Gambit

Again, the Nepent Variant’s attacks subsided. Again, Gambit was ready for it! With a burning desire to land a proper blow, Gambit practically flew across the distance between them, his sword held at the ready. The Nepent Variant seemed to turn towards him, as if only now truly becoming aware of his presence. Maybe thrashing around wasn’t the best way to keep track of an enemy? Gambit felt no sympathy for the beast; only triumph, as his weapon, shining from the use of a Sword Art, cut cleanly into the juicy flesh of the Nepent Variant. Again, that weird, horrible shriek. But this time it felt like victory to his ears. Gambit stood motionless for only a second, momentarily paralyzed as the Sword Art’s grip on him faded. He sprung to a better position the very instant he could. Some of the more advanced players, he heard, could weave Sword Arts together so skillfully that it was like they weren’t being carried around by the system at all. Gambit could only hope that he’d get to that level one day. 

***

ACTION TAKEN: [ST-I] [-6 EN]
Nepent Variant: ID#235571 BD: 3+3 (Hit) MD: 10 (Crit) -> 10*6-10= 50 DMG || Gambit takes 35 DMG 

Gambit: 65/100 HP | 16/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Nepent Variant: HP: 100/200 | MIT: 10 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 1 |  EVA: 0

• Plant Frenzy | On MD 9-10, the Nepent will strike all party members for 35 DMG.
• Photosynthesis | On CD 9-12, the Nepent will restore 15 HP and gain 5 MIT until its next turn.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 2 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]

Again, a swing and a miss. Gambit had closed the distance quickly, but hardly quick enough. No sooner had Gambit gotten within range to strike did the Nepent Variant pick up its flailing again, forcing Gambit to retreat. Sword in hand, plush keychain dangling from the weapon’s pommel, Gambit bobbed and weaved his way back through the wild swipes of its vines. He could hear the wind as one of the strikes went flying overhead. He could practically feel the sting as a vine whipped within inches of his cheek. Gambit frowned. The hunt wasn’t off to a good start; he was usually much better about it. He tried not to get frustrated. Frustration usually only leads to more mistakes. What he needed to do was focus. And so he bided his time. He waited patiently for the Field Boss to finish its flailing. The opportunity to attack would present itself. The Nepent Variant’s attack patterns were preordained, programmed, a part of its very being; Gambit held that advantage against it.

***

ACTION TAKEN: [ST-I] [-6 EN]
Nepent Variant: ID#235570 BD: 7 (Hit) MD: 3-2 (Miss) -> 10*6= 60-10= 50 DMG 

Gambit: 100/100 HP | 20/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Nepent Variant: HP: 150/200 | MIT: 10 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 1 |  EVA: 0

• Plant Frenzy | On MD 9-10, the Nepent will strike all party members for 35 DMG.
• Photosynthesis | On CD 9-12, the Nepent will restore 15 HP and gain 5 MIT until its next turn.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 2 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]

His blade collided with the monster, a wicked slash across the Nepent Variant’s flank. It had not  landed with the force he’d expected to.That was to say it had hardly landed with any force at all. Gambit clicked his tongue. Whatever! He’d have more chances to deal some more damage. The Nepent Variant made a strange, unpleasant shrieking sound that Gambit was unfortunately already familiar with. The Variant’s arms(?) lashed out, violently kicking up clouds of dirt wherever they collided with the ground. Gambit weaved carefully through the barrage of strikes and waited for his turn. Patience, he’d found, was key. He didn’t want to get too hurt by the Nepent, either; the vine-like appendages didn’t look like much, but they didn’t at all feel too pleasant to get hit by. Gambit’s heart began to race. That was another thing. Every fight was life-and-death. He’d realized that that was part of the fun. The Nepent’s barrage of strikes finally subsided, and Gambit was quick to claim his reward. 

