Oscar

Oscar began his search just outside the gate. He combed through the grass, under rocks. Everywhere he could think to look for materials. Finally, he found a shiny spot and interacted with it. He watched the bar fill up and then, once full, he received one T1 Crafting Material. The quest tracker showed that he had gathered one out of five. As he rose to continue his search, he heard the snort of a boar behind him. He turned and readied his sword as the boar charged.

It just barely missed him and Oscar hopped backward, pointing the tip of his curved sword at the interloping creature. His sword began to glow as he readied a Sword Art to deal with the enemy. The boar circled around and stamped its feet, getting ready to charge again. Oscar placed both hands on his blade and planted his feet, also preparing to attack.
 

The best way to get started was at the start. Beginner quests! Since he was level 1, Oscar could get plenty of benefit out of doing them. They would also teach him exactly how gathering worked. It had been two years but he still hadn't quite figured it out. He came upon an NPC named Zackariah who was the NPC who gave out the Beginner Quests.

“Ho there,” He began, as Oscar crossed his path. “Could you help an old man out? You might learn something in the process!”

The Quest Interface popped up in Oscar’s menu and his finger tapped the “Accept” button. He saw that his objective was to find five Tier 1 Gathering Materials out in the field for Zackariah. Oscar hadn’t really ventured out much, but this was the lower floors. He couldn’t get into that much trouble could he? So he left the town and began searching for the Materials.

INVENTORY

TOOLS
>> CUSTOM AMBITION TOOL (+1 CRAFT EXP)
>> <<HESTIA'S FLAME>> (+1 CD)

VANITY ITEMS

BATTLE READY ITEMS
>> TELEPORTATION CRYSTAL

QUEST-SPECIFIC ITEMS
>> SPYGLASS

CONSUMABLE ITEMS
>>  3x <<EVASION DOG>> [+2 EVA]
>>  3x <<FOCUSED DOG>> [+2 ACC]
>>  2x <<BIGGEST BOY DOG>> [+15% OVERHEALTH]
>> 2x <<GOLDEN DOG>> [+3 PROSPERITY]
>> <<THE MEAT STICK>> [+3 LD]
>> 13x <<LIQUOR OF LIGHT>> [+3 DMG]
>> <<PEEP'S TEARS (IT'S BASICALLY SUGAR WATER)>> +1 CD TO FAMILIAR TRAINING ATTEMPTS
>> <<GALAXIAL WATER SNAKE>> - +1 CD TO FAMILIAR TRAINING ATTEMPTS, CAN BE USED TO GIVE FAMILIAR STARRY APPEARANCE
>> <<MILKY WAY RAIL BLUEPRINT>> - +1 CD TO 1 CRAFTING DAY
>> <<DARKNESS SALVE>> -3 DMG, +20 MIT
>> <<HANDWRITTEN LETTER OF APPRECIATION>> - USE TO CHANGE ITEM NAME AND/OR DESCRIPTION
>> SP RESET

QUEST REWARDS
>>  MONKEY'S AGILITY [+1 EVA]
>>  CERBERUS SOUL [+2 BURN DMG TO THREAD ON BD8+]
>>  <<TIGER'S RAGE>> [+2 DMG]
>>  <<KUMATETSU STATUE>> - +1 DMG to a thread, only one statue can be active at a time.
>> <<YAMATA NO OROCHI STATUE>> - +1 LD to a thread, only one statue can be active at a time.
>>  <<MŌRETSUNA STATUE>> - +50 Base Health to a thread, only one statue can be active at a time.
>>  <<TANOS STATUE>> +15 MIT to a thread, only one statue can be active at a time.
>>  <<MOTHRA STATUE>> +1 EN Regeneration to a thread, only one statue can be active at a time.
>> <<BIALAS STATUE>> +1 Taunt to a thread, only one statue can be active at a time.
>>  <<MATRIARCH'S STINGER>> [DOUBLE BLEED DAMAGE FOR A THREAD]
>>  <<FILET OF KING>> [+135 OVERHEALTH MEAL]

