Tyonis

Rolling
 

Tyonis walks into Neo's shop, and, after not catching her, he leaves a small box with a note on it behind the counter. When she opens it, she'd find the best rapier Tyonis has crafted to date.

Trade Request: @Neopolitan The Martial Tuck is a free gift from Tyonis to Neo, requiring no trade in return.

Tyonis chuckled ruefully, unsure if Spencer knew how close he'd come to the truth about his statement concerning government surveillance. As if on que, the Cave Guardian emerged from the opposite end of the chamber, bursting through the cave wall in a grandiose entrance that surprised Tyonis, since this was such a low level quest. 'Kayaba went through all the stops to impress new players, I guess,' he mused and readied himself. The Cave Guardian lumbered toward him but its movements were so slow, Tyonis could have easily dodged the creature's stone fist even without the superhuman aid the Skill Assist System granted him. He rolled out of the way with practiced grace. In one hand he held his spear, in the other was a small bottle of crystal clear liquid. 

"Bottoms up. This thing expires after the quest anyway, so..!" He downed the potion in a single gulp, ignoring the harsh taste. His whole body became encased in some kind of polygon-like transparent shield and a new buff made itself known by his HP bar. Once the buff icon appeared, the shield vanished.

Word Count: 184

Name:  Martial Tuck
Your Profession: Blacksmith
Your Rank: 3
Roll ID: 103126
Roll Result: 12
Item Type:  Rapier
Tier:  1
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: Accuracy | Bleed | Paralyze
Description: The first Perfect Rapier Tyonis ever forged. He modeled it after a civil war tuck side-sword, a cross between a traditional rapier and an armor-penetrating estoc. This one-handed sword features better balance, slashing potential, and penetrating power at the cost of a shorter striking range and greater weight.
Post Link: 

Emboldened by his success at crafting a [Perfect] Tier 1 Rapier for Neo, Tyonis turns his attention to Spencer's mace. He wouldn't forget the first friend he made in Sword Art Online, not by a long shot. He wiped the non-existent sweat off his brow, picked up his hammer, and went to work. By work, that meant taking his free hand and swiping through a few menus to start crafting the mace. It was the thought that counted though, right? Tyonis chuckled and prepared himself for the crafting mini-game as it came onscreen. 

"Spencer, pray to whatever god you believe in..." Tyonis muttered as the game started. When the game finished Tyonis could only sigh in annoyance at the subpar weapon he'd crafted.

Word Count: 107
Date: 13JUL2018
ID: 103127
CD: 10 (Success)
EXP: +4EXP

Ever a creature of habit, Tyonis awoke an hour before dawn and went through his morning workout routine. This time, he teleported up to the 2nd Floor and ran a few miles around the lush forests, just as a change of pace. He returned and went through his personal hygiene. It was strictly unnecessary in SAO, but going through the motions reminded him of what he'd lost and what he'd have to look forward to. It was a means of grounding and refreshing his resolve every day. 

He dressed into his blacksmithing gear and approached the workbench, waiting for the familiar crafting prompt to show up. With a few swipes of his menu, he began trying to craft another T1 Rapier and maybe even a mace!

Word Count: 126
Date: 13JUL2018
ID: 103124, 103125, 103126
CD: 7 (Salvage) LD: 12 (Success); 5 (Salvage) LD: 13 (Success); 12 (NAILED IT)
EXP: +15EXP; Tyonis reaches Rank 3 | Blacksmith

Tyonis walks into the shop, surprised by the maid with a snake coiling around her. He almost drew his spear but a quick self-reminder reassured him that he was still well in the safe zone. "I... uh. Yes, I'd like to make a purchase." Tyonis coughed into a closed fist to restore his composure. "I'm pretty sure my hidden luck stat is somewhere in the negatives, and I was hoping you had something that could help me improve my chances at getting loot and such." Tyonis looked around and noticed the Wanderer's Eyes in one of the display cases.

"That one looks perfect! Is it for sale?"

