Beat

Beat put himself in the middle of the crowd to try and get close to the information broker, unable to hear anything from out where Shield was scouting. He ignored his brush up against a rather large bosom, thankful that the girl didn't notice. His ears perked up at the uttering of two words: "...hidden skill.." His advances grew almost feverish as he pushed into the inner circle of the crowd. He wanted to scream and demand information, but he managed to hold his tongue as he heard more. 

"A clearing in the woods near the entrance on floor 2..."

Beat had heard all he needed and pushed his way out of the crowd, staring wide eyes in excitement at his new ally. 

"New skill on the second floor! Clearing in the woods by the entrance!"

Beat waited for Shield's response excitedly, already having decided that he was going straight to this clearing on floor 2. 

ID # 74247 result: 4 = Miss

I'm in his head! I can win this! Let's end this!

Beat was reliving an old battle with shield as they wailed against the rock, being fortunate that shattering their bones on the rock was not an obstacle they would have to deal with. Craters littered a hillside as two large groups, each from their guilds, gathered behind their leaders respectively. The crowd was cheering as it seemed that Beat had Shield on the defensive and was not letting up anytime soon. Beat knew that Shield was bidding his time for something. A small opening in the timing of his attacks, an errant shot, anything that he could use to turn the tide of battle. Beat's fists and kicks beat against Shield seemingly perfect defense. Finally, Shield moved subtly, causing Beat to miss the movement and over-extend a fierce hook. Beat's eyes opened wide as he knew what was coming. He smiled and closed his eyes as the blow approached.

...good game...

As he relived his vision, he struck at the boulder, over-extending in a similar fashion to his reenactment. 

ID # 74245 Results: 1 = Miss

Beat laughed as Shield failed to damage their worth adversary. 

"Ha! Gotta do better than that!"

Beat's heart was really racing now, invigorated by their approach of the goal and the familiar feeling of competition with Shield. His mind wandered back to some of their memorable fights. A miss, a glancing blow, a solid hit returned in kind by another solid hit. Popping and cycling cooldowns and buffs with perfect timing to milk them for everything they were worth. He stared at his adversary, gasping for breath as hard as his opponent, both not wanting to give any ground. 

"You have to strike like this!"

The slammed his fist into the rock, only to be disappointed by managing to only glance off of the surface of the rock. A tightness formed in his stomach as he hoped to have one more shot to steal victory before his adversary could deal the final blow. 

ID # 74243 result: 9 = 1+1 = 2 Damage

Boulder HP: 2/50

Come on! Gotta get stronger so I can eat!

Beat obsession with sushi was allowing him to ignore the building fatigue of his body. He squared up and prepared to strike once again, hearing the resounding sound of another successful blow from their new friend. He chuckled to himself as he watched Rain take a well deserved respite. 

Geez, he makes it look easy...

As he went to strike, he heard a familiar tone in Shield's voice. He had heard it often on the fields of battle in Crossreign. The way they taunted and egged each other on was almost as famous as their battles. He smiled and looked at his rival and, without looking, struck a solid blow in the stone, deepening the cracks on his side of the boulder. 

"Sure, but you better hurry! I'd hate to make you look bad!"

It was a playful jest rather than anything actually intended to anger his ally. He looked at his new competitor expectantly, proud of the critical blow he had just struck. 

ID # 74240 result: 8 = 1 dmg

Boulder: 10/50 HP

Beat wiped the sweat from his brow, the heat beginning to take its toll. The realism of Sword Art Online was impressive and, unfortunately for him, accurate. Hunger and thirst were beginning to make themselves known, though nothing drastic quite yet. He began to think of his favorite sushi place in the real world and his mouth began to water. There were only a couple of things that could pull Beat back to reality: Food and sleep. His mind drifted off, his eyes glazing over at the rock. He was at a point where he could actually taste his favorite sushi roll and then it occurred to him: if he didn't escape the game, he would never get to actually eat again. He instantly snapped out of his trance and slammed his fist into the boulder.

"I WILL HAVE SUSHI AGAIN!!!!"

To his delight, the hit registered and rewarded his delusional devotion to food, invoking a celebration from the professional gamer. 

