Pinball

Penniless and destitute, Pinball found himself meandering through the verdant meadow towards a building he hadn't set foot in in some time. Truthfully, there'd been no reason to. But consumables were important, and they'd be of great help on his searches. He'd also been growing to despise the taste of wild game prepared on the field, and something flavorful for once would be nice. It was mostly the consumable buffs that brought him back, though. Just to be clear. Pushing through the dusty doorway and into the dark, untouched interior of his old shop, he couldn't help but feel the bittersweet tug of longing and nostalgia in his throat. 

DATE: 6/11/2022
Rank 7 Cook | Daily Crafting Attempts: 8 

Crafting T3 [Dessert]s
ID: 209487 | CD: 7 | LD: 20 | Uncommon, x2 Extra 
ID: 209488 | CD: 12 | LD: 7 | Perfect 
ID: 209489 | CD: 12 | LD: 17 | Perfect, x1 Extra 
ID: 209490 | CD: 11 | LD: 10 | Rare
ID: 209491 | CD: 11 | LD: 4 | Rare
ID: 209492  | CD: 7 | LD: 10 | Uncommon
ID: 209493  | CD: 2 | LD: 13 | Fail 
ID: 209494 | CD: 8 | LD: 1 | Uncommon

Result: +36 EXP | EXP: [1,019/1,279]

Skill(s) Being Dropped: Combat Mastery, Energist, Battle Healing, OHSS, Martial Arts, Searching, Lockpicking, Extended Mod Limit, Parry, Grappling Familiar 
Mod(s)/Addon(s)/Shift(s) Being Dropped: Dismantling, Justified Riposte, Night Vision, Detect, Tracking, Reveal, 1HSS Ferocity 
SP Incurred Towards Limit: x
SP Refunded: 189 (last i checked) 
Cost: Free (Paragon Respec Ticket)

Trudging through the snow, he tried his best to shake the uneasiness that uncomfortably clawed his chest. His heart started to race. He wasn’t aware of it at the moment, but he’d begun to hold his breath. With every passing step, he wanted to run away just a little bit more. One excuse followed another, and doubts mounted interminably. There would always be another opportunity to visit. There was no reason to go. What did he even hope to accomplish? But he stubbornly refused to be bargained with. He pushed through it, resolute, though his veins turned to ice and he felt as though at any minute his teeth would snap and shatter under the pressure of his clamped jaw. 

He came to a stop at the snowy precipice. 

A few seconds passed where he did nothing but stand there, his heart pounding in his chest and his hands balled into white-knuckled fists. 

Slowly, carefully, he lowered himself to sit at the edge. 

With shaky hands, he fumbled in his jacket for an odd little trinket somebody had given him, and when found, he gripped it tightly. An anchor. His eyes slowly shut. In, out. His shudders punctuated each labored breath, an all-consuming anxiety permeating his being. He repeated that process until he found some fleeting semblance of calm, and he steadied. Lost but warm.

"Almost," he murmured, "I'm almost ready." 

And for the first time in a long time, when next he inhaled, he let himself fill with hope. Hope that things were going to be okay. 

*  *  *

His second reprieve was much like the first, and yet still completely different. Standing alone in an empty field, there was no thought. No emotion. 

That was what bothered him the most. 

The memory was there. He held it in the arms of his mind’s eye, but it was hollow, and he knew it shouldn’t be. He knew what he was supposed to feel, too. Guilt. Sadness. Pity. Anything. But he would be lying if he were to say that he did, and he was once again reminded that compassion was a learned behavior, not an innate one. It could be lost, and it could be erased. 

Perturbed, he turned away and continued on. 

The first place he stopped was along the road, a spot just barely beyond sight of Snowfrost. His mind filled with the endless rings of steel on steel, the feeling of his body tearing and being torn, and the surge of grim emotions that came with it. Each blow had been struck with such morbid finality that the memories had permanently burned themselves into his mind, whether he very well liked it or not. 

Bahr. Lessa. 

The names struck mournful chords, and he couldn’t help but wonder…

He drifted aimlessly between his usual haunts. As of late, things had gone quiet. There were no more posters in town bearing his likeness -- and if the lack of hunters counted as any good indicator, people didn’t seem too keen on tracking him down anymore, either. He kept his head down, yes, and stuck always to the darker parts of the cities he moved through... but somewhere along the road, he’d started to feel less like a fugitive and more like a vagrant; someone simply ignored and avoided, rather than despised and hunted. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. 

The whole world seemed ready to move on. The whole world excluding himself.

The irony of it was not lost on him.
 