Purchase Request: [Rare] Tier 1 Jewelry - Wanderer's Eyes (+2 LD) for 550 Col.

Reward Summary:

Tyonis: 

» 2 Additional Skill Points

»  1 Additional Skill Point (20 Posts)

»  200 Col (20 Posts)

Asakku:

» 2 Additional Skill Points

»  1 Additional Skill Point (20 Posts)

»  200 Col (20 Posts)

When Tyonis got the Quest Complete window, he couldn't help but sigh in relief. This had to be one of his worst showings in SAO to date. He sheathed his weapon and walked over to @Asakku, with a coy grin as she showcased her prize. "Yeah, great job!," he congratulated and offered her a high-five if she would take it. "Well, that's one less tutorial quest down, I guess." Tyonis scratched the back of his head then addressed Asakku, fully. "I know this wasn't the... best of fights, but I'd like to fight alongside you again. Hopefully next time, I do a bit better, though." He swiped through his menus and sent Asakku a Friend Request. In his opinion, her accepting would be worth more than the quest rewards.

"So, what do you say? I could definitely use someone like you watching my back. And I could watch yours too, don't let this bad first impression ding me too hard!" He added.

Tyonis closed the Quest Complete window before addressing the party once more. He eyed Tsu's tongue as it emerged out of her mouth and wafted in the wind for a moment. It took him a second to realize she was trying to go for a... tongue-five. So Tyonis swallowed his apprehension and high-fived her with a chuckle. "Thanks for the healing. I didn't know SAO had support skills like that, I'll have to look into getting one or two." Neo was ever silent, but once she joined them Tyonis addressed Mars.

"It's fine. With you around, we were in no real danger and learning how to fight is just as important as winning. If not more, so don't worry about it," Tyonis waved off the man's concern. "You still did a decent amount of work in the opening. It would have been much harder if it stayed airborne. Knocking it out of the sky made the fight manageable." He then addressed the group as a whole. "All right, I appreciate everyone coming out to help. I sent you all Friend Requests, so if you ever need to fill in a party slot, hit me up and I'll come running."

Word Count: 199

Tyonis could only chuckle ruefully as Asakku managed to make light of the situation. She was taking this setback far better than he. "I need to Rank up my 2H Assault Spear skill higher after this. Remind me to pour all my points into it after this fight," Tyonis said with a shake of his head. "I guess the both of us are just biding our time now. Damn this creature is obnoxious." The Variant Nepent approached once more, charging Asakku head on. Luckily it missed by a hairsbreadth, buying the duo one more turn to regenerate their Energy.

"I should have enough for another Sword Skill in a few seconds Asakku! Hopefully, I'll be able to deal some damage this time." He informed with a heavy sigh. Judging by how thick the creature's hide was, even if he were to hit, he'd need a critical in order to finish the monster off in a single blow. The thought of this fight dragging on was maddening.

Word Count: 166

"Oh man, if I went blind - I don't know what I'd do. I might just hold out on those cybernetic eyes that are coming out soon. But they don't pay Soldiers top-dollar, mind you." He mused with a chuckle. He looked up to where Spencer indicated and let out a low whistle as they approached the medium-sized chamber. It was flat and circular with one exit and, as the book said, there was a single rocky outcropping in the very center with a glowing green gem illuminated by a single shaft of light coming from a small hole at the top of the cave roof. Tyonis walked up to it and folded his arms, shooting Spencer an amused look.

"Well. If I didn't know any better I'd say this was a TRAP!" Tyonis called out the last word, letting it echo throughout the chamber. When no monster spawned he shook his head. 

"Ready your mace, I guess." Tyonis shrugged and plucked out the stone.

Word Count: 164

"Another day and not enough Col," Tyonis muttered to himself as he begun his morning routine once more. He helped himself to a meager breakfast. After all his recent expenditures lately, he needed to be a bit more conservative with his funds. Hopefully, he'd manage to craft something worthwhile today. He was running out of materials fairly quickly and dreaded the idea of having to spend a whole day gathering more. 