ID # 74236 result: 2 = miss

Beat closed his eyes, using his mind to envision the next punch. He imagined it not only hitting its target, but crashing through it and shattering it like a window. He concentrated on this image for what seemed like minutes, when in reality it was only seconds. He visualized the image in his head traveling down his body and into his right arm, which shot out like a rocket. His form was perfect, almost like he had learned an ancient martial art and was now perfecting the ultimate, but simplest technique. A breeze kicked up as his punch reached its destination, striking mid air. He opened his eyes to find himself just out of arms reach. 

"What!? Aww come on!" 

He sank to his knees, the vision still clear in his mind. It was so clear that it was hard to believe that it had not become reality. Beat had definitely found a deep pocket of focus he had never tapped into before and he made note of it for later investigation. 

Beat nodded in understanding. In their heydays of Crossreign, Shield's ability to calculate spawn rates and drop rates was legendary. Beat had the skills that gave him his namesake, but despite superior skills, Shield's numbers matched him blow for blow. Strategies to assumed Beat would hit and even sometimes counted on it made their stalemate the legend it became. To say Shield had a natural gift for certain types of video games was certainly an understatement. 

"My win-loss record on Crossreign can attest to that. I'll be interested to see how you gift works while stuck inside the game." 

Beat's eyes locked on an npc, surrounded by players. Some of the people around the NPC were simply eavesdropping, but others were speaking to him and exchanging money. His eyes glanced to Shield, before returning to the person feeding panicking players information, for a price, of course. 

"That may be the guy we're looking for, what do you think?" 

Beat often moved from one topic to another very quickly, but he still listened when people spoke to him. This tendency often gave him the appearance of not truly listening when it was just that he had a hard time sitting still sometimes. If something was important, he would address it appropriately. 

Past tense...sounds like something I maybe don't want to pry into just yet.

He continued to listen, actually finding a non-hostile conversation with his rival refreshing. Their rivalry was certainly, at least partially, due to their egos and the one part of their personalities that they shared: their stubborness. Whether either of them were ready to acknowledge that fact was another matter entirely. His face took on a more somber expression at Shield's question, though he managed to hide it somewhat. 

"Video games kind of came naturally to me and now, video games are a sort of sport. The real world doesn't interest me too much." 

He refrained from mentioning his family life, mostly due to the fact that he had grown so accustomed to running away from reality, that his life outside of video games was nearly a second thought. In a dark, sort of sad way, being stuck in SAO was preferable. This fact was likely something Beat himself was unaware of, but it was there, waiting to be discovered some way on a therapist's couch. He managed to brighten his expression as he decided to change the subject from motivations, subconsciously avoiding the subject. 

"What about you? Why choose MMO's?"

ID #74200 result: 10 = 1+2 = 3 damage

Boulder: 30/50 

Beat dusted himself off from his previous encounter with the boulder, appreciative that he had not taken any actual hitpoint damage. He narrowed his eyes at his target and stared at the spot where he had last struck successfully until he could see the red mark his previous blow had left. He wound up and threw a heavy haymaker screaming towards the spot. 

"Eiiiyaaaaah!!!" 

His fist found its target perfectly, leaving a small crack in the rock, much to his delight as he observed the hp bar drop about three times as much as it usually had for him. 

"awww yeah!" 

Beat admired his handy work and failed to resist comparing it to Rain's previous triumph. Beat could tell he still had a long ways to go, but he would not fail to appreciate his accomplishment. He slowly worked himself down, ready to focus for his next assault, his thoughts focusing on what kind of reward was in store. 

ID # 74197 result: 1 = miss

Beat watched as his ally failed to do damage while their new acquaintance managed to actually crack the stone. He walked over and examined his new friend's handy work and whistled in approval. 

"Wow! Nice punch! I take it you've done this quest before! haha!" 

Beat turned back to the rock and attempted to refocus, slightly discouraged by how easy it was for Rain. He threw a sharp left, but stepped into it far too much and ended up slipping and hitting his head on the rock. 

"Gah!" 

He landed firmly on his hinder quarters and rubbed his head, which did not hold up quite as well as his hands had so far. The pain subsided quickly, however and he stood back up and looked to Shield, who seemed to be having little luck as well. He gave his ally a smile. 

