Oscar

Oscar put all of his rage and anger from today into one final strike. It landed as a critical hit. Oscar was quite gratified when it exploded into a shower of crystalline fractals and rewarded him with the loot screen. He pressed the button and watched as 50 Col, some Unidentified Rare Armor, and some T1 Crafting Materials were dropped into his inventory. The steam was successfully blown off. Now, he was going to head back to town and get himself some rest. It had been a rough day and he earned it.

Oscar sheathed his sword and began walking back to town. Once there, he rented himself a room at the inn and ordered a meal. He rested his head on the table as he waited on his order to be delivered to him. Today had been rough. He didn’t know how much longer he could deal with the low damage rating on his Curved Sword. He wished that he picked a stronger weapon to start with, but it couldn’t be helped.

Oscar swung his sword and finally landed a hit on the swine after so two fumbles in a row. Two damage remove half of the Boar’s remaining health and elicited a panicked squeal from the boar as its health was knocked down to ten percent of its maximum. The boar counterattacked for yet another Critical Hit, dealing another four damage to Oscar. This boar was clearly made of sterner stuff than the others he had fought. None of the other boars had ever managed to knock him down to half health before.

But it was one hit away from dying and then Oscar’s health regeneration would kick in. Just one more hit and he could loot the boar and head back to town for a good night’s rest. He was just having an off day. It would probably be better in the morning. Not that Oscar would have to try very hard to have a better day than today.

Oscar swiped at the Boar again, but missed by a country mile. His momentum carried him past the boar, where he tripped over a rock and went sprawling to the ground. Despite being the perfect target, the Boar somehow managed to miss Oscar’s prone form and went running off past his head. He got up, swearing more audibly now and brushed himself off. What was getting into him today? First it took him seven tries to make some toast and now it’s like he didn’t know which end of the sword he was supposed to stick into the target.

He took a moment to collect himself, taking a deep breath and tightening his grip on his blade. He really needed to get his head in the game. There was absolutely no sense in letting himself get screwed over by a boar right after he succeeded in crafting his first item.

Oscar attempted to skewer the boar with a downward thrust. The swine, however, saw the sword coming and danced out of the way, leaving Oscar driving his sword deep into the dirt. He tried to wrench his weapon free but he wasn’t fast enough. Oscar winced as the boar hit him with a Headbutt in the ribs while he was low to the ground. The force of the impact managed to dislodge his weapon, as it sent him skidding off to the side. He lied prone on the ground for a moment, cursing under his breath as best he could with the profanity filter editing his words.

Then, he stood up and brushed himself off before leveling his blade with the boar once more. “I really gotta stop going for those downward thrusts. This is the second time I ate it because of them.” Speaking of eating, now that he was a cook, he wondered if he could turn this pig into bacon. That would really uplift the non-vegan spirits of those around him.

Oscar placed the completed dish into his inventory and headed back out to the field. He needed to blow off some steam on the myriad boars that roamed outside the city walls. He found the nearest one and used Rage Blow on it. The purple aura that engulfed his blade traced a thin trail through the air as he dealt a powerful slice to the swine. The Sword Art took a healthy chunk out of the Boar’s HP bar, owing to the fact that it was a Critical Hit. The boar turned around and headbutted Oscar in the shins for 3 damage.

Oscar danced back and leveled his blade with the creature. This was exactly what he needed. He was putting his anger and frustration towards gathering up some much-needed loot and money for himself. As the Major said, Don’t punch a wall, punch in and get some work done.

The NPC would accept nothing less than perfection. It took hours, but finally he was satisfied. Oscar was able to slice through the blossoms with perfect accuracy several times in a row. Video game or not, Oscar was out of breath. He never imagined it would take this much effort to learn how to wield a katana. The NPC was merciful and gave him time to collect himself and enter a battle stance again. Once he did, the man set a training dummy up right in front of Oscar.

“The Second Art is called << Ukifune >>. A powerful blow knocks the target into the air, stunning it when it crashes back down to earth.”

Oscar activated the sword art, a light blue aura cloaking the length of his katana. Then, he stepped into the attack. The aura intensified as he brought his Katana down low and arced it upwards with a powerful slice. The Target Dummy was sent flying high into the air, its head hitting one of the upper branches of the tree before it began to fall back down to earth. Then it collided with the ground, the dummy shattered into myriad fractal polygons.