MISC. ITEMS/UNIDENTIFIEDS
>>  UNIDENTIFIED T1 RARE ARMOR - IDs: 130226, 130227, 131363, 131364
>> UNIDENTIFIED T1 RARE TRINKET - IDs: 131241, 131256, 131261, 131362, 131366, 131391, 131407, 131412, 131425
>> UNIDENTIFIED T1 RARE WEAPON - IDs: 131389
>> UNIDENTIFIED T1 PERFECT ARMOR - IDs: 131379, 131403
>>  UNIDENTIFIED T1 PERFECT TRINKET - IDs: 130225, 131245, 131375, 131380, 131408, 131422
>> UNIDENTIFIED T1 PERFECT WEAPON - IDs: 131263, 131376, 131393, 131403
>> UNIDENTIFIED T1 PERFECT CONSUMABLE - IDs: 131379-1, 131379-2, 131407, 131421
>>  UNIDENTIFIED T2 PERFECT TRINKET - IDs: 124617, 124620, 124654, 124655, 124705, 130502, 130522
>>  UNIDENTIFIED T2 RARE ARMOR - N/A
>> UNIDENTIFIED T3 RARE WEAPON - IDs: 157830, 157860
>> UNIDENTIFIED T3 RARE ARMOR - IDs:
>> UNIDENTIFIED T3 RARE TRINKET - IDs: 132479, 132502, 132503, 137920
>> UNIDENTIFIED T3 PERFECT WEAPON - IDs: 
>> UNIDENTIFIED T3 PERFECT ARMOR - IDs: 175833A, 159903, 159938B, 159950, 159952A
>> UNIDENTIFIED T3 PERFECT TRINKET - IDs: 132490, 137844, 137933, 137938, 154759B, 156089A, 156096
>> UNIDENTIFIED T3 PERFECT CONSUMABLE - IDs: 154759A
>> UNIDENTIFIED T4 PERFECT WEAPON - IDs: 
>> UNIDENTIFIED T4 PERFECT ARMOR - IDs: 193886a, 193969a, 193969b
>> INTERMEDIATE DUNGEON MAP
>> ADVANCED DUNGEON MAP
>> UNIDENTIFIED T3 DEMONIC WEAPON - IDs: N/A
>> INTERMEDIATE DUNGEON MAP [F22] - 166517

EQUIPMENT
<<GLOVES OF CAERUS>> - CLOTHING (T1 - PERFECT)
     ➥ +3 LOOT DIE
 <<BIG CHUNGUS>> 2HBA (T2, Rare)
     ➥ +2 DMG
     ➥ PARALYSIS
  <<ARMADS>> 2HBA (T2, PERFECT)
     ➥ +2 DMG
     ➥ +2 DMG
     ➥ +2 DMG
<<CHAOS EATER>> - TWO-HANDED BATTLEAXE (T2- PERFECT)
     ➥ BLEED
     ➥ BLEED
     ➥ ACC
 << PLATED AZURE TIGHTS >> (T2 PERFECT)
     ➥ +18 MIT
     ➥ +18 MIT
     ➥ +1 RECOVERY
<<DRAGON'S SKIN>> - (T3 PERFECT)
     ➥ EVA
     ➥ EVA
     ➥ EVA
<< LIBRARIUM OVERCOAT >> - (T1 PERFECT)
     ➥ EVA
     ➥ EVA
     ➥ EVA
<<KI'RAION'S TAIL>> - (T2 PERFECT 2HSS)
     ➥ ACCURACY
     ➥ ACCURACY
     ➥ PARALYZE
<<STICK>> - (T1 UNCOMMON 1HSS)
     ➥ TAUNT
<<SPINESHATTER>> - (T3 PERFECT 2HBA)
     ➥ PARA.VENOM
     ➥ TAUNT
     ➥ BLEED
<<RECKONING>> - (T3 PERFECT 2HBA)
     ➥ HOLY
     ➥ TAUNT
     ➥ ACC
<<TSUKUYOMI'S ODACHI (BETA) +5>> - (T4 PERFECT 2HSS)
     ➥ FALLEN
     ➥ ACC
     ➥ KEEN