There were faint ripples in the icy waters as his fingers broke the surface. The shock of the cold brought with it an emulated numbness; something he’d long since grown used to during his travels. He cupped his hands and brought what he could to his lips, savoring the drink. 

A moment passed. He let the rest fall between his fingers and stood, watching the chunks of ice drift lazily downstream. The young man cut a conspicuous figure across the endless white expanse, draped in black in harsh juxtaposition. A shadowy blotch stretched unattractively across a pure, untainted landscape. And he remained deathly still, until his focus gradually began to fail him, and his facade was sundered by the silent cacophony of his own mind.

"No problem," he managed to reply, dripping wet and considerably grumpier than he had been a few seconds ago. 

He watched warily as Lessa leaned as far over the edge of the boat as she was willing to to throw out her attack. ready to reach out and grab her by the back of her armor should she lose her footing or start to teeter on the edge. It was during this vigilant watch that Pinball failed to notice Moretsuna swim rapidly into the water, out of view, only to launch itself completely out of the water, getting impossible air for its size, soaring over the boat, and smacking Pinball ass over tea kettle, the boat rocking dangerously from the force of it. 

But Pinball was quick to stand and salvage his dignity, brushing himself off despite his rapidly reddening features. With a swift arc through the air, Pinball released a crimson blast of energy that pierced the giant fish's side and dropped it into perilous levels of HP. He didn't say anything else. 

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Shadow Explosion] [-10 EN/+1 EN] 
Moretsuna: ID#196726 BD: 3+3= 6 (Hit!) ~ 15*9= 135 DMG 
Moretsuna vs Pinball: BD: 8-3+2= 7 (Hit!) ~ 100 DMG to Pinball

[H:2] Pinball: 1140/1240 HP | 113/124 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | BRN/BLD/BLIT | 62 BH 
[H:1] Lessa: 910/910 | 76/88 EN | 16 DMG | 89 MIT | 4 ACC | Thorns: 2 | Heavy Momentum: 1 | Bleed: 1

Moretsuna: 72/500 HP | 100 DMG | 25 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA 
 Abilities:
Drown: On a CD of 10+, «Mōretsuna» will attempt to drag down the player instead of attack. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist this move. If the player fails, they will lose their current turn and be brought into the water, where they will take 50 unmitigatable damage every turn until they return to the dock or boat. Returning to dock/boat will take up another turn.
Splash: On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with their basic attack, «Mōretsuna» will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and paralyzing them their next turn.
Struggle: On an attack roll of natural 1, the creature will flail and hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deal 50 unmitigatable damage to himself.

He didn't know what was going on between them and he didn't really even care to stop and think about it. 

Arabelle was weird. Dustin was weirder. He just wanted to sleep, but he knew he wasn't going to be able to do that anytime soon. Exasperated, he ran his palm across the side of his face and sighed. Okay, so they were doing this. It wasn't the first time Arabelle had enlisted his help on a quest, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was just to mess with him. The update, from what he had heard, had not only completely changed most floors and landmarks, but also leveled the playing field for everyone. Was she uncomfortable, maybe, with the new, unfamiliar systems? For some reason, Pinball doubted it, but then she went and said something aggravating again, calling the murders old news, and Pinball lost his train of thought completely. 

They headed east. 

A quest, a dragon -- it wasn't a foreign concept in any sense of the word. Had Pinball any interest in the fantastical and the stats, the very concept of dragon hunting would have been done to death by this point, as the whole quest line had originally been nothing but a grueling grind. By the initial looks of it, the only thing that had changed was the focus of a combat grind onto a narrative grind. Why did they bother with so much unnecessary exposition if the end result was the same? 

Or maybe he just wanted it over with as soon as possible. 

That sense of dread was almost immediately replaced with annoyance. 

He watched Dustin run off towards Ugzeke again, flippantly dismissing him, and for a moment he considered wedging his sword between his shoulder blades "on accident" as he took his attack on the Field Boss. Ultimately, though, the presence of the two tanks joining the battle dissuaded him from the hot-headed decision to cut Dustin down for a second time. Instead, he held his tongue and unleashed Meteor Break on the massive wall of flesh and muscle, still a little bit unnerved by the monster's almost cartoonish dismissal of the fighters slicing through his HP. There had to be some sort of catch to all of it, right? Surely. Pulling back and backing off, Pinball would take a second to observe instead of attack, trying to discern just what was up with it. Some trick, some mechanic, some catch -- there had to be something. 