***

ACTION TAKEN: [ST-I] [-2 EN]
Nepent Variant: ID#235569 BD: 1 (Miss) MD: 3-2 (Miss) 

Gambit: 100/100 HP | 25/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Nepent Variant: HP: 200/200 | MIT: 10 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 1 |  EVA: 0

• Plant Frenzy | On MD 9-10, the Nepent will strike all party members for 35 DMG.
• Photosynthesis | On CD 9-12, the Nepent will restore 15 HP and gain 5 MIT until its next turn.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 2 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]

He couldn’t remember correctly. But the Nepent Variant was in sight. Gambit slowed to a stop and watched the beast. It moved funny on little leafy legs, thrashing its vine-like arms(?) around wildly. It had a big mouth full of teeth that looked quite scary on what was supposed to be a plant creature. While once it very much had, none of that bothered him anymore. Confidence had come with practice. Nowadays, Gambit was practically sure of his ability to defeat the Field Boss. It was basically free experience! As softly as he could, Gambit pulled free the sword slung across his back. The Nepent had its back turned. It was the perfect time to strike. He exhaled, letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. The Nepent Variant began to turn, and Gambit launched himself at the monster, eager not to lose his hard earned element of surprise. 

*** 

ACTION TAKEN: [ST-I] [-2 EN]
Nepent Variant: ID#235568 BD: 1 (Miss) MD: 6-2 (Miss) 

Gambit: 100/100 HP | 26/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Nepent Variant: HP: 200/200 | MIT: 10 | DMG: 25 | ACC: 1 |  EVA: 0

• Plant Frenzy | On MD 9-10, the Nepent will strike all party members for 35 DMG.
• Photosynthesis | On CD 9-12, the Nepent will restore 15 HP and gain 5 MIT until its next turn.
• Weapon Lock | Only Sword Arts of Rank 2 or lower may be used against this boss.
• Tier Lock | For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 1. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]

He crept through the forest, quiet as a mouse. 

Ever since he’d discovered how fun combat was, Gambit had been obsessed. He could thank the scary lady for that. Had she not chased him down that day during the gathering quest, he probably never would have even gotten into a fight in the first place. Despite himself, Gambit caught himself smiling. He made a mental note to shoot her a message, after he was done hunting. If it were possible, he’d probably have hunted every wolf and boar on the first floor to extinction. His favorite to fight, however, was by far the Nepent Variant. The Field Boss of Floor One, it was a lot more rare than your common wolf or boar; but it was also that much more challenging. It had a unique set of abilities that really set it apart from everything else that could be fought there. If he could remember correctly, hadn’t it originally been a quest? 

*** 

Gambit: 100/100 HP | 28/28 EN | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Getting the food wasn't an issue in the slightest. The gypsy woman was surprisingly agreeable, so long as he brought back what remained to her. He thought it was a little bit strange that she was so adamant on taking back some leftovers, but figured it was just one of those weird quest things you couldn't really do anything about. He had another item, too. Gambit had been given a wonderful little consumable that'd cut the amount of time he had to spend out in the wilderness in half, and then some -- not that he was worried about spending time out in the wilds, of course. He wasn't sure what sort of companion he was after. A bear? A fox? An eagle? He knew he was out to get something cool... it just had to come to him. He walked deep into the woods of Floor Eight and held the Devaloka Fragment aloft, and crushed it in one arm. He was bathed in a soft, evanescent light. 

*** 

using: 
x1 Skewer Roll: +2 Protein
x1 gelato: +3 LD 
x1 Call of the Hounds, 233844, Familiar Sight
x1 Devaloka Fragment (1) | Consumable (Skips Familiar Search) 

Gambit | HP: 180/180 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 15 | ACC:4 | LD:6+2(Familiar Sight) 

It wasn't often that Gambit stumbled across a wandering merchant. It hadn't happened even once before, actually! He felt like he'd be crazy to pass up the opportunity, though. He perused the wares presented to him with the discerning eye of a seasoned critic. Everything looked so fresh and flavorful! In the end, he only picked up a single gelato. He was going to go hunt for a familiar soon, and he would need a keen eye if he was going to find a little buddy to hang out with. Waving the merchant a happy goodbye, Gambit hurried away. Yippee!

