=10 [Hit] | Teion deals 23*15 = 345 DMG | MD: 8
ID#: 242865 | BD: 1 [Critical Miss] | MD: 1 [Critical Miss]

Cerberus attacks!
Head #1 | ID#: 242866 | MD: 3 [Miss]
Head #2 | ID#: 242867 | MD: 7 [Hit] - Deals 40-103 = 1 DMG
Head #3 | ID#: 242868 | MD: 10 [Critical Hit] - Deals 40-52(ignores 1/2 MIT) = 1 DMG | Inflicts 10 BRN

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Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 73/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Ryo | HP: 698/700 | EN: 102/102 | DMG: 21 | MIT:103 | BH:31 | REC: 8 | HM: 8 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:3 | Burn 10 (0/2)

VS

Cerberus

• Head #1 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 40
• Head #2 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 40
• Head #3 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 40

Hellhound 1 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 50
Hellhound 2 | HP: 0/200 | DMG: 50
Hellhound 3 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 50
Hellhound 4 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 50
Hellhound 5 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 50

For the briefest moment, she regretted asking that last bit as a question. There was a chance he might say he didn’t want to put her in any danger, or he was better off going alone. Not that she didn’t value his privacy, but she felt like she’d heard that sort of “for your own good” or “it’s better off this way” kind of thing enough times before that it might make her gag at this point. But of course, Ryo surprised her. He invited her along so matter-of-factly that she blinked in mild disbelief.

She paused and watched him for a moment. ”You ever worry that someone would come looking for you?” Teion suggested. Her face carried some sympathy. This was a lot heavier than just ‘falling in with the wrong crowd’, and she wasn’t sure how to navigate it. Guess they would have more to talk about before strolling down memory lane.

He drew their attention towards the Inferno Cavern, standing tall against the side of another mountain range in the distance. ”Guess so.” With that being the only cave-like thing in sight this whole time, it better be.

Approaching the mouth of the cavern, Teion kept a firm grip on her axe. Her eyes scanned side to side and she looked for any trace of monsters, listened for any scraping or shuffling echoing off the walls. When the two of them crossed the threshold is when the environment sprung to react. The ground beneath their feet rumbled and the plates of volcanic rock cracked. Fissures of scalding steam hissed and magma bubbled up through newfound paths to the surface. A loud series of snaps and sputters announced the arrival of the cavern’s guardian: A head burst from the ground, spewing lava and chunks of hot rock. Then a second. Then a third. Cerberus clawed itself out from the depths of the ninth floor, its slobber indistinguishable from molten slag as it dripped onto the cave floor.

”Heyyy, we found it.” Teion gave Ryo a nudge.

Without sparing them a moment, Cerberus reared back and let out a wicked howl. A war cry and a call for reinforcements all at once. All around them, more fissures cracked and sizzled while half a dozen Hellhounds were born of the fire below. Teion winced and snapped to attention, turning to put her back to Ryo’s. ”Okay, so, you take the big guy, I’ll get the rest of them?” Her tone stubbornly held onto a little bit of that playfulness.

Without giving them the luxury of preparation, the fiends descended upon them.

Cerberus and Hellhounds attack!
Head #1 | ID#: 242856 | MD: 2 [Miss]
Head #2 | ID#: 242857 | MD: 10 [Critical Hit] - Deals 40-52(ignores 1/2 MIT) = 1 DMG | Inflicts 10 BRN
Head #3 | ID#: 242858 | MD: 8 [Hit] - Deals 40-103 = 1 DMG

Hellhound 1 | ID#: 242859 | MD: 2 [Miss]
Hellhound 2 | ID#: 242860 | MD: 3 [Miss]
Hellhound 3 | ID#: 242861 | MD: 1 [Miss]

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Teion | HP: 760/760 | EN: 90/90 | DMG: 23 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | BH:42 | REC: 8 | LD:3
Ryo | HP: 698/700 | EN: 102/102 | DMG: 21 | MIT:103 | BH:31 | REC: 8 | HM: 8 | BLD: 48  | PARA | LD:3 | Burn 10 (0/2)

VS

Cerberus

• Head #1 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 40
• Head #2 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 40
• Head #3 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 40

Hellhound 1 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 50
Hellhound 2 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 50
Hellhound 3 | HP: 200/200 | DMG: 50

Their path was more boring than treacherous. Any time a lava wyrm or a cracked golem came their way, one of the two cut it down before it could do any damage to either of them. ”Hopefully.” She sighed and wiped at her forehead for the hundredth time so far. She paused to open her menus and pull up the map of the ninth floor, trying to gauge how far out from the village they’d traveled and making sure their path was following a relatively straight shot. She was trying to line up how she was standing with the direction of her map to give her the correct sense of ‘forward’ when Ryo struck up conversation.