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Meteor Break] [-16 EN/+1 EN] 
Ugzeke: ID#188718 BD: 3+5= 8 (Hit) CD: 4 (nah he vibin') ~ 25*16= 400-160= 240 DMG 

[H:4] Pinball: 760/760 HP | 72/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I | 30 BH  
  Cooldowns: Meteor Break (0/2) | Shadow Explosion (2/3) | Familiar Grapple (2/5) | Nova Ascension (1/1) 

[H:3] Dustin: 620/620 HP | 51/80 EN | 78 MIT | 22 DMG | 1 EVA | 2 ACC | 31 BH (All Might 2/3) (Falcon Jab 1/2) (Acupuncture 0/2)

[H:5] Hikoru: 760/760 HP | 72/88 EN |  132 MIT | 7 DMG | 0 EVA | 3 ACC | 1 RGN | 1 REC | 2 THRNS | 2 D. Paralyze [FH: 1/4] [UK: 0/2]

[H:0] Hestia: statspread here (they're super awesome and pin's the asshole >:( ) 

UGZEKE: 1,880/3,100 HP | 300 DMG | 160 MIT | 2 ACC | -1 EVA [DELAY]
  Skills:
<<Oblivious>>: Every turn, unless <<Ugzeke>> rolls CD 5+, he will remain oblivious to the enemy party and refuse to attack. This skill is disabled once <<Ugzeke>> becomes <<In Pain>>.
<<In Pain>>: Once <<Ugzeke’s>> health reaches 1200, he will become enraged as his skin turns red and he notices the party fully. His ACC is reduced to 1, but his EVA is increased to 2.
<<Smash>>: On an MD 9-10, his attack will hit the entire party for 225 DMG, lowering everyone’s ACC by 1 for two turns.
<<The Harder They Fall>>: Upon being hit with a Focus Sword Art, <<Ugzeke>> will falter and his next attack will have -2 ACC. This can only trigger every third turn.
<<Hard Hitter>>: <<Ugzeke’s>> attacks cannot be parried.
<<Tier Lock>>: For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 4. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]
This skill only locks downward. Those at Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 will still have T1, T2, or T3 stats, respectively.

Attached to a memory?

Pinball's stance grew rigid in an instant, and and coldness in his demeanor was only reinforced and accentuated twofold. Why was it that she saw fit to stick her nose in his business all the time? And that condescending tone, and the way she spoke, and, just -- 

-- everything. There was a flash of red in his cheeks as he stumbled over himself for a retort, but ultimately, it wouldn't be necessary. With a resounding crash just to the side of the two players, a third fell from a tree above. Pinball's head snapped in their direction, and his expression immediately soured, as if it could have possibly gotten any worse than it had been already. Arabelle was on the verge of laughter. Pinball didn't think that there was anything funny about it. When she asked whether they were together or not, Pinball physically recoiled. 

"We were not." 

He flicked his sword and sheathed it, giving the surrounding rooms and halls a quick once-over. They'd been fighting for a little while now, but somehow, it felt as though they weren't making any progress at all. Pinball ran his thumb across his jawline, unsure of how he should feel about it. They had said that the Chest Rooms were rare, yes, but just how rare were they in actuality? Were his low expectations higher than they should be? 

Pinball would have voiced these thoughts out loud, had he been in the middle of an interrogation. He was starting to regret making this deal in the first place. He'd regret it more if they were to leave without even finding anything of value -- like the Rainbow Scales and Demonic Shards. They were supposedly found in the Chest Rooms, but finding them was even more rare than coming across a non-trapped room in the first place. What a pain in the ass. 

"I killed one of her friends," he replied, "other than that, I'm not sure. She's the one who told me that. I had" 

bid roll: id#188644 LD: 5+5= 10 (Nothing) :( 

Hestia was understandably disgusted by his answer. Pinball realized in hindsight that he had probably given her too little information -- but at the same time, he also knew that there was no excuse for what he had done, and so he wasn't going to attempt to justify it. For that brief moment of indecision, Pinball struggled with deciding whether or not to tell her the rest, or to leave it at that. 

The second Kobold was lagging behind the previously stunned one, so he took the chance to swiftly put an end to its life before continuing. 

"She was the most recent." He repeated himself. "I didn't seek her out. She came to me and started the fight." 

Pinball's expression soured. 

"But she knew what she was doing was... was suicide. In the end, that's what it felt like. She even gave her final requests to me, the guy who ruined her life in more ways than one. I had the choice to stop myself, but I didn't. I don't know why I didn't." Pinball turned to face her as the last Kobold ran for his attack, wearing a serious mask. He stood by every word he said. There was no attempt to wiggle out of the responsibility, like the Orange Players he loathed would tend to try and do. He tightened his grip on his sword and then relaxed. He left out her true final words to him, because he still didn't understand why she had told him them. 

You are forgiven. 

Who are you to decide that? 