Apparently, this was a tutorial for the Sword Arts. It must be completed before the actual test could be attempted, he assumed. The man struck the tree with the butt of his blade. The entire tree shuddered and shed blossoms, the pink petals fluttering down to the ground. Oscar was quick on the uptake and made ready to slice them. He brought his sword down, holding it horizontally and perpendicular to his body. Then, he spun. He was a touch early and missed every single one of the blossoms. He stopped and got himself into a neutral position.

“Again.”

One more strike, another group of petals. Oscar spun on his heels when they got within striking distance, glancing a few but missing the rest. Once he got back into neutral again, the man struck the tree again.

Another miss.

“Again.”

Another miss.

“Again.”

This repeated several times until, finally, Oscar was able to accurately slice through all of the blossoms in a single spin. Oscar celebrated internally but stifling a groan when he heard the word again.

“Again.”

“What.”

Was this actually a serious thing programmed into the game? Things like trees and walls were designated as << Immortal Objects >>. How was he supposed to destroy something that couldn’t be destroyed? But if this was what he needed to do in order to unlock his Katana mastery skill, then he would definitely give it a shot. After all, if he didn’t try, he already failed.

Oscar swapped Yuki out with his Vanity Katana. He lacked the skill to properly wield the weapon so there was no increase to his Damage stat. In fact, despite being a two-handed weapon, he was now weaker than he was when wielding a Curved Sword. How am I going to pull this off, he thought to himself as he stepped forward and drew the blade. He grasped it with both hands and held it stock straight in front of him. Before he could take a swing, the man spoke again.

“The First Art is called << Tsumuji Gurama >>. Spin on your heels while slicing to attack the enemy when surrounded.”

“I didn’t think you would be, child. The Curved Sword is a fine weapon, but it lacks power. Luckily, since you’re already proficient in it, it shouldn’t be too hard to learn how to properly use Nippon steel. Meet me at this location and I shall induct you into the ways of my Art.”

Oscar’s map was marked. The man wanted him to meet him on a hill just outside of town. Once the location was given, the man strode off. The way he walked, he seemed to glide upon the ground. Oscar had nothing else better to do, so getting a better weapon would be ideal. He followed the man to hill. Standing atop it was a willow tree that leaned dangerously towards the slope. The man stood under the tree and turned to Oscar. With the wry grin, the old man pointed backwards towards the tree.

“Your test will be to fell this tree.”

YUI'S GRACE CONSUMED, 2 REMAINING

“Tell me son, are you satisfied with that Curved Sword?”

Oscar turned to see an NPC lock eyes with him. The NPC wore a black robe and hood. Striking blue eyes could be seen, even through the dark veil cast by the hood. He had a long, gray beard and at his hip he wore a katana. The weapon type had always interested him, but he just couldn’t find the mastery skill in his Skill List. A dialogue option popped up. A red X was next to the word “No”, while a green circle was next to the word “Yes.”

If he were being honest, he wasn’t very happy with the damage output. So he tapped the red X for “No.” The moment he did, a T1 Vanity Katana was dropped into his inventory. He was confused for a moment. He read the text on it.

<< Training Katana >>
This weapon is given to pupils of the Way of the Katana. Training with this weapon will confer the Katana Mastery skill.

It was a bittersweet feeling, getting both of the pieces of armor for free. But, if Bahr didn't want the money, he didn't want the money. That aside, Oscar still felt the need to repay the man's kindness in some way. So, he opened up his friend's list and sent a request to the man in front of him.

"If you won't take payment today, then maybe I can repay you later. As soon as I get my shop up and running, you get a 100% discount. I'm planning on becoming a Cook so I'll be able to make some neat things, I hope. Everyone needs some good food buffs now and then."

With that, he let Bahr continue his work. As he departed, Oscar grabbed the <<Librarium Overcoat>> and kept Bahr's warning in mind. The Major's words could be heard in his head as he left the shop and equipped the gear.

Never let a man's charity go to waste.

Oscar had to make sure he kept himself alive. Bahr had just invested in him and he fully intended to pay dividends.