STATS

LEVEL - 31 [P.45]
HP - 860
EN - 118
DMG - 23
ACC - 4
MIT - 104
EVA - 1

SKILLS

NON-COMBAT
►Searching Rank 5
Passive
Effect: +5 LD, +5 Stealth Detection
Description: Increases your perception, making it easier to find treasure, detect hidden creatures, and increases your chance of obtaining better loot from monsters.
     ➥ Searching Mod: Night Vision
           Negate ACC Penalty; Ignore Stealth Bonus from Low Light conditions.

PASSIVE
»  COMBAT MASTERY: DAMAGE (RANK 3)

»  Shift: AoE Specialist
+4 to AoE-1, AoE-2 Multipliers, +2 additional EN cost.

HOUSING SKILLS
» WELL RESTED: -1 Energy cost for the first three expenditures in a thread
» HARD-WORKING: +2 EXP per crafting attempt, +1 crafting attempt
» TASTY: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast.
» RELAXED: Increases HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts
» ADVANCED TRAINING: +2 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month.
» FILLING: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps.
» COL STASH: 5% Bonus Col from monster kills and treasure chests
» DECOR - SPOOKY AMENITIES: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage take from DoT each turn by 5%.
» SQUEAKY CLEAN: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
 

COMBAT SKILLS
►Battle Healing Rank 5
Restore 5% of Max HP at the beginning of every round.

►Energist
Increase Maximum Energy by 20.

EXTRA SKILLS
►Concentration
Active: Free action
Cooldown: 3 Turns
Effect: Gain +1 ACC until the start of your next turn (must declare use in roll purpose).
Description: After having fought yourself, and spared the summoned incarnation, you have learnt to focus in times of need, improving accuracy for a brief moment.
Possible to obtain after completing the quest <<The Gemini>>

►Survival
Cost: Clear <<The Traveler>>
Passive
Effect: Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage dealing environmental attacks/effects.                                      
Description: After braving the harsh sands of the desert, harsh environmental hazards no longer affect you.
Unlocked after completing the quest <<The Traveler>>

►Meditation
Cost: Clear <<Calming the Soul>>
Active: Post action
Cooldown: 3 Turns
Effect: Recover an additional (4*Tier) Energy
Description: The waterfall has enhanced your mind, allowing you to slip into a meditative state for a brief moment, regaining strength.

►First Aid Rank 5
Post Action
Cost: 15 EN
Restore 20% of target party member's maximum HP (Rounded down). Cannot target the user.
     ➥ First Aid Addon: Field Medic
         Post Action
         Cost: 15 EN
         Heal entire party, including self, for 25% of each Party Member's maximum HP (rounded down).

WEAPON SKILLS
» KATANA MASTERY RANK 5
     ➥ +8 DMG
» KATANA ADDON: FEROCITY
     ➥ +2 DMG
» KATANA ADDON: STAMINA
     ➥ -2 EN COST


ARMOR SKILLS
» HEAVY ARMOR MASTERY RANK 5
     ➥ +35 MIT
» HEAVY ARMOR MOD: IMPETUS
     ➥ +1 DMG
» HEAVY ARMOR ADDON: IRON SKIN
     ➥ +15 MIT, +15*TIER HP

EQUIPMENT

WEAPONS
» [EQUIPPED] << DARK FORTUNES >> (T4 DEMONIC KATANA)
     ➥ ABSOLUTE ACCURACY
     ➥ ACCURACY
     ➥ FALLEN
     ➥ FREEZE