He turned away. He didn't like repeating himself, but it felt necessary now. 

"I didn't have a reason for killing her." 

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Meteor Break] [-15 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Kobold 2: ID#188627 BD: 8 (Hit) ~ 25+8= 33*16= 528 DMG 

[4]Hestia: HP:1034/1035 EN:92/102  Mit:208[FA:16] Thorns:110[FA:8]  BH:51  emergency:103 when 258 hp or lower  Recovery: +4 eng CD: 7+
[1]Pinball: 851/851 HP | 78/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I 
 Cooldowns: Meteor Break (0/2) | Shadow Explosion (1/3) 

Kobold 1: 15/620 DMG:186  ACC:4  
Kobold 2: 0/620  DMG:186   ACC:4

Looting Kobold 2: ID#188628 LD: 11(+5=16) CD: 12 
 Drops: 
4,960 Col 
2 Materials 
T4 Rare Trinket [#188628] 

He awoke to the sound of someone whose voice never failed to annoy him, yet always succeeded in sending a dreadful shiver down his spine. 

"Little rat?" Pinball had quickly pulled himself out of his bag as he heard her approach. His first move had been for his sword, until his groggy mind put two and two together and he pulled away from it, annoyed, his eyes lingering on the sack of crystals left beside him. A slick looking black cat that had been snuggling beside him burst into a fluffy cloud of shadows and filled the jar beside his headrest, and as he stood, Pinball began hooking it to his belt. "That's bold even for you, isn't it?" 

It was of notable interest that the cave he'd resided in wasn't particularly well lit, especially not the jagged overhang he'd been sleeping under. As such, his eyes would glow a bright yellow, and seemingly leave faint, evanescent trails in the darkness as he scooped his sword up and moved for its mouth. He said nothing about her changed appearance, and didn't grab the crystals as he went. Why did she look so different-? The question had placed itself on the forefront of his mind, but he brushed it under the rug, along with his response to her "friendly greeting" and an indignant insult or three. 

"You'll have to forgive me." He said, brushing past her and walking a bit a ways into the forest. "That's a bit too perfect a place to be murdered." 

Turning back to face her, his eyes again their normal shade of blue, Pinball rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and tilted his head. 

Unfortunately still, not one part of him wanted anything to do with Arabelle. It was a shame that most of the time, he didn't feel like he had too much of a choice in the matter. 

"What do you need, Arabelle?" 

Player Stats + House Buffs: 

"Right, I get you." 

Pinball did not get her. He had plenty of things to gripe about, to be completely honest, though he wasn't about to admit as much out loud. 

For starters, I'm pretty sure your friend wants to kill me, he thought, but I don't think I can name a person who doesn't nowadays. 

She looked out at the water, talking about how she wouldn't be surprised if the quest boss had some sort of timer. He wouldn't be surprised, but with each passing moment and each centimeter the flimsy boat beneath them sunk, Pinball grew more and more convinced that they could have - and probably should have - stayed firmly ashore while they fished. Surely, the boat wasn't necessary for something like this. At least not when it was of such poor quality. Pinball had reset his line, briefly making sure his hook was still attached to the rod, before he looked up and realized that Lessa wasn't there anymore. 

"Huh?" 

Lessa was being dragged underwater. Just beneath the waves he could make out the colossal shape of a fat fucking fish he already despised with every fiber of his being. 

"Hey!" He angrily barked, as though that were going to do absolutely anything to stop it. Drawing his sword and diving from the boat in one swift motion, Pinball unleashed a Sword Art and tore into the skin of the giant fish with a level of ease where it seemed as though he weren't cutting through water at all, stunning it, and leaving it floating aimlessly through the water. Figuring that was enough for now to grab its attention, and knowing that the stun wouldn't last forever, he'd pull Lessa to the surface if she wasn't already afloat. 

"Back to the boat," he grumbled, doing exactly as he'd said. Pulling himself back onto the dingy raft they'd been afloat on, Pinball leveled himself, dripping wet, and waited for the creature to hopefully turn around and start attacking them. It'd make it much easier to kill it that way. 