*** 

Purchasing: 

gelato: +3 LD 

sent 500 col to @Demian

yoinky !! taking [x2] (tierless meal) skewer roll: protein ii

Gambit couldn't help but feel as though he was trespassing somehow. The grunge aesthetic of the shop and its surrounding environment was not something that the once-pampered kid was used to. "Uh... hello?" He entered and was immediately relieved to see that the building was, in fact, a shop, complete with goods to purchase! 

"Oh, goodie!" Smiling pleasantly, Gambit hopped on over to the displays and pointed out the one he needed. "The Familiar Sight!" 

He opened his menu and sent the col over. If there were wallets in Aincrad, Gambit wouldn't be surprised if a little fly went buzzing out of it when he opened it. But he took the crystal happily. "Thank you! Thank you!" He waved excitedly as he left. 

*** 

Purchasing:

Call of the Hounds, 233844, Familiar Sight 

Sent 2,100 Col to @Circe

Purchasing: 

Spyglass (x3) | [800col]

• Use to reduce the number of posts required to search for a dungeon, familiar or field bosses by 5 posts. Effect lasts for one thread.

"Oh, man!" Why were there so many people at the beach? 

Not that he cared too much. The more the merrier! 

Gambit shouldered his shovel and picked up his bucket. He just hoped that he could find a spot to dig. Gambit came to the beach pretty often; it was one of the few things that he did for fun. It was pretty dangerous coming up to such a high floor, but the beach never seemed to have too many mobs on it, and it was usually completely devoid of other players. He wasn't sure what was happening today. He must have missed the memo! 

Humming a little tune to himself, Gambit marched his way over to the shoreline. He liked to build castles and bury himself in the sand, right by the waves. Sometimes he dug too deep and couldn't get out. Then high tide came. He suppressed a shudder and came to a stop at a nice little spot a decent distance away from the crowd. After all, he hadn't been invited. It'd probably be rude of him to go ahead and try to include himself! 

Still humming along, Gambit began to dig. 

<<THREAD SUMMARY>>

Valkyrie Receives: 

Valkyrie | [Word Count: 4445/10 = 444.5] * [True Tier: 1] * [Group Factor: 0.7] = 311 + 300 (Quest Reward) = 611 EXP 
Forager Profession 
x1 Demonic Shard

200 Col: [1 page]

Gambit Receives: 

Gambit | [Word Count: 4445/10 = 444.5] * [True Tier: 1] * [Group Factor: 0.7] = 311 + 300 (Quest Reward) = 611 EXP
Forager Profession  
x1 Demonic Shard 

200 Col: [1 page] + 1,827 Col [loot] = 2027 Col
6 Materials 
[235083a] T1 Rare Armor/Shield
[235084a] T1 Rare Armor/Shield
[235085a] T1 Rare Trinket
[235087a] T1 Rare Armor/Shield

"Hm?" He smiled. "Oh, yeah, probably!" And he kept walking along. Gambit wanted to see how much he could get done now that he was feeling that much more confident in his abilities. It was no understatement that this newfound understanding (that he could make it out in the fields) was completely throwing Gambit's world on its head. 

She called after him. "Huh?" Gambit briefly felt a flash of fear -- was she chasing him down again? 

But it wasn't like that at all. Quite the opposite, actually. Gambit stared down at the notification that popped up in front of him, and thought long and hard about the unusual softness in her tone. He frowned, deep in thought. His friends list was littered with names he hadn't seen or spoken to in what sometimes felt like centuries. Gambit accepted the request. Any sign of seriousness on his face evaporated. "'Kay!" 

He waved her goodbye with a smile and a laugh and went his own way. 