Name: Lucky Garlic Toast
Your Profession: Cook
Your Rank: 1
Roll ID:  120786
Roll Result:  CD: 10, LD: 3
Item Type:  Snack
Tier:  1
Quality: Uncommon 
Enhancements: Loot Die
Description: "This toast enhances the Loot Die of the person who eats it. The blood, sweat, and tears of the cook can be tasted in the toast. It's kinda gross."
Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/17983-f01-pp/?do=findComment&amp;comment=578377

This was his last material. Oscar needed to make this count. He worked in a frenzy. He was a culinary whirlwind as he slathered the garlic butter onto the bread. He’d done this step so much that he knew the exact amount he needed to put on the bread. He roared and grabbed the corner of the bread as he swung the oven door open. Then he chucked the bread inside. The bread landed perfectly, unbuttered side down, on the rack. He slammed the door closed. He tapped his feet rapidly as he watched the toast closely. The moment the bread turned golden brown, he swung the door back open and reached inside with his bare hands, grabbing the toast and chucking it onto a plate. He suffered a little damage from that stunt, but he was in a safe zone and didn’t care. When the tooltip popped up with the name “Lucky Garlic Toast,” Oscar reached for the sky and let out a victory screech.

“YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”

“Good job!” exclaimed the NPC.

“YOU’RE GOSH DARN RIGHT THAT WAS A GOOD JOB!”

Oscar was so frustrated he was shaking. He was known to have a short fuse under normal circumstances, but this just took the cake.

“How in the actual heck does it take this long to make a piece of friggin’ toast?!”

Oscar picked the knife back up but dropped it again. He exhaled forcefully as his pursed his lips in annoyance. He couldn’t even cuss properly because of these darn profanity filters. He threw the knife into the sink and quickly washed it. Because even though this was a video game, that was something he had to do for some reason. He had a special hatred for Kayaba in this moment.

Trap him in a game? No problem. Make him try five or more times to make a simple piece of toast? Oh it was on. He returned to the cutting board as he dried the knife placed his palms on the wooden surface. He leaned into his hands, transferring his weight to his fingertips. The pressure was somewhat relaxing. He took a deep breath, put his weight back on his feet, and exhaled slowly.

“One more try!”

Three failed crafts had Oscar getting more than a little irritated. Nevertheless, there was nothing else he could other than make another attempt to toast the bread. He never imagined something that was so simple in the real world would require so much work here. He took a steadying breath and began applying the garlic butter to the bread lying on the cutting board again. Hopefully, this time would be the one.

But, alas, it was not. As he transferred the bread to the oven, the toast slipped from his hands again and shattered upon the floor.

“It’s okay, try again!”

Oscar wheeled around and got in the NPCs face. Her unflappable smile really made him angry, but he caught himself before he started screaming obscenities at her. No sense cursing out an NPC, even though it would make him feel better in that moment. He turned back to the cutting board and slapped his last piece of bread on its surface. It was do or die time now.

Carefully, Oscar got another piece of bread ready. Then, he took great pains to apply the proper amount of garlic butter to the surface. His knife made a satisfying noise as it scraped against the grain of the bread. Once the uncooked toast was covered completely, Oscar placed the knife back down on the cutting board and gingerly picked up the bread. This time, he actually managed to make it to the oven.

He placed the bread on the rack and closed the door. He watched as the convection from the oven caused the oil from the butter to bubble and pop. The crust was the first to change color, going from a dull tan to a golden brown. Then, the bread itself turned from white to a slightly-lighter golden brown color. It was perfect. Just as Oscar was about to collect his toast, the dish shattered. Apparently he’d left it in the oven just a half second too long and the craft had failed. Oscar sighed and started again.

Oscar followed Bahr to the back and watched, enraptured, at his demonstration. Crafting was such a cool skill to pick up. He had to make sure he did that soon. When Bahr brought up his deal, Oscar had to think for a moment. 1000 for a buy one, get one or get an IOU. It was a tough call. But he opted for neither and brought up the Col Transfer screen, punching in 2000 Col as the amount he was going to transfer to the man.

His thoughts hearkened back to this occasion in which he had accompanied the Major to buy a piece of equipment for the farm. The man only wanted 1,000 dollars for it, but the Major knew what it was really worth. So that was what he paid. It was nearly double what the man wanted for it. When asked about it the Major gruffly responded, "Always pay exactly what something is worth. It's better to be broke for a week than to take advantage of someone."

"I'll take option three, paying exactly what they're both worth. I appreciate the thought, Bahr. But I'd rather be broke for a week than take advantage of you."

Oscar gingerly picked the knife back up and scooped a pat of garlic butter out of the container. He took great pains in spreading the butter thinly over the surface of the bread, making sure every nook and cranny was evenly covered with the savory seasoning. He set the knife back down and cleaned his hands on a nearby towel. Then, he carefully picked up the bread. He held it gingerly between the fingertips of his two hands as he walked over to the oven.