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Nova Ascension] [-11 EN] {Well Rested} 
Moretsuna: ID#188544 BD: 7+3-1= 9 (Hit) MD: 8-3= 5 (Miss) ~ 15*9= 110 DMG + STUN 

[H:1] Pinball: 1240/1240 HP | 113/124 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | BRN/BLD/BLIT | 62 BH 
[H:0] Lessa: 

Moretsuna: 390/500 HP | 100 DMG | 25 MIT | 2 ACC | 1 EVA {STUNNED} 
 Abilities:
Drown: On a CD of 10+, «Mōretsuna» will attempt to drag down the player instead of attack. The player, on their next turn, will need to make a separate LD roll (as a free action) of 10+ to resist this move. If the player fails, they will lose their current turn and be brought into the water, where they will take 50 unmitigatable damage every turn until they return to the dock or boat. Returning to dock/boat will take up another turn.
Splash: On an attack roll of a natural 9-10, along with their basic attack, «Mōretsuna» will splash water onto the player, bringing them to their knees and paralyzing them their next turn.
Struggle: On an attack roll of natural 1, the creature will flail and hit each player for 50 unmitigable damage, but also deal 50 unmitigatable damage to himself.

"Sorry about this, my Sword Arts are on cooldown. I was trying to avoid this one." 

His preemptive apology was the precursor to a shadowy slash and following explosion that tore the first of the two Kobold's HP values to shreds - but it was unfortunately not quite enough to finish the job. As the colors flashed and then faded, Pinball would pull away from the two mobs, leaving the Kobold he'd attacked on death's door but stunned and struggling to stand. This, of course, meant that it wouldn't be able to strike Hestia's shield to finish itself, as he was sure she knew and understood, but he figured one nearly dead and immobilized would be dealt with as quickly as two standing, full-health monsters anyway. 

"As for the question," he said between breaths, waiting for his opportunity to strike again, "Kirbs was the last." 

Pinball frowned. "I didn't have a reason for killing her." 

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Shadow Explosion] [-13 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Kobold 1: ID#188543 BD: 7 (Hit) ~ 25+8= 33*15= 495 DMG 

[4/4]Hestia: HP:1033/1035 EN:102/102  Mit:208[FA:16] Thorns:110[FA:8]  BH:51  emergency:103 when 258 hp or lower  Recovery: +4 eng CD: 7+
[1/0]Pinball: 851/851 HP | 85/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I 
 Cooldowns: Meteor Break (2/2) | Nova Ascension (1/1) | Shadow Explosion (0/3) 

Kobold 1: 15/620 DMG:186  ACC:4 {STUNNED} 
Kobold 2: 620/620  DMG:186   ACC:4

He didn't like hearing his name from that guy. It brought back uncomfortable memories. 

Pinball had to put another Sword Art into Ugzeke. He knew he did - they didn't even have him down to half health, and here they were talking in the middle of a genuine life or death situation. But an emotion flew through him that he didn't have the words to describe, and despite himself, Pinball found himself faltering, hesitating, leaning towards the Field Boss as though he were going to charge, but not moving, his eyes locked on someone who was both an old friend and a recent adversary. What was he supposed to even say? Pinball found himself shrinking into himself, almost fearfully, his breaths growing more laborious with each passing second -- 

-- So it was a good thing that Aru and Hestia burst onto the scene when they did. Letting out a Howl that immediately drew the attention of an Ugzeke finally snapping through his bonds, an ironclad player made his appearance followed closely by another that he knew well. The shout worked wonders to snap Pinball out of his daze, as well, and Pinball finally had his senses returned to him enough to look Dustin in the eye, and point his sword towards Ugzeke. 

"Let's kill this guy first, alright?" What was intended to come out forcefully and stoically instead came out small and weakly, but through grit teeth, he figured that it would do. 

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Nova Ascension] [-1 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Ugzeke: ID#188542 BD: 1 (Crit.Miss) MD: {Grappled} 

[H:3] Pinball: 760/760 HP | 87/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I | 30 BH  
  Cooldowns: Meteor Break (2/2) | Shadow Explosion (1/3) | Familiar Grapple (1/5) | Nova Ascension (0/1) 

[H:3] Dustin: 620/620 HP | 52/80 EN | 78 MIT | 22 DMG | 1 EVA | 2 ACC | 31 BH (All Might 1/3) (Falcon Jab 0/2)

[H:4] Hikoru: 760/760 HP | 88/88 EN |  132 MIT | 7 DMG | 0 EVA | 3 ACC | 1 RGN | 1 REC | 2 THRNS | 2 D. Paralyze

[H:0] Hestia: statspread here (they're super awesome and pin's the asshole >:( ) 

UGZEKE: 2,121/3,100 HP | 300 DMG | 160 MIT | 2 ACC | -1 EVA [GRAPPLED]
  Skills:
<<Oblivious>>: Every turn, unless <<Ugzeke>> rolls CD 5+, he will remain oblivious to the enemy party and refuse to attack. This skill is disabled once <<Ugzeke>> becomes <<In Pain>>.
<<In Pain>>: Once <<Ugzeke’s>> health reaches 1200, he will become enraged as his skin turns red and he notices the party fully. His ACC is reduced to 1, but his EVA is increased to 2.
<<Smash>>: On an MD 9-10, his attack will hit the entire party for 225 DMG, lowering everyone’s ACC by 1 for two turns.
<<The Harder They Fall>>: Upon being hit with a Focus Sword Art, <<Ugzeke>> will falter and his next attack will have -2 ACC. This can only trigger every third turn.
<<Hard Hitter>>: <<Ugzeke’s>> attacks cannot be parried.
<<Tier Lock>>: For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 4. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]
This skill only locks downward. Those at Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 will still have T1, T2, or T3 stats, respectively.