"Right," he agreed. It did seem pretty dangerous. If someone had decided to try and speedrun something in SAO that wasn't just a gathering quest like he'd chosen, well -- he wasn't sure if that was a very good idea. Gambit had always been extremely cautious. He only recently was beginning to feel very brave. The way he'd handled those wolves told him that, unlike what he'd always believed, he could have a really good chance of making it. 

Making it? Making it where? The frontlines? 

Or just out of the game, he figured. He hoped. 

"Well, I think I'm gonna start going on more quests." He smiled. "I dunno which ones, but, this was a lot more fun than I thought it'd be. Hey, it was nice meeting ya!" 

The town was within sight. It was just about time for them to go their separate ways. 

Gambit snorted. Well, maybe it would be better if he kept a closer eye on his energy. If this fighting thing really was for him, he'd need to be a little better about it going forward. He smiled despite himself. Maybe he could finally get out there and do something after all. All that other stuff he'd been up to was getting pretty boring anyways. 

"Speedrunning?" Gambit asked, genuinely confused. Then he remembered. "Oh, right. Not very long. That was the first time. I was just pretty bored. I thought it'd be fun."

He shrugged. He knew there were tons of other people who were genuinely interested in that whole scene, but probably not in SAO. There were smarter ways to get yourself killed than accidentally dying trying to speedrun a quest. The only reason he'd even considered it during this one was because it was on the First Floor, and had no combat whatsoever. Uh... minus the wolves. 

He sheathed his longsword. The little plush keychain dangled from the pommel still. He nodded. 

"Yeah," Gambit repeated, "first time." He looked back to the spot he'd dispatched the wolf pack. For reasons unknown to Valkyrie, Gambit's triumph evidently came as a great surprise to him. The compliment, however, did nothing to help keep him from getting a big head about it. He almost immediately returned to gloating. 

"Heh, let 'em come. I'll give them the ol' Gambit special." He grinned. Gambit looked quite proud of himself for that line. Wasn't he so cool? He certainly thought so. 

But she was right. They both had their shards. It was probably best to head back now, and it was more than likely safer if they traveled together than if they didn't. "Alright," Gambit agreed. "But, uh... my energy is a bit low now. So... maybe not another fight any time soon..." 

After the incident, Valkyrie appeared behind him. If Gambit was surprised to see her back, or otherwise felt any particular way about it, he did not show it. 

"I don't know," Gambit answered honestly, flexing his fists. He looked down at his arms, undamaged, his eyes full of wonder. "I don't know..." 

A deep, reverberating growl filled the clearing. From the undergrowth prowled a much larger wolf. It had fangs the size of Gambit's fingers, and a head the size of his torso. Gambit realized what this was instantly: the alpha male. Had Gambit unknowingly challenged him for leadership of the pack? Gambit took a wide stance and readied his blade. The direwolf circled him. Gambit stood perfectly still, ready, waiting. 

The wolf sprung first -- 

-- and so too, did it fall. Gambit's longsword cleft the pouncing wolf in twain; the bisected segments of lupine flesh were unable to even touch the floor before evaporating in a cloud of azure fractals. Gambit whirled around. (:0!) Had he really singlehandedly defeated an entire pack of wolves? He was incredulous. All  this time spent avoiding combat; and for what? Because he'd thought he was bad at it? 

"That's the first time I've done that," Gambit admitted. He was still quite a bit breathless. 

*** 

Action Taken: [ST-1] [-8 EN]
Direwolf: ID#235086 BD: 6 (Hit) - 9*8= 72 DMG

Gambit: 80/80 HP | 4/26 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Direwolf: 0/72 HP | 16 DMG 

Looting: 

Direwolf: ID: 235087 | LD: 15+0=15 | CD:12+0=12 | Col:504, Mats:2, [235087a] T1 Rare Armor/Shield

There was a rumble in the distance. Somewhere, branches snapped and rustled. Gambit paused, momentarily distracted, before turning his attention back to Valkyrie. 