ARMOR

» [EQUIPPED] <<TACTICAL UNDER ARMOR>> (T4 PERFECT HEAVY ARMOR)
     ➥ +20 MIT
     ➥ +20 MIT
     ➥ +20 MIT

» [EQUIPPED] << IVORY GOLD LEAF RING>> (T1 DEMONIC TRINKET)
     ➥ ACCURACY
     ➥ ACCURACY
     ➥ EVASION
     ➥ EVASION

» <<GLOVES OF CAERUS>> (T1 PERFECT LIGHT ARMOR)
     ➥ LOOT DIE
     ➥ LOOT DIE
     ➥ LOOT DIE

FAMILIAR
» Leeroy & Jenkins - NO SKILL

STAT BLOCK
 

The Basics
 Username: Oscar
Real name: Oscar Lugos
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Height: 6'9''
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Green
Blood Type: Pixels
Speech Characteristic: Calm and reserved; American New England accent
Profession: Cook

What makes a man...

Initial impressions of Oscar paint him as a stern, direct individual navigating conversations with the grace and acumen of a charging elephant. He doesn’t shy away from saying exactly what he thinks. Despite that, he always carries himself with a certain air of respect. Despite his bluntness, he’s surprisingly tactful. Though he loathes the idea of not getting his true thoughts out in the air, Oscar realizes that in some situations, it’s best to skirt around it. A skill learned through profession, not one that came naturally to the man.  He will freely admit that he doesn’t make a good first impression. Yet he’s resolute in the goal of being true to himself that he refuses to “correct” the behavior. Those worth keeping around wouldn’t be put off by a couple misplaced phrases.

A pillar of strength and will to those around him, Oscar holds fast to his principles. A simple logic is behind his words, wisdom earned from both his checkered past and his salvation. He believes life can’t be viewed in black and white, just different shades of gray. Machiavellian in his dealings, Oscar believes firmly that the ends justify the means. If harm in the short term will lead to a larger positive gain, he will pursue that option.

His sense of self is readily apparent. Staying true to himself chief among his desires, Oscar displays his personal sense of style and flair for the world. From his manner of dress to how he flows in combat, every aspect of his aesthetic is equally crucial. Dress, like compassion, is not to be understated. Oscar pursues excellence as a hunter pursues their quarry. He takes great pains to ensure that everything he touches is just so and in line with the mental image of how he thinks it should be.

Despite all of his shortcomings, Oscar carries himself with a genuine warmth. A natural affection for the people around him. He truly wants nothing short of the best for those he chooses to surround himself with. A naturally charitable soul, Oscar will move heaven and earth to make life just a little bit easier for someone, even a complete stranger. Altruistic by nature, guarded by nurture, Oscar often finds himself at odds with himself. His survival is paramount only to the survival of his friends. Fearless in the face of danger, yet hyper aware of his own mortality. A dissonant state of being that, at times, tears him apart inside.

It is this same dissonance that birthed in him feelings of inadequacy and stokes his own deep-seated fears of abandonment. For all of his strength of will and kind charisma, Oscar teeters on the brink of his own destruction. One solid push one way or the other and even he doesn’t know where he’ll end up.

...Is his history.

Oscar came into this world same as anyone: screaming, crying, and covered in blood. The manner of his birth, ultimately, is irrelevant. Equally irrelevant? His early childhood. Though Oscar was thrown in the crucible of the world that would ultimately mold him into the man that he would become earlier than most, the first near-decade of his life passed without incident. He had loving, doting parents. He wanted for nothing. They went above and beyond to instill in Oscar a ravenous hunger for knowledge that would carry him through his formative years. The last remnant of their love for their only son before they were tragically ripped away from him.

A car crash took both of his parents and landed him in the hospital for some time. Comatose, Oscar could do nothing as the rest of his family descended like vultures and picked apart his parents’ estate. By the time he had awoken, there was no one awaiting him in the hospital room. Just a dark, sharp emptiness. Before even being told what had happened by a social worker doing her best to be sympathetic to his plight, Oscar somehow felt a deep chasm within himself. A jagged, bottomless hole that could only form from the sudden loss of a loved one.