"Good thing Rain came along, this would take forever otherwise! haha!"

Beat had no idea how stats scaled, but he was sure Rain had quite a few levels one them given how his gear did not appear to be starting gear. He made a note to ask Rain where some good farming spots were after this. Beat grew excited as he watched the new player wind up, hoping to see a good display.

Aw man, I bet he can knock like half of this thing's life off in one-

Before Beat could finish his thought, Rain had dashed his hopes. Always one to find the funny side, Beat just laughed appreciatively as he turned his back on the boulder. 

"No worries man, I've only hit it once. YAH!" 

As if he was trying to take the boulder by surprise, Beat quickly turned and threw a backhand towards the object. 

ID # 74194 Results: BD 7 = 1 dmg

"YES!"

Beat cheered as he watched the health bar of the boulder drop another sliver, refusing to let the small amount of progress discourage him. Staying positive was how he always managed to survive his famous farming sessions. 

Boulder HP: 48/50

Beat chuckled after Shield's question. Despite the awkwardness, Beat could appreciate the attempt to move past the animosity between them, but his mind had already changed on much of that. Most of the change was due to the sudden shift in priorities in the game, but he had always known that there really wasn't anything wrong with being smart about the way to approach a game. Who could argue with the results like that? Sure, their personalities would still clash, but this was more than a game and old grudges had no place here if they were to work as a team and who better to have on your team than the other number one player on Crossreign. He responded in a carefree manner as usual, which seemed to lighten the mood in this particular situation. 

"I play video games of several varieties. How about you?" 

Nothing wrong with actually getting to know each other. I trust his skill, but we'll need more than that, I can tell. My gut is never wrong. 

Beat threw a second punch into the rock, sweat beginning to form on his brow from the heat as he winced again from the impact. He was still amazed how little his fist hurt as he slammed his bare knuckles into the solid chunk of earth. He prepared himself mentally to strike a solid object with his bare hand once again as he heard someone speak behind him. He turned and gave a small salute as the stranger who had offered to help. Beat grinned widely as he looked at the player's health bar and began to bring up the radial menu to invite him, his eyes resting on the gloves the man was sporting.

"Always room for one more! Careful though, this quest is hard on the hands! haha!"

He finished sending the invite, which would appear in front of Rain a moment later.

"I'm Beat, by the way, nice to meet ya!"

Rolls:

Beat tucked his arms up against the side of his body for a few moments, inhaling and exhaling loudly once before unleashing a fierce left straight punch, imitating his idea of a karate master. 

"Hiya!" 

Beat's quick reflex forced him to wince in anticipation of pain, but only felt a dull ache as he pulled his hand back, stretching the digits out, surprised at the lack of damage, particularly around the knuckles. 

I suppose it would be a shitty quest if you had to literally break you hand on a rock.

The location where his blow had managed to hit him glowed red for a moment, indicating a sufficient blow. He smiled as he glanced up at the boulder's HP bar and sighed at the minute progress they had made. Beat was always ready for a good grind if the reward was worth it, so he merely hoped that his efforts would bear worthy fruit. One thing was for sure: he wasn't stoppping until the deed was done.

"In for a penny I suppose..."

----

Combat Stats 

HP: 20   EP: 1   

DMG: 3   EVA: 0   MIT: 0   ACC: 0

Equipment

Weapon: Two-handed Iron Straight Sword (unequiped)

Armor: Cloth Armor

Beat jogged to the monk, who looked at him expectantly, his bandanna and karate gi rustling with the occasional breeze that managed to sneak through the woods. Beat rubbed his chin for a moment before speaking, unsure how quest givers worked in this game. 

"Greetings, may I ask what you are doing out here in the woods with a giant boulder?" 

The monk smiled and placed his hand on the rock, looking down at the fresh level 1 player. 

"So you seek to acquire the skills of a martial artist?"

A window popped up in front of Beat.