"Oh, uh, right." How could he have forgotten his manners? Gambit bowed deeply. No, even deeper than that. Almost got it. Just a bit lower. "Thank you, angry miss lady. I appreciate all your help. And, uh. Yeah." He straightened his posture, turned, and began marching dutifully towards the floor's safezone. 

But just as he did, the monsters came crashing out of the wilderness.

"WAHHHHHHH!!" Gambit practically jumped out of his skin. Wolves?! He'd seen them before, sure, from a very safe distance -- but he'd never actually fought them! He'd never even dreamed of it! It didn't look like he had much of a choice now, though, did he? In a panic, he drew the blade slung across his back. It was a simple steel longsword. Attached to the pommel and dangling from it like a keychain was a small, cute plush. The wolves pounced on him, grabbing him by his shirt and leg and arm. Gambit screamed bloody murder. 

Free of its scabbard, the weapon glowed a bright blue. He'd thrown himself into the Sword Art activation in a panic. Whirling around like a spinning top, his blade outstretched, Gambit tore through the group of them, scattering them like dust on the wind. Dizzy, he stumbled for a moment before catching his balance. Miraculously, Gambit was completely unharmed. Had the teeth only grazed him? 

"Or am I..." 

Invincible? 

*** 

ACTION TAKEN: [AOE-I] [-15 EN]
Wolf 1: ID#235077 BD: 7 (Hit) - 9*7= 63 DMG 
Wolf 2: ID#235078 BD: 7 (Hit) - 9*7 = 63 DMG
Wolf 3: ID#235079 BD: 8 (Hit) - 9*7 = 63 DMG 
Wolf 4: ID#235080 BD: 9 (Crit) 10*7= 70 DMG 

Gambit: 80/80 HP | 11/26 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA 

Wolf 1: 0/63 HP | 16 DMG
Wolf 2: 0/63 HP | 16 DMG
Wolf 3: 0/63 HP | 16 DMG 
Wolf 4: 0/63 HP | 16 DMG

Looting:

Wolf 1: ID: 235082 | LD: 1+0=1 | CD:12+0=12 | Col:315, Mats:2,     
Wolf 2: ID: 235083 | LD: 11+0=11 | CD:12+0=12 | Col:441, Mats:2, [235083a] T1 Rare Armor/Shield     
Wolf 3: ID: 235084 | LD: 12+0=12 | CD:10+0=10 | Col:567, Mats:0, [235084a] T1 Rare Armor/Shield     
Wolf 4: ID: 235085 | LD: 10+0=10 | CD:8+0=8 | Col:504, Mats:0, [235085a] T1 Rare Trinket

So she wasn't going to kill him, and she wasn't mad? Gambit still wasn't getting the whole picture, but he watched something change in her expression. Valkyrie yanked him off the ground. She wanted to join him for a speedrun? That horrible, sunken feeling in his chest was lifted. "Really?" He was practically grinning from ear to ear. Maybe this lady wasn't so bad. Alright! He laughed and brushed the dirt off his clothes. Without wasting another moment, Gambit pulled out the compass he'd gotten from Giovanna and began running headfirst into the forest. "Let's do this!"

The needle, which had been pointing straight ahead, did a complete 180. Gambit slowed to a stop. He turned around. He looked on the ground. 

"Oh, hey. There it is." Gambit scooped the shard off the ground and pocketed it without another word. A pop-up menu declared the quest's completion. Gambit turned around and started to walk away. He waved her off without looking back. "Alright, see ya later. Good luck finding yours." 

***

Foraging: ID#235071 LD: 15 CD: 8 (Success!) 
Demonic Shard Found!

"You've got a funny accent, miss," Gambit said, woozy. He still couldn't believe his luck. Dead at the hands of the big lady -- and he could forget about setting that record, too. Oh, well. He had a good run. Making it to Level Four wasn't easy. That had to mean something, right? 