But for Oscar, it was more than that.

His father had been a banker, his mother a doctor. Between the two of them, they had managed to amass quite a fortune for him even in the short time he had been alive. But, they had neglected to create legal safeguards around those funds. So when they died, their siblings drained them dry. They didn’t even leave enough in their accounts to pay for their funeral expenses. And, with his parents’ money gone, the rest of his family had no need for Oscar.

For the remainder of his adolescent years, Oscar bounced from home to home. In this time, Oscar was overcome with such rage that he wasn’t very adoptable. He was rebellious and headstrong. He went to school infrequently, studying on his own in the quiet of the library. Ultimately, he grew tired of the dance and took to the streets. 

Being young and homeless in any major city isn’t without its inherent risks. Oscar carved out a meager living by bumping elbows with low level criminals. He’d handle simple yet exceptionally risky tasks for them. Toss a gun. Move some drugs. Through clever maneuvering, Oscar was able to keep himself out of any formal gang initiation. He was also very clear that he would do anything to hurt other people. Even broken, there was a light that shone through. The individuals that he dealt with didn’t take kindly to him drawing a line in the sand and through beatings and threats tried to push him to cross that line. Oscar never did.

He got close though.

A man had slighted one of the men he worked for. Oscar didn’t get the full story, but had been significant. Somehow, Oscar had wound up with the group that was told to go rough the man up. What they hadn’t been told was that the man they were sent to assault was a war veteran. Retired Army Major. Ranger. A real warrior, not a blowhard street rat who relied on numbers instead of skill.

It was the worst beating Oscar had ever taken.

In fact, the beating had been so profound that when word from the group got back to Oscar’s associate, the man disavowed the vendetta he had with the Major. For most, the story would just end there. Or, at the very least, be more of the same. Oscar was young and could take a punch. He’d bounce back and be back on the streets in no time. It was in this moment that Oscar felt some small spark flicker in his chest. Staring at the man through bruised, half-swollen-shut eyes he clocked a flash of something in his expression.

In the end, Oscar wasn’t sent back out to the streets. It was the man he had been told to harm that took him under his wing and cared for him. True to form, Oscar bucked the man’s attempts at charity. But, that’s the thing about kindness. You can fight it. But all you’re doing is breaking the dam bit by bit. When that dam breaks, it will swallow you. You’ll emerge from that deluge of warmth transformed, standing in stark contrast to your former self.

It would not be a stretch to say that Oscar owed his life to that man. Of the many conversations they had over the five years Oscar was in his care, the one that never came up was why. You don’t need to reason to help someone. You just do it. The Major was a hard man, but he had a battlefield wisdom and a surprising level of intelligence. He loved the outdoors, something Oscar quickly took to. Many conversations, deep and heavy discussions at that, took place deep in the forest in the light of a campfire.

The Major lifted Oscar from his anguish. He sent him off to school. He treated Oscar like the son he never had. And then, like his parents before him, the Major passed. In stark contrast to that tragedy, however, the Major’s passing was peaceful. Expected. He’d lived a long life and had spent as much of it as possible enriching the lives of others. With his death, that calling fell to Oscar.

He studied psychology, working with children in similar situations as he’d been. His method of help was akin to a brick to the face, but most of the time it worked. And then, Oscar met Tyson. The universe had a sense of humor. Or at least, it sought balance. A young man afflicted with the exact conditions as Oscar. Only he lacked Oscar’s restraint. Oscar came into his life and changed it forever. Or, rather, Tyson came into his life. With a gun. Demanding his car.

Most people have a rule about not hitting kids. It’s perfectly rational. Absolutely the correct way to conduct your life, really. 

But when that kid has a gun, they’re a threat.

And when that kid gets too close with it, they’re an idiot.

Oscar ate a bullet to the shoulder, but the kid was the one they carted off in the ambulance first.

After that incident, legal trouble ensued. But Tyson’s strongest advocate was Oscar. He paid the court fees. Hired the best attorney he could. In the end, Tyson got off with probation. Pulling some strings with the social workers of the city, Oscar managed to get Tyson placed into his care. And thus, the cycle began anew. Oscar passed the same lessons the Major had taught him down. The same code of conduct. The same simple wisdom. Tyson was wilder than Oscar had been. His hurt ran deeper. But eventually, Oscar helped the boy turn his life around.

It was in that period that Tyson’s passions ignited. Tech. Science. Video games. Hours were spent with the boy gushing about the newest tech being developed, an amazing discovery, or some game mechanic that had either earned his admiration or his ire. When Sword Art Online was announced, Tyson literally would not shut up about it. A blend of all of the things he was most passionate about in this world was just too much.

And so, Oscar moved heaven and earth to grab two copies and the necessary equipment. They waited - Oscar patiently, Tyson on bated breath - for the release date. And then they logged in.

They both jumped in with gusto. Oscar had never been one for video games, but he found a certain affinity with this one. They played for hours with equal enjoyment. Towards the end of their first outing, Tyson had found his health almost entirely depleted. Locked in mortal combat with a boar, Oscar and Tyson tried their best to fell the enemy. Yet, it proved too elusive. It struck Tyson, depleting his health bar. In the next instant, Oscar was warped to the town square.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Oscar anguished over the death of the boy who had been like a brother to him. What he hadn’t realized was that the boar hadn’t completely depleted Tyson’s health bar. He survived with one health and was teleported to the square. In the ensuing chaos, Tyson was unable to find Oscar. Isolated, Tyson fell back into bad habits. While Oscar mourned, Tyson thought himself abandoned again. All of the rage he kept contained bubbled to the surface and he threw himself into self-destructive habits.

Eventually, Oscar was able to venture out again. He found new friends and those new friends convinced him to check the Monument of Life. Oscar had felt that seeing Tyson’s name on that wall would put the final nail in the coffin. Yet, Tyson’s name was not there. Grief now replaced with worry, Oscar resolved to find his adopted brother. Before he could even begin the search, strange men attacked him and trashed his shop. He immediately suspected Tyson. He knew what such an act meant. The message it was meant to send.

Now, Oscar finds himself at odds with himself once again. His principles placed to the ultimate test. Should he dredge up his past and, with it, the skills necessary to meet Tyson on the field of his subversive conflict? Or should he remain true to who he thinks himself to be?

Virtues

Self-Aware
Oscar knows his strengths. Perhaps more importantly, he knows his weaknesses. Above those two, he recognizes that strengths and weaknesses are malleable. Shifting. Applying ones focus to a weak area can turn it into a strength. Neglecting an area where one thrives can cause it to become a weakness. He's aware that further progression as a human is a juggling act that few people have a true knack for. Yet he's able to take it all in stride.

Motivated
Driven to reach his maximum potential, Oscar is no slouch. One could consider him high-strung. They might be correct. But no one ever died from too much motivation. Quite the opposite, really. He does his best to spread that motivation to others. Seeing people reach their potential is a reward unto itself.

Generous
A fundamentally charitable man. Not many people would be willing to take in someone who had just shot them. Then again, Oscar isn't most people. He has no use for the material beyond what he needs to subsist comfortably. Living in excess is a road that leads to ruin. The best way to put his excess to use is by helping make sure that those around him have enough.

Flaws

Morally Grey
Oscar doesn't see things in black and white. He sees the big picture. An evil act that leads to less suffering than the alternative is still an evil act by most people's reckoning. Despite that - and true to himself - he will take the course of action that leads to the least amount of suffering. If he gets branded a renegade in the process, so be it.

Blunt
Oscar doesn't mince words. Time spent adhering to social niceties is time not spent dealing with the problem. For a man who sees the world in terms of problems and solutions, it's a point of infinite frustration. Both for him and anyone he deals with. Thankfully, Oscar's able to turn this off around people he has a fondness for provided there isn't anything stressing him out.

Closed-Off
Oscar isn't one to share too much about himself openly. At least, not at first. Or at second, for that matter. It takes a bit for Oscar to feel like he can let his guard down. Even when he does, the walls don't completely drop. He keeps even his closest friends at arm's length. Mostly out of a sense of self-preservation. Ironically, he very much needs the help of others at this point in his life. Old habits die hard and Oscar's convinced he can handle it all himself.

The Story Thus Far...
After being trapped inside the game, Oscar made a point to fly under the radar. Still in a state of shock with both the revelation that his ward had been killed in a freak accident and that this would be his new prison for the foreseeable future, Oscar elected to remain inside the main city for quite some time. The most likely time for him to be killed would be when everyone was still in a panic. Eventually, things died down. Slowly but surely, the Town of Beginnings became more and more desolate. As more Floors were unlocked, more Players left the safety of the city. A few people were too stubborn to leave, however. One of them was a alchemist named Paul and his daughter Grace. A middle-aged gentleman who entered Aincrad much in the same way that Oscar had, Paul was one of the few high-ranked Alchemists in the early days of Aincrad. There was no shortage of people making special trips down to the first floor to stock up on supplies. Thus, Paul and Grace found themselves shorthanded. Oscar entered Paul's employ and worked with Grace gathering supplies and helping the shop remain stocked. He was paid well for his time and he found himself really enjoying his time with Grace.

Things were not to last, however. Paul had entered Aincrad to spend what little time he had left with his daughter doing something they both loved. Paul was terminally ill, already committed to the hospital when he first donned his NerveGear. Eventually, Paul began to act strangely. Physical exhaustion wasn't possible, but given the weak state of his body when he entered the game, it was putting a strain on his mind. One day, out of the blue, Paul ran out of the shop screaming like a maniac. He ran straight up to a powerful mob and was immediately slain, Oscar and Grace watching in horror as they had pursued him. The next few days were a whirlwind. Word got around and what little life the Town of Beginnings still had died with Paul. A few weeks later, Grace called Oscar to meet. Without a word, she passed ownership of Paul's estate of Oscar and disappeared. Oscar never saw her again, but he never saw her name on the Monument either.

Eventually, Oscar decided it was time to help the Frontlines. Though he loathed them for abandoning those who still remained on the lower floors, the best way he could think to help them was by helping to clear the game. He met great friends and even made enemies early on. One such friend was Jason. Jason was a normal guy who played video games in his down time. He had just married and his wife was due to give birth soon. He'd been stuck in Aincrad for so long that he missed his daughter's birth. Oscar got along well with Jason and it served as a reminder of why he had resolved to push the floors. Reinvigorated, Oscar progressed swiftly. Due to the speed of his rise, he caught the attention of several prominent Frontliners, adding them to his ever-growing list of aliies.

But, behind the scenes, Oscar's ward was scheming. From what he saw, Oscar had abandoned him. That reignited the same feelings of rage and resentment that fueled him on the streets. He set about creating an organization of Player-Killers and assassins and brought that to bear against Oscar and his friends. The first shot was fired when Oscar's go-to Info Broker Conciliator was abducted. He and Bahr were able to rescue her in the nick of time with some unlikely help from Pinball. Things were quiet until Oscar decided to undertake a quest he missed on Floor Three. He reunited with Jason there, who was forced to lead him into a trap. The idea had been for them to prove a point by beating Oscar close to death. Instead, they elected to kill Jason in front of him. Seeing his friend snuffed out so unceremoniously awoke something in Oscar. In retaliation, Oscar hunted all five members of the hit squad down in the forest and killed them. A new goal was then set before him. He would hunt down each and every Player-Killer in Aincrad. A mammoth undertaking and one that placed him at odds with his closest friends and his Guild. But Oscar always tended toward the darkness and someone had to mete out justice to the wicked.

Aincrad doesn't need another hero. What it really needs is a monster.