”Hm?” What started as an idle hum as she glanced over her shoulder towards him turned to a surprised, then serious expression to match his tone. She looked back to her map, quiet for a moment while the weight of his words really sunk in. ”Do you mean, like… See if they’ve packed up and moved? Or are you saying that you want to clear the place out?” She was wearing a frown, and perhaps her tone may have come across a little harsh, but with a swipe she closed her menus and turned around to face him, hands on her hips. ”Either way, do you want me to come with you?”

Fusing two Rare T2 Weapons [ID#: 242781 & ID#: 242783] into:

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• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 03/04/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 7 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Sombra Ósea
• Item Tier: 2
• Item Type: 2H Greatsword
• Item Rarity: Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Damage III
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 242791
• Item Description: image // A thin, excessively long two handed sword with an obsidian black metal blade. On the blade there is a pulsating blue eldritch runes, and a blue spectral skull. The hilt is long for two handed style, wrapped in tight black leather wrapping. The pummel is made of a crystal with a heavy black chain linked to it. It exudes a dark blue vapor.

Fusing two Rare T2 Heavy Armors [ID#: 242785 & ID#: 242787] into:

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• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 03/04/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 7 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Armor of the Dead
• Item Tier: 2
• Item Type: Heavy Armor
• Item Rarity: Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Mitigation III
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 242792
• Item Description: Dark plated heavy armor representing the Dead. Has a skeletal theme throughout the design. 

Separate crafting evaluation:

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• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 03/04/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 7 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Acero Sangrante
• Item Tier: 2
• Item Type: 2H Greatsword
• Item Rarity: Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Paralyze I / Bleed II
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 242784
• Item Description: image // 2 handed sword with a black obsidian blade, edged with a pulsating blood red glow. The blade is thin and sharp. There is a sheen of red mixed with the obsidian metal. The hilt has a tightly bound red leather wrapping, the pummel is jagged steel. The entire blade is giving off a dark red electric charge zipping and zapping over it.

To say Kisodeth's presence was intimidating would be an understatement. Her stature, the way she carried herself, and even the few words she uttered demanded Teion's attention. Glancing down at the specifications of the equipment she had written, though, caused her to do a double take. She scooped up the parchment and looked over the notes. "These designs are sick." She remarked.

Her eyes shifted up past the edge of the paper one more time. While she may not be physically able to match Kisodeth's energy, Teion nodded. "Come back this time tomorrow and I should be able to have them all ready for you."

Crafting Day 03/04/2025:

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ID#: 242781 | CD: 11 - Rare T2 Weapon
ID#: 242782 | CD: 5 - Uncommon T2 Weapon
ID#: 242783 | CD: 10 - Rare T2 Weapon
ID#: 242784 | CD: 12 - Perfect T2 Weapon
ID#: 242785 | CD: 10 - Rare T2 Heavy Armor
ID#: 242786 | CD: 1 - Critical fail
ID#: 242787 | CD: 10 - Rare T2 Heavy Armor

Total EXP: 39
Expended materials: 7

Trade Confirmation:

Teion's brows turned up with some genuine sympathy. She looked down at Ryo while he lamented and stepped to the front of him, squatting down with her knees together. She reached out and pushed the bangs on the left side of his face out of the way. Her thumb gently stroked his cheek."It had to be done." She said solemnly. With the flash of lopsided smile, she cupped his cheek in her palm for just a moment and then stood back up, withdrawing her hand. "In all honesty, I didn't think you hated this one more than Floor 5." She remarked. "I thought you'd like it a little bit better than if it was a sand monster or something." She sighed softly, then brought up a hand to fan herself. The heat was pretty strong when they were close to the lakes of magma, and Knorilt Village was only slightly more bearable.

After a bit of rest, Teion stretched her legs in preparation for the next trek over the volcanic flatlands. This would be the part where they'd be left rather directionless. "Ready?" She asked, already knowing the answer. This time she wouldn't be carrying Ryo behind her.

A few minutes in, and she felt a small sense of relief when she remembered the Teleport Crystal in her inventory. At least they had a quick way out once it was over. "You pick the next thing then, yeah?" She offered. "Any floor you wanna go to."

Fusing four Uncommon T4 Weapons [ID#: 240599 & ID#: 240606 & ID#: 240610 & ID#: 241972] into:

• Shop Post: [Here] and [Here] and [Here]
• Transaction Date: 02/07/2025 and 02/08/2025 and 02/27/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 7 Mats and 2 Mats and 8 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Dawnbreak
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Rapier
• Item Rarity: Perfect
• Item Enhancements: ACC III
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 242348
• Item Description: image // a basic blade with a thin gold guard.