"Wait... you're not gonna kill me?" Now he was confused. Why had she been screaming so much, then? What was all the fuss about? "Quest details? What?" Gambit was coming to his senses, slowly but surely. There was really no telling if that would make much of a difference, though. In his mind, he had just been hanging out, minding his own business, before Valkyrie had come violently crashing out of the woods with hatred in her eyes. 

"B-but I know all the quest details already," he whimpered. Now he looked sad. He fell limp. "My speedrun... ah..." 

***

Foraging: ID#235065 LD: 8 CD: 7 (Fail) 

"Whuh-?" Gambit kept running, but finally glanced over his shoulder at the sound of Val's voice. His eyes nearly shot out of his head. "W-WAHH! WAHH!!!" 

A scary lady was chasing him down! What the hell?! Gambit picked up the pace. His heart pounded in his chest. He didn't do anything! He was just minding his own business! She looked so angry, too! Gambit's mind was racing as fast as he was, trying to piece things together. Finally, he connected the dots and came to a realization. His heart sank and he could hear his blood roaring in his ears. The realization was not a good one. 

"P-Player Killer! Killer!! Player Killer!!! AHHHHH!!!" It was just his luck, wasn't it?! All he wanted to do was have a fun day out getting some quests done, and now he was going to get MURDERED by this BIG WOMAN and he wasn't even going to set a SINGLE RECORD while it happened. 

His boot snagged on some roots and he fell flat on his face. He remained lying there, motionless. 

As Val began to leave, she would be alerted to the sound of something barreling through the forest at breakneck speeds. 

It was Gambit. 

He practically slid to a stop in front of Giovanna. He was breathing heavily, but said nothing. Giovanna hesitated for a moment. 

“So, it appears y-" 

"Skip!" 

“I tend to-" 

"Skip!" 

“Most-" 

"Skip!" 

“You may borro-" 

"Thanks!" Gambit abruptly snatched the compass from her hand and bolted. He paid no mind to Giovanna; no, Gambit was on a mission. The young boy sprinted past her without so much as glancing in her direction. It was almost as if he hadn't even registered her presence. He just took the spare compass from Giovanna and peeled off into the forest. Out there in the woods, there were materials to be had, and a Demonic Shard that belonged to him. But if he could set a world's first speed-run record of Earning a Living: Forager, that'd also be pretty cool. 

*** 

Gambit | HP: 80/80 | EN: 26/26 | DMG: 9 | ACC:3 | EVA:3

Stats: 

Taking this! Thank you! 
Steel Longword | T1 Perfect Weapon (SS) | DMG 3
Fusion ID 218988

"Oh, wow! Isn't this neat!!" It was Gambit's first time in the Evening Star, and it was his first time oggling at all the cool knick-knacks. He meandered from display to display, shelf to shelf, wide-eyed and thrilled. For a good five minutes or so, he'd completely forgotten why he had entered the shop in the first place. It hit him all too quickly. "Oh! That's right." 

He shifted his attention finally to the statted equipment. A wolf pendant, something he picked up with an "ooo," and a cute plush, which he of course picked up with an affectionate "ahh." He wasn't one to forget payment. He sent the col over to the clerk -- so affordable! -- and was out the door just as quickly as he'd came. 

*** 

wolf pendant. | TIER 1 JEWELRY | ACC III
[desc.]: a wolf's head carved out of blackwood, with imperfections highlighted in gold. polished and strung up on dark cotton rope.
[224269]

tomochi. | TIER 1 TRINKET | EVA III
[desc.]: an adorable plush animal keychain.
[221859]

Total: 1,000 Col sent to @NIGHT

Current Level: 4
Current SP: 9
Link to SP Tracking: [link]
Item Upgrades:

Notes:
[any other items that are required to be converted would go here. players may also leave additional clarifications for staff to refer to regarding their application here. note that converted items do not benefit from the same upgrades provided in the field above.]