Sugutsuya. His face still wrinkled in disgust at the name. 

He regret killing him, yes, but Pinball didn't bear the same guilty conscience as he once had in regards to the long-since fallen guild leader. He'd felt it then, too. Pinball didn't know what Lucy had seen in him -- because every time he had looked at the young man's face, the only image conjured in his mind's eye had been that of a snake. The memories also served as a swift reminder at just how uncomfortable he was still at the idea of talking about it. But a deal was a deal (as if he cared about such things), and even past that, there was not going to be any moving forward unless he spoke openly. So he did, although he shredded into the Orc and completely sliced it in two before he spoke. 

"Sugutsuya was the first," he said, turning away and continuing down the halls, "and he hurt someone I cared about. That's all." 

Pinball didn't say anything more past that. He couldn't bring himself to. 

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Nova Ascension] [-11 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Orc: ID#188297 BD: 10 (Crit+2) ~ 25+2+8= 35*13= 455 DMG 

[4]Hestia: HP:1034/1035 EN:91/102  Mit:208[FA:16] Thorns:110[FA:8]  BH:51  emergency:103 when 258 hp or lower  Recovery: +4 eng CD: 7+
[2]Pinball: 851/851 HP | 97/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I 
 Cooldowns: Meteor Break (1/2) | Nova Ascension (0/1) 

Orc: 0/620  DMG:186   ACC:3

Looting Orc: ID#188298 LD: 18(+5= 23) CD: 1 
 Drops: 
3,100 Col 
2 Materials 
1x Perfect T4 Weapon 
1x Perfect T4 Trinket 

"Our time together is short enough already," he replied, watching the monsters rush forward and Hestia run out to greet them. 

He drew his own sword in response, and followed closely behind. With a Focused Howl, Hestia drew the attention of the mobs and pulled them onto herself. They were killing themselves on her defense, her MIT being more than enough to protect her while her Thorns dealt damage back onto them. Pinball picked out the most vulnerable looking mob of the two and took his shot, swinging his blade out an an arc, killing it in a furious fury of blows. 

"So I'll tell you one by one, by the individual, because each had their own reason, if you could even call it that. Give me a name." He finished his sentence with a bitter twist, his eyes turning to fall on the remaining Orc. He had to get picked off next, before they could move forward. 

                                                                                              
Action Taken: Sword Art - [Meteor Break] [-15 EN] {Well Rested} 
Centaur: ID#188268 BD: 6 (Hit) ~ 25+8= 33*16= 528 DMG 

[4]Hestia: HP:1033/1035 EN:100/102  Mit:208[FA:16] Thorns:110[FA:8]  BH:51  emergency:103 when 258 hp or lower  Recovery: +4 eng CD: 7+
[0]Pinball: 851/851 HP | 99/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I 

Centaur: 0/620 DMG:186  ACC:3
Orc: 510/620  DMG:186   ACC:3

Looting Centaur: ID#188296 LD: 18(+5= 23) CD: 3 
Drops: 
 3,100 Col 
 2 Materials 
 1x Perfect T4 Weapon 
 1x Perfect T4 Trinket 

Ah, Jesus Christ. Of all people... 

When was the last time he'd even spoken with Dustin? Probably when he'd cut his arm off. For a brief moment Pinball considered slinking back into the shadows and trying to creep away from the fight entirely. He hadn't seemed to notice him, and showing himself would probably be opening a can of worms he didn't really feel like dealing with, at least not at the moment. But he was able to see perfectly how Ugzeke seemed to take notice of him after his punch, angrily turning to face him though quickly discovering that its body wouldn't obey its commands. Ugzeke was stunned. 

But with it seemed to shake it off quickly, flexing, a massive wall of annoyed muscles, and Pinball found his feet moving against his better judgement. 

He had the overwhelming sense of dread that once Ugzeke deemed them as threats, they weren't going to have as easy of a time. 