"RNGesus, please, today, just let me craft SOMETHING useful!" Tyonis even cupped his hands together and closed his eyes, praying for any sort of miraculous, divine boon. When none came, he simply sighed and swiped open his menu.

"Well, time to collect more slag." Tyonis resigned himself and made to craft a Rapier for Neo. He managed to craft a single [Uncommon] T1 Rapier, but it was definitely not up to his standards.

Word Count: 134
Date: 12JUL2018
ID: 102909, 102910, 102911
CD: 5 (Salvage) LD: 6 (Fail); 9 Success; 5 (Salvage) LD: 16 (Success)
EXP: +10 EXP

Reward Summary:

Tyonis: 

» Extra Skill | Concentration

» 3 Additional Skill Points

» 600 Col

» 400 Col (20 Posts)

» 1 Additional Skill Point (20 Posts)

Tyonis muttered a few profanities at the Gemini's back but didn't make any attempt to stop it. The Quest Complete prompt appeared and he accepted the rewards. The Extra Skill: Concentration was added to his Skill Window and, as he assumed, it increased his combat accuracy by 10%. 'Not bad for 3 hours of work,' Tyonis nodded approvingly. He reequipped his pants and leapt out of the water, happy to be clothed and dry after spending so long in the freezing river. 

He drew his spear and ran his hands along the shaft. "Well, partner," he said, twirling his weapon. "Let's bushwhack our way back to civilization." 

And with that, Tyonis began the long trip back through the jungle. Like before, he didn't run into any monsters on the way, which surprised him twice over. 'That place must have been a very specific spot for this quest,' he mused. Or maybe his luck was just that good. He shuddered to think what would have happened if he encountered a monster earlier when his HP was so low.

When Tyonis did reach the teleportation platform, he vanished in a flash of polygons, with a satisfied grin plastered on his face.

Word Count: 199

Tyonis continued training his Concentration. He had to make sure he could activate it on a whim and more than just beyond his sense of touch. The Gemini wore the same smug smile as Tyonis improved little by little. The speed he could activate Concentration and the length of time he could maintain it increased by fractions, but in close combat, a single, decisive moment was often all it took to achieve victory. That was what he focused on refining and it was in that the Gemini chose to guide his training.

"You are ready to move on, Tyonis. Now, catch your fish." The Gemini stood, as if to get a better look at him.

Tyonis ignored the NPC's movements and stared at the water. With his eyes, he saw the fish swimming about. With his sense of touch, he could feel exactly where they were and where they would swim to. His right arm pierced the surface of the water and when it retracted, he gripped a single fish.

"Well done," the Gemini clapped, shattering Tyonis' Concentration. The fish slipped out of his hand and back into the water. "That is all I have to teach you. Good luck in your adventures, Tyonis."

"Wait!" Tyonis called out only to watch the Gemini jump into the jungle.

Word Count: 217

After another hour of practice, Tyonis managed to finally attune instantly with his surroundings and the creatures in his immediate vicinity. He could do it on near instinct, now, and he didn't even have to close his eyes. The transformation was amazing. He felt as if his senses were amplified several 100 fold. Granted, he could only maintain that state for a single instant and needed a few seconds to rest, but he could already tell this skill would greatly increase his combat effectiveness. This was definitely worth almost dying and standing in freezing water for almost two hours.

"You've made excellent progress, Tyonis," the Gemini acknowledged. Rather then stand, he now sat lazily on the boulder, one leg swinging idly against it. The tapping sound its heel made against the rock served as another distraction, though Tyonis learned to filter it out long ago. It chewed idly on a strip of jerky.

Tyonis narrowed his eyes. The NPC was looking more and more like him with each passing minute. 

"Worry not. Though I am a reflection, I still have no desire to emulate you my entire life." It explained, as if it were trying to allievate Tyonis' concerns.

"I'm more worried about what the hell your creator has in store for such an AI capable of such quick learning. You're almost human, now."