But before he could place it inside, his fingers slipped and the toast fell to the floor. A moment later, it shattered into numerous fractal polygons, taking with it the materials. Oscar sighed and headed back to the workstation, ready to try again. The soothing words of the NPC were beginning to become annoying, but he kept his cool. There wasn’t anything he could do now except to try again.

Oscar looked up at the number next to his health bar and then back to the man. "Level 4. Just finished up my first quest. Figured I'd want some armor before I tried anything more difficult."

He wondered to himself why the man was inquiring about his level. Would that affect the price at all? Would he charge him more because he was a low-level? Less? Oscar hoped for the latter. Bahr didn’t seem like the unreasonable sort though. Oscar didn’t want to get away without paying a cent either. Maybe the man would be amenable to a trade? Oscar had plenty of materials that could help cover the cost of the armor.

"I'm gonna be honest," he began. "I don't have a whole lot of cash. Just a little more than the starter amount. But I got some materials you could use. Would that help cover some of the cost, Bahr?"

Oscar was going to make some Garlic Bread. He took a slice of bread and set it on the cutting board in front of him. Then, he picked up a spreading knife and scooped up some Garlic Butter from an already-prepared bowl. As he went to spread the butter onto the bread, the knife fell from his grip, slick from the oily butter on his fingertips and clattered to the table. Oscar took a steadying breath. Crafting items was serious business. It was almost no different here than it was in real life. All the things he wouldn’t think he needed to compensate for actually needed to be taken into consideration.

“It’s okay, try again!”

The scripted words of encouragement actually helped pick up his spirits. He picked the knife up again and cleaned it. At least he didn’t lose any materials from the failed attempt. He could easily try one more time.

Oscar guffawed at the pun the man made of his own name. It was too good. His laughter echoed off of the walls of the shop. It really wasn't that funny, but in a world bereft of humor, Oscar could appreciate it when he saw it.

"Bahr-nacle? Bahr? Classic!"

He wiped a tear from his eye as he caught his breath. "Sorry, sorry. Just been a long time since I heard a pun like that. I wanted to buy this <<Libarium Overcoat>> you got here. How much is this thing gonna set me back?" Oscar really hoped he had enough money to cover it. Something this good would probably take most, if not all, of his Col. Maybe Bahr would feel generous and help a noob out?

Oscar sliced downward and dispatched the boar with a critical Rage Blow. Once the boar was dead, Oscar opened the loot screen and saw a whopping four T1 Crafting Materials drop into his inventory. He reached for the sky and let out a hearty cheer as the rest of the loot was collected. 30 Col and a Rare Unidentified Trinket. Score! His Quest Tracker updated with the materials he had collected, so he decided to head back to the Cook Trainer straightaway.

Once he walked into the kitchen and deposited the materials, the Cook assigned him to craft a dish. He sat down in front of the crafting station and got to work, hoping that he would be able to craft something nice to put up for sale. He had five shots and then, he assumed, it was back out to the field to gather more if he messed up. Best to take care of this within that 5 so he didn’t have to spend more time grinding boars.

Oscar stepped into the Crusty Bahrnacle, mostly because he liked the name on the sign outside. It was in a seedier part of the Town of Beginnings, but once he stepped inside the juxtaposition was jarring. Instead of dirt and grime like he expected, it was almost immaculate. The warmth inside the shop was welcome given how cold the streets of the ghetto could get. Crafted sets of armor hung from racks, each carrying a price tag. Oscar noticed a blue overcoat that he just had to have. He looked at the stats and noticed that it also came with an Evasion boost. Considering how much damage things could do if they hit you, this coat seemed like the perfect thing to help keep him alive. Oscar looked around for the shopkeep and when he couldn't find him, decided to clear his throat and yell really loudly.

"I'd like to buy somethin' from ya here boss. You around?!"

Oscar lunged forward, dragging his sword low to the ground. He brought it up and over his head and then shot it straight back down, using its weight and his back muscles to put more force into the slice. He struck the boar’s flank, dealing two damage on the successful hit. He was able to dance out of the way of the coming counterattack and took a step backwards. He looked at his energy bar.

Rage Blow next turn!

He flipped his sword over the back of his hand and circled the boar like a lion would a cornered gazelle. Every so often he would flourish the blade by turning his wrist. The sunlight would dance off the steel edge as he did, creating a small light show. Oscar was really in the moment now, trying to intimidate this mindless NPC. But he was having fun so he didn’t care if it was stupid.