"Zomekko." Swirling black shadow encompassed his blade, birthed from the jar he carried on his belt, and Pinball unleashed another powerful attack against Ugzeke, tearing through its defenses with a ferocity that far outstripped his previous. As he did, Zomekko's darkness leapt from his sword to surround Ugzeke, becoming firm, solid, wrapping around him and forcing his body to the ground and into itself, like so many pitch-black rubber bands compressing its form and holding it in place. Now, even if Ugzeke wanted to attack, he'd have to spend his time breaking free of Zomekko's confines first. It'd hopefully buy them some time. 

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Shadow Explosion] | [FAMILIAR GRAPPLE] [-13 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested} 
Ugzeke: ID#188267 BD: 10 (+2 Crit) MD: 8-1= 7 (Hit) CD: 9 (:eyes:) {Stunned} ~ 25+2+8= 35*15= 525-160= 365 DMG  

[H:3] Pinball: 760/760 HP | 87/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I | 30 BH  
  Cooldowns: Meteor Break (1/2) | Shadow Explosion (0/3) | Familiar Grapple (0/5) 

[H:2] Dustin: 620/620 HP | 63/80 EN | 78 MIT | 22 DMG | 1 EVA | 2 ACC | 31 BH (All Might Cooldown 0/3)

[H:0] Hikoru: statspread here (they're assholes) 

[H:0] Hestia: statspread here (they're assholes) 

UGZEKE: 2,247/3,100 HP | 300 DMG | 160 MIT | 2 ACC | -1 EVA  [STUN] [GRAPPLED]
  Skills:
<<Oblivious>>: Every turn, unless <<Ugzeke>> rolls CD 5+, he will remain oblivious to the enemy party and refuse to attack. This skill is disabled once <<Ugzeke>> becomes <<In Pain>>.
<<In Pain>>: Once <<Ugzeke’s>> health reaches 1200, he will become enraged as his skin turns red and he notices the party fully. His ACC is reduced to 1, but his EVA is increased to 2.
<<Smash>>: On an MD 9-10, his attack will hit the entire party for 225 DMG, lowering everyone’s ACC by 1 for two turns.
<<The Harder They Fall>>: Upon being hit with a Focus Sword Art, <<Ugzeke>> will falter and his next attack will have -2 ACC. This can only trigger every third turn.
<<Hard Hitter>>: <<Ugzeke’s>> attacks cannot be parried.
<<Tier Lock>>: For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 4. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]
This skill only locks downward. Those at Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 will still have T1, T2, or T3 stats, respectively.

It came as a relief when she followed him willingly. Honestly, he probably would have headed into the dungeon had she declined, but he wouldn't have even begun to risk venturing into one of its infamous "Chest Rooms," which, allegedly, would be more aptly named should they have been called "Trap Rooms." 

As they descended into darkest depths, she sprung her first question, which came as little surprise to him. She asked him whose death had earned him his crystal. 

"Sugutsuya," Pinball replied, "Belial, Roulette, Kirbs. I've never forgotten a name. I've fought a lot more, though, and that's where it starts to get blurry." 

But he didn't talk about who he'd fought, or even give a hint as to the actual number. Intentionally so. He wanted to keep her hooked for as long as possible. She wanted answers, Pinball wanted to exploit her defenses so as to increase his chances of survivability while he took as much as he possibly could for the Black Iron Dungeon. Horrible, sure, but that was the place he was at, unfortunately. 

BID Roll: ID#188213 LD: 12+5= 17 (Nothing Happens) 

By the time Hestia would arrive, Pinball would have brought up a crate and taken a seat. When he saw her coming down the way, he adjusted himself, sitting up straight, before finally standing to meet her. The first thing she did was ask him what was up. Under normal circumstances, he would have ignored her. Ran away. Froze up. But this time he'd rehearsed his answer. 

"You've heard about the Black Iron Dungeon." Surely aggravatingly enough, it was a statement, not a question. 

The arrogance and cold disregard to the tank's free will would only be accentuated by him turning his back to her and have him walking towards the prison. 

"I want to scout it out, but I can't do it alone," he called out over his shoulder, "and it's not something I'd like to risk. If you come, and help me work my way through it, I'll answer any questions you might have. Truthfully. I'm tired of hiding from my past, and I'm sure you're tired of hearing about it." 

He'd glance over his shoulder to see if she was actually following. 

"Let's talk." 

He heard the roars and rumbles of Ugzeke echoing across the walls of the dark tunnels well before he even saw him. 

Thanks to Night Vision and his gradual, increasing familiarity with the once seemingly intricate network of underground passages over the times of his wanderings, Pinball was able to travel quickly and largely unimpeded by obstacles. He drew his sword as he approached. It was time to retire Cold Fervor for the meantime and give Ruby's Astral Blade a go at it. Ugzeke grew larger and larger as he rushed forward, leapt forward, and unleashed a vicious string of attacks as Cardinal carried him through Meteor Break. 