"A musician?" Teion echoed with notable interest. She looked Boreas over. He was hard to get a read on. Then again, she wasn't known for reading people. She tapped her chin with her knuckle a couple of times while she read over the weapon he was after. "Hang on, I think I've got just the thing." She turned on the spot, opening up a chest resting beside the burning forge and rummaging around for a couple of lesser-quality blades. Those should do.

After a bit of fusing and a final polish in her crafting menus, she turned back to Boreas and presented the weapon for his inspection. When the weight left her hands she pulled up her menus. "Can I get your username, then? I haven't been to a performer's shop in forever, so I'll come check it out."

Trade Confirmation:

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• -Internum Sanguin (Traded to Boreas)

Fusing two Rare T4 Weapons [ID#: 241976 & ID#: 241980] into:

• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 02/27/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 8 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Internum Sanguin
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Rapier
• Item Rarity: Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Paralyze I / Bleed II
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 242063
• Item Description: A deep velvet red and gold rapier, fitted with a regal dragon-like design across the blade itself and the hilt.

One thing that always brought a genuine sparkle to Teion's eye was the heartfelt compliments of her blacksmithing creations. She'd picked up the profession so early on in her time here that it felt like a real, fulfilling trade. It could make her money, and her time and effort were directly translated to fantastical equipment that people got real use out of. When someone she knew came to her for her skills, it meant something. And regardless of their romantic relations, Ryo's satisfaction fueled that pride all the same. She beamed back at him, then leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. She briefly placed a hand on his chest, resting on the metal plates that now guarded his torso, then gave the armor a firm couple of taps. "Tankiest samurai this side of the castle." She almost felt a touch of guilt at what was to come.

Some time later, Teion was holding onto Ryo's hand as they warped in to the village of Yōgan on the ninth floor. The heat radiating in the air came in waves, and she had to let out a steadying breath to help herself adjust from the perfectly comfortable temperatures of Taft. She didn't wait long before tugging Ryo along down the teleport platform, to the south side of town, across the volcanic wastelands, and up the nearby mountains along the path to Knorilt Village. Sweltering heat gave way to the acrid smell of sulfur, and only once they'd crossed the safe zone threshold did she let up to allow them a break to rest from the uncomfortable trek. Hopefully he wasn't too upset (or miserable). She'd have to beg for his forgiveness after this was all said and done, but if all the planning she'd done for this outing proved successful, she was pretty sure it would all be worth it.

"Okay, from here we just need to cross the flatlands to the west and find the cavern. The brokers around here were not very helpful, but I got the directions, at least. I think it's some fire-foxes we're supposed to fight for these drops." She explained. A little squeeze of their hands, which were noticeably sweaty at this point, and she released him to wipe her brow.

• Shop Post: [Here]
• Transaction Date: 02/27/2025
• Cost of Transaction: 8 Mats
• Crafter's Profession: Blacksmith
• Crafter's Rank: 8
• Item Name: Shigure
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Katana
• Item Rarity: Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Paralyze I / Bleed II
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 241979
• Item Description: A sword crafted by a legendary blacksmith. Bright violet and gold gives it a sense of nobility. The wave on it's blade seems to cut into the very essence of a creature.

"If you find any of those Demonic Shards, save me some." She remarked. Until Theo had obtained and ranked up a gathering skill, she was still without any reliable source of those rarer materials.

"Already ahead of you." As he approached the table she procured a single pale-violet crystal from her inventory and slid it over to him. "Only grabbed one for each of us, though." Her eyes fell upon the meal that was placed in front of her: a bowl of rice, a smaller bowl of miso soup, and a plate with a neatly-rolled egg and a pair of friend sausage links. It smelled good. She sat back upright and took the pair of chopsticks waiting for her. "Thanks for the food." Though a phrase she'd normally just say directly to Ryo, it had taken on a different meaning since they started having meals together. He seemed to always say it before eating, so, she followed suit.

"Mm," Once she'd cleared her plate and was working through the last bite of rice, Teion made a noise to indicate something that came to mind. She swallowed. "Almost forgot." She pulled up her inventory with a few practiced gestures and stood up from her chair. With her free hand, she swung it around to face to the side. Clicking on a couple of tiles, she summoned three pieces of equipment that materialized in her hands one by one. She draped the armor over the back of the chair and on its cushion, then propped the katana in its vibrant sheathe up against its side, laying them all out for him to inspect. She took a half-step back and placed her hands on her hips. "I finished working on those notes you sent me for some new equipment. They're all yours." She wore a prideful smile.

Trading the following to Ryo:
»Violet Samurai's Sode (T4 Heavy Armor: MIT I / Heavy Momentum II)
»Violet Samurai’s Kuwait (T4 Heavy Armor: MIT I / Recovery II)
»Shigure (T4 Katana: PARA I / BLD II)