The Gemini wore an unreadable smile but didn't seem to even acknowledge Tyonis' statement. "Continue with your training."

Word Count: 231

Tyonis stopped paying attention to how much time he was spending on this task. Hell, he didn't even open his eyes. He filtered out all five of his senses, focusing entirely on his sense of touch and the river around him. He'd finally attuned to the water currents after he pushed past the freezing cold. Now he had to pick out the fish. This was actually easier than trying to listen for a tiger while being bombarded under a waterfall. In his mind's eye, Tyonis could imagine where the fish were based purely on how they cut through the water near his legs. He could even tell their size and where they were heading.

'Holy [censored], this actually works,' Tyonis snapped his eyes open in pure, unadulterated shock.

"Good. It seems you've managed to increase your awareness at last. Now you must apply it in tandem with your body. This is the true first step in using Concentration in battle. Naturally, you will not have the luxury of standing still for almost an hour to attune to your enemy and your surroundings." The NPC nodded in approval.

Tyonis scowled but nodded. The NPC had a point. He'd have to learn to do this faster and it would have to become second nature.

Word Count: 207

After another 15 minutes of fruitless labor, Tyonis shook his head. 'This is literally impossible. How the hell am I suppose to 'expand my senses'?! This isn't a [censored] movie. It's real...,' Tyonis paused his thoughts and shook his head. After a few seconds, he just chuckled at his own stupidity. 

"I see you realize your folly now." The Gemini spoke up with a knowing smirk plastered across its face. "Aincrad is a land of great possibility. In this place, you can soar as high as your dreams will take you."

Tyonis stared up at the NPC. "You'd make an uncannily good PR stunt, do you know that?"

Sionyt wore a smug smile. "I have been told I am very personable. After all, I am your reflection."

Tyonis shook his head, not playing into that word trap for the moment. With a deep exhale he threw out all sense of rationality. If he had to believe in himself to be a superhero to gain superhuman abilities, then he could tap into his inner 11 year old and play a bit of pretend.

Word Count: 183

'I'm fairly sure this is physically impossible and ranks up there with mysticism and using chakra,' Tyonis thought numbly as he spent nearly 15 minutes with his eyes shut feeling nothing but the cold water slowly freeze the blood in his legs. 

"Release your inhibitions and embrace the unknown, Tyonis. If you continue to cling to your preconceived notions of what is possible, you will never advance in Aincrad," the Gemini advised, his voice laced with self-importance.

'Holy [censored]. Do I sound like this on a regular basis?' Tyonis lamented with a scowl. The context did not escape Tyonis' notice, however. It was clear this NPC was telling him to embrace the game. 

"So you want me to FullDive in more than just a bodily fashion? You want me to just throw away a lifetime of knowledge and experience?"

"Yes," the NPC agreed. "Your training has made you believe that you know exactly what you are capable of. I am here to tell you that, in this place, your knowledge and experience are just chains holding you back."

Tyonis clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned away from the Gemini, trying to once more, feel the water and the fish around his legs.

Word Count: 203

"There's the catch," Tyonis muttered and shook his head when Sionyt told him to close his eyes. Unless he wanted to complete this quest and earn this special Skill, Tyonis had no choice but to comply. He briefly wondered if he should have just murdered the NPC - no. To murder a defenseless man like that would be an affront to everything he stood for.

'Wait, why did I start thinking of him as an actual person?' Tyonis asked himself, obviously conflicted in his thoughts. 

"Hurry up," Sionyt reminded with a disapproving shake of his head. "We both have places we need to be."

"Shut up. I can't concentrate with you yammering," Tyonis retorted with a frown.

"Fool. The whole point of the previous exercise was to filter out unnecessary thoughts and information. Or do we need to start from the beginning?"

"Oh, hell no. You're not getting me with that Restart Tutorial prompt," Tyonis hit Decline on the window that immediately appeared after the Gemini finished speaking. He turned back to the water and closed his eyes, trying to expand his sense of touch. 