And then he fell to the ground behind Ugzeke, standing in the large cavern in which the Field Boss resided. Interestingly enough, he... didn't seem to notice Pinball at all, or even move to attack him; it confused the swordsman, but he also found himself thankful for whatever stroke of luck he'd been caressed by. From the looks of his attack, Ugzeke was built like a truck, with an HP pool to match. He didn't know how far he would be able to tear through it before he had to retreat. 

Action Taken: Sword Art - [Meteor Break] [-15 EN] {Well Rested} 
Ugzeke: ID#188185 BD: 3+5+1= 9 (Hit!) MD: 9 (oh) CD: 1 (im safe) ~ 25*16= 400-160= 240 DMG 

[H:1] Pinball: 760/760 HP | 99/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I | 30 BH  
  Cooldowns: Meteor Break (0/2)  

[H:0] Dustin: statspread here (if they join) 

[H:0] Hikoru: statspread here (if they join) 

[H:0] Hestia: statspread here (if they join) 

UGZEKE: 2,860/3,100 HP | 300 DMG | 160 MIT | 2 ACC | -1 EVA 
  Skills:
<<Oblivious>>: Every turn, unless <<Ugzeke>> rolls CD 5+, he will remain oblivious to the enemy party and refuse to attack. This skill is disabled once <<Ugzeke>> becomes <<In Pain>>.
<<In Pain>>: Once <<Ugzeke’s>> health reaches 1200, he will become enraged as his skin turns red and he notices the party fully. His ACC is reduced to 1, but his EVA is increased to 2.
<<Smash>>: On an MD 9-10, his attack will hit the entire party for 225 DMG, lowering everyone’s ACC by 1 for two turns.
<<The Harder They Fall>>: Upon being hit with a Focus Sword Art, <<Ugzeke>> will falter and his next attack will have -2 ACC. This can only trigger every third turn.
<<Hard Hitter>>: <<Ugzeke’s>> attacks cannot be parried.
<<Tier Lock>>: For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 4. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]
This skill only locks downward. Those at Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 will still have T1, T2, or T3 stats, respectively.

Ugzeke, Ugzeke. 

Hadn't he killed that thing before? 

Apparently it was different now, turned into a Field Boss post 3.0. So many things were different, now, and there was so much that he had to relearn from scratch, especially now with his potential at earning decent EXP being skewed by Paragon's steep level requirement incline. Field Bosses were apparently a means to help them along, but how strong were they exactly? Could he possibly Solo it? Most monsters now seemed as though they were intended to be fought alongside parties, but he'd manage to just barely make it through on his own by a hair, skirting by on the brink of death. 

He hurried out of Kalanaes. Allegedly, it lived in the caverns. If he could get there before anyone else did, maybe he could take advantage of the grinding spot for a while. 

Pinball chowed down on consumables in the meantime. Just in case. 

Liquor of Light: DMG III 
Tofu Burger: Protein II 
Hummus Dip: +2 ACC 
Spinach-Artichoke Dip: +2 EVA {House Buff: Filling} -> +3 EVA

Player Stats: (After Buffs) 

House Buffs: 

The Black Iron Dungeon. 

Its discovery had had the domino effect of an unprecedented buzz sweeping across Aincrad. Players of all types and calibers were, at the very least, interested in what this mysterious dungeon had to offer them, especially considering the fact it had seemingly laid beneath their noses since the beginning of the death game. Pinball was one such character perplexed by the dungeon's nebulous nature - reports claimed that it was dangerous, and risky to go alone, far beyond any regular sub-dungeons of equal tier. He wanted to find out for himself. 

But he wouldn't go it alone. After heading into the Town of Beginnings and finding a shady spot away from the patrols from the guards inside the beginnings of the dungeon itself, Pinball quickly downed the consumables he would need for the venture. He'd messaged somebody he'd originally had no intention of ever talking to again, who just so happened to be on the same floor as him at the time: Hestia. She'd affronted him, arrested him, and been a general thorn in his side ever since he'd killed Sugutsuya. But before that, she'd been an ally, a Tank to his DPS. Pinball was done being scared of confronting his sins. He was tired of running away. 

He was done hiding. And so he waited. 

Buffs Consumed: 
T3 Field Rations: +12% HP 
Liquor of Light: DMG III 
Tofu Burger: Protein II 
Hummus Dip: +2 ACC 
Spinach-Artichoke Dip: +2 EVA {House Buff: Filling} -> +3 EVA

Player Stats: (After Buffs) 

House Buffs: