Kane

Kane rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. These two seemed nice enough, and as far as Player encounters went, this was more peaceful than most. "Emi, Keith, I'm Kane. Pleasure to meet ya!" He adjusted the strap on his back that kept his oversized greatsword easily accessible.

"I'm not usually out this early, but I was hunting down a specific type of monster out in the fields. A Red Frenzy Boar... nasty little beastie, but there's some that'll pay well for its hide. Crafting material and all that."

Predictably, the Hyena only had one thing on its mind: ATTACK. Its AI was apparently not programmed to accept that the odds were stacked against it. It lashed out with a clawed hind leg, trying to rake Kane's face with its nails!

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(Hyena: +2 Damage)

(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

MISS

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Its attack was ill advised, as it couldn't aim a back kick properly.

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 25/40 HP

The weather had never been more beautiful in Aincrad. Kane had just finished a job for a client, and was traversing the hills and fields of the first floor once again. Making his way across the field, anyone who saw him could tell that Kane was a sell-sword, earning <

Coming across the pair, Kane gave a cheerful wave. That is, until he got close enough to see that Keith's tag meant he was a Player Killer. Now, that didn't mean he was a bad guy, but the Orange Player was clearly very strong, and caution would do him well. He kept a cheery smile on his face as he approached. "Man, they really got the whole 'sunlight' thing right, didn't they? Every cloud has a silver lining."

Kane moved with a fluid grace, somehow feeling a sense of bliss in spite of the terrifying creature he was battling. He suspected it was the Umbra's AI affecting his mood somehow. Both hands on the hilt of his sword, he brought it crashing down on the Hyena in an attempt to hack at its tail!

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(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

MISS

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The beast moved its tail out of the way too quickly for Kane to strike it, frustrating him and sending a cold pang of fury through the Umbra.

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 25/40 HP

The Hyena laughed all the louder, turning quickly towards Kane as he landed. It positively bounced as it bounded closer, trying to rip his throat out with a single -RIIP!-

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(Hyena: +2 Damage)

(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

MISS

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Kane backhanded the creature, not hurting its HP but ensuring that it didn't hurt him either.

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 25/40 HP

The dark shadow that was the Umbra shared Kane's desire to inflict harm upon this abomination. He flipped through the air, striking downward with his giant sword, trying to vivisect the terrifying foe!

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(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

(7+1=8) HIT

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Kane's sword drew a line across the beast's spine, his time spent honing his swordplay now paying off.

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 25/40 HP

The Hyena was growing used to the dance, circling its prey with reckless abandon. It tried bull-rushing Kane, attempting to knock him over and tear at him!

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(Hyena: +2 Damage)

(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

(5-5=0) MISS

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As the Hyena missed him again, Kane realized that the creature's size and massive jaws made it inaccurate, but powerful. If it hit him, it would hit hard. But it would have a hard time hitting him as long as he and the Umbra worked together!

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 30/40 HP

Kane was losing his typical cool, filled with a feeling of power that he hadn't experienced in this death game yet. The Umbra seemed to feed off of his emotions, egging him on in its own way. Raising his BFS, Kane unleashed a Sword Skill: <> (At least 7 to hit)

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(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

(4+1=5) MISS

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He missed, the Hyena skipping wildly away out of reach. The Umbra's disappointment was felt as deeply as his own. The cat seemed to hate the beast as much as he did.

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 30/40 HP

Though he was wearing the creature down, Kane was far from civilization, and help would not be coming. He'd need to trust in his new friend to back him up. He felt its satisfaction at doing damage to the beast. The hideous "thing" tumbled towards him, its laughing face ready to sink its teeth into his arm!

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(Hyena: +2 Damage)

(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

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Not even close. The Umbra's smoke tendril'd out, grasping the leg of the Hyena and tripping it, denying the mad beast its balance.

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 30/40 HP

Kane grinned wildly, appreciating the Umbra's ability to aid him. The swirling smoke allowed him to move more fluidly, and he could somehow feel what the cat was thinking. Its mind felt strange, as Kane remembered it was really an AI. He tried to concentrate on the fight at hand, whirling his sword in a tight arc at the Hyena's face.

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(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

(6+1=7) HIT

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Kane's blade chopped through the giggling fiend's shoulder, making it giggle all the louder. Freaky.

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 30/40 HP

The Hyena had tasted Kane's virtual blood, so to speak, and it attempted to bite him again with murderous glee. Leaping forward, it aimed its jaws for his leg, trying to lame him.

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(Hyena: +2 Damage)

(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

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(Roll= 5-5= 0) MISS

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Its jaws clamped down on nothing as Kane danced out of the way. His mantle of smoke that the Umbra provided had obscured the beast's vision, causing it to misjudge its distance.

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 35/40 HP

Kane grit his teeth, tapping into the white-hot fury that comes with a life-or-death situation. He somehow felt the Umbra echo his emotions, its rage tasting like ice and scorn. Charging his blade with light, Kane sounded his battle cry as he attempted to bisect the creature with his war blade.

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(+1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

(3+1= 4) MISS

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The creature laughed in his face, dancing out of the way and fueling Kane's rage further. "ARRRR!"

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Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 35/40 HP

The Hyena laughed madly, dashing to and fro . It was a hard target to pin down, its movements erratic because of its constant chuckling. Kayaba had not been kind to this creature when he'd created it. It leapt forward, snapping at Kane with its huge, gaping jaws!

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(Hyena: +2 Damage)

(Kane: +1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

10= Critical, bypasses defenses.

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Kane and the Umbra cried out in unison as the Hyena sank its teeth deep into his collarbone, piercing him to the bone. It gripped tightly, and shook its head, tearing his flesh but freeing him in the process. A phantom burn spread up his shoulder and neck where the damage had been done.

Kane: 15/19 HP

Umbra: 11/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 35/40 HP

The Hyena's hideous laughter pealed out in waves as it circled Kane, and he knew that it was only a matter of time until it attacked. He decided to take the fight to the creature preemptively, and leapt forward, swinging his immense blade. "Hiyah!"

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(+1 to Attack, -5 to Enemy's Attack, +4 Damage, Soak 4 points of Damage.)

(Roll= 6+1= 7) Hit

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Kane's blade cut through the monster with little effort, causing its laughter to turn into pained chuckling as he drew a pixellated line across the creature's torso. It recoiled, preparing to attack.

Kane: 19/19 HP

Umbra: 15/15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 35/40 HP

<> has joined your party. +2 Evasion.

The cat by his leg began to transform into a wisp of smoke, its long black fur turning into dark, charcoal grey as it swirled in a cat-shaped blur. The smoke began to envelop Kane, creating a lingering fog that clung to his armor. The Hyena never stopped smiling, but it looked curious as Kane realized what was happening. The Umbra's power as an animal companion must be obscuring its partner in battle, increasing their evasiveness.

Kane: 19 HP

Umbra: 15 HP (When in smoke form, Umbra takes any damage that Kane does.)

Hyena: 40 HP

The shadowy cat by his knee hissed at the creature, its wispy fur standing up straight as Kane drew his sword. For whatever reason, this twist of fate meant that the cat and Kane now had a common foe. Kane whispered to the cat in an urgent tone, "I don't now if you can understand me, but we're in a bit of trouble. I'll get 'im high, you get 'em low, okay?" The cat looked up at him in surprise, but it must have had a basic understanding of what he was saying. It lashed its tail back and forth as Kane prepared to engage the Hyena.

Kane sighed, and grinned as he began opening his inventory, intending to withdraw another <>. Suddenly...

A pair of red eyes attached to a gaping maw came into view over the cat's shoulder! It was a <>, a gigantic, immensely strong jungle predator with a horrifying grin stuck on its face. It laughed in a high pitched tone as it approached, teeth pulled back in a grotesque parody of a smile.

The cat finished its dish quickly and quietly. It sat back on its haunches, and licked a bit of the cream off its paw that had gotten there by its splashing about. It looked up at Kane expectantly, as if to say, You have more, right?

The cat tilted its head to one side, looking inquisitive as it sniffed at the cream. Apparently, the old adage about curiosity and cats held some truth, or at least it had been programmed into the shadowy creature. It crept forward, padding softly towards the cream, its nose twitching rapidly. Its pink tongue quickly took a swipe of the cream, and it closed its eyes for a moment as the data washed over it. Quickly, it began lapping up the rest of the cream, bringing a smile to Kane's face. Well whaddya know...

Bending down slowly, Kane took a knee while the creature's eyes watched him methodically. He could swear it didn't blink the entire time as he opened his inventory, going for the <> item he'd picked up earlier to put on his simple meals. Using the item, he slowly poured the cream into a small pile on a leaf, then backed up to a few feet away. "You, uh... you hungry, shadow cat?" he asked, keeping his voice low and calm.

<>

The first floor had been a good renewable source of monsters for Players to train on, and so the fields were chock full of people who had either focused on their craft, or who hadn't heard the news within those first few weeks and had put on the Nerve Gear helmet without knowing what they were getting themselves into. Kane was neither of these; instead he was hunting a monster, one specific monster that was supposed to drop a specific material.

As a sword for hire, Kane's employer this week was a Player who was scared to fight Gillmen, the aquatic mob monsters that lurked on the far side of the first floor's lake. Apparently there had been an incident in his childhood that made him afraid of fish. It wasn't a glamorous job, but hey, <

Making his way across the field, anyone who encountered him could see perfectly clear that Kane was a combat-oriented Player. His <> was a solid steel breastplate that was strapped over his tunic, and a crimson cloak was thrown about his shoulders like a mantle. Daggers peeked out of the knife belts strapped to his leg and waist, and he ran a gauntleted hand through his dark blonde hair. But the biggest clue was his primary weapon: The <>, an immense blade that looked too heavy for anyone to wield. The blade was as long as a war spear, and its flat was as wide as a shield. The metal gleamed a soft, luminescent green in the sunlight, suggesting that it was composed of Mithral. In truth, the blade was a Mithral/Adamantine compound that a blacksmith had constructed when forging his weapon. It wasn't drawn, for now. Instead, it hung upon a hooked harness across his back, only its lightweight metal letting the warrior stand under its weight. He avoided small mobs of Frenzy Boars and Dire Wolves, focusing on traversing the hillsides and fields as other Players gave him a wide berth.

Smiling at the sunlight dappling the digital fields, Kane's eye caught sight of an unfamiliar face. It was a Player his own age, or what looked like it, using a sword and shield to finish off a Frenzy Boar that he was engaging with. As the short blade sliced the Boar in twain, Kane made his way down the hill, calling in a friendly tone, "Nice move!" As he strolled forward, a small herd of the nasty pig creatures noticed his shout, and began approaching the pair with snuffling grunts. Kane drew a throwing blade, holding it at the ready as the boars approached. "Careful, there's more!"

Kane nodded, about to say something in return. Instead, Daeron walked away. Angrily, Kane spat to one side, his HP bar in the yellow. "Sure, good match..." He trailed off, shaking his head. His opponent had been quite good, but beyond that, fortune had just not favored him in this match. There was no use in getting bent out of shape about it.

Still, Daeron was a tactless and rude individual, and he wouldn't be making terribly many friends with that kind of attitude. I'll get stronger... And one day, you won't be so lucky. Turning and hanging his broadsword across his back, Kane limped to a bench on the side of the street, closing his eyes and allowing his <> skill to slowly repair the damage. Until then, it's up to me to survive this digital wasteland.

It occurred to Kane that this creature might not want to kill him. It seemed to be weighing its options. He recognized the feline for what it was: An Umbra, mythical animals that could blend with the shadows and hide in the darkness. He noticed that even for a wild animal, this Umbra seemed rather thin. The shape of its ribs were visible underneath its pitch black coat.

Kane walked into the shop, tapping Zelrius on the shoulder sheepishly. "Ah, hey there. I kinda commissioned that <> specifically for myself, using my materials. You're welcome to the <>, though."

Picking up Ayane's finished product, he fastened it around his neck at the top of his breastplate, the magnificent Mithral clasps accentuating his armor. Bowing in gratitude to the Tailor, he left the shop to move on to a new adventure.

Kane smiled widely, opening his menu to accept the 1x <>. "You've got yourself a deal." He said, watching the EXP add up, as well as his <> count. He offered Miaki a hand, grinning. "Always a pleasure doing business, bud!"