Word Count: 181

"Step into the water and remove your trousers." Tyonis' eyes widened noticeably. There went the game's ESRB rating with a single line. The Gemini seemed to realize Tyonis' surprise and raised a hand as if to refute Tyonis' thoughts. "This will be another exercise in focus. This time, we will train your sense of touch and spatial awareness."

"You're really pushing this, Kayaba," Tyonis muttered but unequipped his pants. He still had the default, off-white underwear. He made a mental note to buy some new ones. He stood in the thigh-deep water as the NPC towered over him atop a boulder, arms folded. Tyonis shivered from the fake-cold.

"What now?" Tyonis prodded, eager to complete whatever tasks the NPC had in store so he could put his pants back on.

"Now, feel the currents, grow accustomed to how the water flows around you and then contrast that with the fish swimming between your legs. Once you are ready, catch one of the fish with your bare hands." The Gemini smiled viciously. "With your eyes closed, of course."

Word Count: 177

Tyonis was clearly frustrated that the Wind Wasp Queen simply refused to die. At this point, Tyonis could barely see a pixel of red, indicating it had less than 1% of its HP left. He had been hoping Neo would finish it off with her next attack, but she managed to at least pin it down for a bit and stop its movement. Tsu came and healed the small bit of damage he had taken. Honestly, he wanted her to just finish the monster and end the fight, but from what he'd seen earlier, it was quite possible she couldn't even penetrate the creature's hide. When Tsu croaked at him, Tyonis shook his head, signaling he had no idea what she was trying to say and instead turned his attention back to the giant wasp.

Steeling himself and abandoning any excess finesse or flourish, Tyonis adjusted the grip on his spear and thrusted straight into the Wind Wasp Queen's left eye. The spear penetrated over halfway and erased the sliver of HP the monster clung to. It collapsed with a final buzz of defiance then shattered into countless red polygons.

He turned to his party members and gave them a thumbs up.

"Great work, team!" He announced, making sure to shoot a glance at Mars to indicate that yes, the stoic martial artist was still being included as part of the team - he did deal a good portion of the overall damage, after all.

Word Count: 192

"You're getting distracted again," Sionyt sound out loud, frustration leaking into its voice. "Concentrate on the task at hand. Empty your mind of thoughts and focus only on the objective. Find the tiger." Sionyt reminded in a very eloquent but circular way that NPCs with limited access to sentence algorithms could manage. Tyonis exhaled and tried to purge his mind of Kayaba Akihiko and his inane plots. 

"Yes, good. Return to your center. Block out anything unrelated to your target and focus on finding it. The tiger is quiet, but heavy. As it moves, branches bend and wood creaks. Bushes rustle and small animals flee. Follow the signs and listen."

Sionyt continued to repeat that same advice. Ironically, Tyonis also blocked out the NPC's roundelay in favor of listening for the tiger. After a few minutes, Tyonis ended up pointing to his left and up.

"It's about 20 feet that way, climbing up a thick branch. Its claws are gouging the wood, so it's easy to hear."

"Excellent, Tyonis. Let us move on..."

Tyonis wasn't sure when he'd managed it, but eventually, he was able to partition the sounds around him. He honed in on certain parts of the jungle's cacophony, picking out details he couldn't before. Soon, he could simply choose not to hear the waterfall even though he was right under it.

"Good," came an all-to-familiar voice. "You're picking up the basics of this Skill." Tyonis grunted in reply. "Mm. Now you must practice. There is a tiger stalking us, just out of sight, in the treeline. Concentrate and try to pick where it is lurking."

Tyonis raised a brow but closed his eyes in compliance. These quest objectives were getting more and more abstract. What the hell was going on here, really? Tyonis thought SAO had terrible writing, and for the most part, it did, but somehow the NPCs were adapting their scripts to sound... better. The thought intrigued and frightened him. 

What was Sword Art Online, really? Why did Kayaba Akihiko really trap 10,000 people here?