Do you want to accept the quest Breaking the Unbreakable?

|Accept|                      |Decline|

Beat quickly pressed 'Accept' and was practically bouncing up and down in excitement. Even though SAO was no longer just a game, the ability to improve yourself in such a short amount of time was still enjoyable. Beat had no illusions about their situation, but he was determined to stay positive and enjoy the game as much as he could. The monk smiled and pointed at the boulder. 

"Your task is simple. You must break this boulder-" 

"pfft easy I-"

"With your bare hands."

"W-What?"

"Good luck."

The monk turned to face the northern edge of the clearing, leaving Beat to his task. Beat turned and gave his ally a sheepish grin. 

"So uhh....we have to beat the rock....with our fists...hahaha!"

Beat found humor in the fact that Shield would not be getting the skill reward for this quest and was still going to have to punch the rock with his bare hands. His laugher ended quickly enough as he turned to the rock again and squared up to it, preparing himself for what he imagined would break his hand. 

-----

Combat Stats 

HP: 20   EP: 1   

DMG: 3   EVA: 0   MIT: 0   ACC: 0

Equipment

Weapon: Two-handed Iron Straight Sword

Armor: Cloth Armor

Beat stared up at the sky, despite the messages being gone, his mind struggling with the weight of what Kayaba had told them. His empty skill list was no longer amusing and his single digit stats were no longer novel to him. He subconsciously pulled up his menu and stared at the numbers on it, hardly reading them and more staring through them than anything, already knowing to doom they represented. He placed his hands on his head and squeezed as he shut his eyes tightly, hoping that he would somehow break through the restrictions, logout and go back to the real world. The desire to return to reality was something Beat never thought he would ever feel. It was a feeling he could not appreciate in the moment, but it was definitely new. After a few minutes, he yelled in frustration, his long shot of a wish remaining just that: a wish.

"RAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" 

He yelled until he was winded, his head significantly clearer after expelling some of the negativity and hopelessness that had begun to consume him. He continued to catch his breath as a party invite appeared before him. He slowly stood up straight and turned to his old rival. The man he was looking at was not his rival, it was now a real human being whose life was in just as much peril as his was. This was no long virtual reality. This was real. Beat gently placed his hand on his stomach, as he digested the situation more calmly, turning to his most trusted guidance councilor. 

What does my gut tell me? 

Without another thought, Beat pressed 'o' and watched as Shield's name and life bar appeared before him. It didn't take much to figure out that two players stood a better chance together than alone. Solo play was for games with respawn timers, not Sword Art Online. He slammed his fist into his open hand, his spirit still shaken, but no longer falling apart. Knowing he was not alone in this deadly virtual landscape was a huge relief and he could feel the tension leaving him quickly. He smiled as he fully faced his new party member. 

"Alright, where to first mister calculator?" 

Quest Info

Beat ran along the path that was well beaten through the trees, testing the stats of his new character. IT was an odd feeling to move so slowly and have no special skills to make travel easier. While some people would have complained, Beat found it exhilarating. The sun shone through the moderate coverage of treetops and there was not a cloud in sight, making the day easy to enjoy. A minute passed before he reached the clearing that the information broker had mentioned for free, either by accident or in an attempt to actually sell further information. At the mention of a hidden skill, Beat had heard all he needed and immediately insisted that they follow the lead. He grinned at the giant boulder sitting in the middle of a grass clearing in the woods. A bald monk stood by the chunk of earth, obviously waiting for players to speak to him. Beat waited for Shield, whom he had left behind in his excitement and he folded his arms as he grinned at the older man, gesturing to what he assumed was the quest giver. 

"See? I told you. And you thought this would be a waste of time."

Beat is accepting with @Rain and @Shield

http://i.imgur.com/f9iQPeX.jpg

- Profile -

Username: Beat

Real name: Daigo Ishikawa

Age: 24

Gender: Male

Height: 6’0

Weight: 175 lbs

- Biography -

- Profession -

Cooking: R7 High Mentor

- Stats -

[Level: 64]   [HP: 1325/1325]   [Energy: 128/128]   [Dmg: 20]   [Acc: 5]   [Eva: 0]   [Mit: 18]

- Skills -

SP: 311| SP Unused: 2

- Sword Arts -

- Housing -

- Inventory -

-Transactions -

- Roleplays -