MISERY

Perhaps his mind should have been more tuned into the battle at hand, however. Yet again, three of the creatures had managed to have their attacks find their mark against MISERY's body. And, just as before, only one had actually taken any reflected damage from the Thorns enhancement. The collection of mobs all stood with a myriad of health bar fulfillment. Two sat on the brink of certain death, while one had only lost a sliver, and the last had yet to take any damage at all.

MISERY hated this. He knew that these were low level enemies, perhaps the lowest that were possible. Still, he struggled against them. It was his own fault, he admitted, that he had opted to go with the Hiding Skill as opposed to anything that would help him deal damage. Still, he had a plan in place. And he knew that, given the patience and time it deserved, he would no longer have any need for damage dealing techniques. However, in the meantime, it was a terrible ordeal.

IDs: 135805, 135806, 135807, 135808
BDs: N/A, N/A, 1, N/A
Results: N/A, N/A, Critical Miss, N/A
MDs: 10, 2, 10, 7
Results: Full Crit, Miss, Full Crit, Hit
DMG to MISERY: 3 | HP: 12/20 | EN: 0/2
9 DMG reflected against Plant 4
Plant 1: 9/10 HP | 3 DMG
Plant 2: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG
Plant 3: 1/10 HP | 3 DMG
Plant 4: 1/10 HP | 3 DMG

His eyes had deceived him. It wasn't boars that stood in his path, but sentient plants. They had uprooted themselves from the ground and began shambling about, using their leaves as makeshift feet to waddle aimlessly. When the took notice of MISERY approaching, they all turned in unison and began their assault.

Three hits. Only one had managed to make Thorns perform as intended. It was annoying, but it was a reality that MISERY was slowly growing accustomed to. Rather than wasting time or energy lamenting over this fact, he lashed out and struck one of the plants, dealing a small amount of damage but nonetheless setting it up for death the moment it struck back again. Provided it didn't get a critical hit, anyways.

He could see the gate from where he stood. Kill the plants, get to town. Those were the only two goals on his mind in that moment.

IDs: 135801, 135802, 135803, 135804
BDs: 7, N/A, N/A, N/A
Results: Hit, N/A, N/A, N/A
MDs: 9, 10, 7, 1
Results: Partial Crit, Full Crit, Hit, Miss
DMG to MISERY: 3 | HP: 15/20 | EN: 1/2
1 DMG against Plant 1
9 DMG reflected against Plant 3
Plant 1: 9/10 HP | 3 DMG
Plant 2: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG
Plant 3: 1/10 HP | 3 DMG
Plant 4: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG

The trip back to the Town of Beginnings certainly felt longer than the trip out had been. Surely this was only because of the change in mood. He'd gone into the field with the understanding that this would be an easy endeavor, but his experience with the final boar had been a humbling one. He would need to devise more creative ways to assert damage against his opponents moving forward. Something more reliable.

For now, he had what he had. It was a blessing that the starter package he had selected offered him armor in lieu of more power. The boars had hit him a collective total of 12 times, and still he had had steam left in the tank to continue onward. If that wasn't a testament to the staying power that heavy armor provided, he wasn't sure what was.

A long trip back, indeed. And he could swear he saw boars up ahead, just between himself and the town entrance. He loathed the thought of fighting them, but if they stood in his path, he hadn't a choice.

HP: 18/20 | EN: 1/2

Eureka. That hit had been the boar's last. And as an added bonus, it had dropped exactly what MISERY needed to hand in the quest. Which was good, because the idea of spending any more time out in this abysmal field than necessary filled him with dread. Though, it seemed fitting, given his demeanor.

With the materials needed in hand, he set off back to the gates of the Town of Beginnings. With a short jaunt, he would be back at the NPC's studio, and ready to make his first craft. Assuming all went well, he would have enough time to find a nice bench in a secluded area to spend the night.

At least, that would be the case if he didn't get access to a shop. It likely wouldn't be anything glamorous, but it would serve as a basic shelter, at the very least. All he needed to do was pick a low-traffic area of town and put up a "Do Not Disturb" sign to preserve the sanctity of his privacy.

IDs: 135799
BDs: 3
Results: Miss
MDs: 6
Results: Hit
DMG to MISERY: 1 | HP: 8/20 | EN: 0/2
9 DMG reflected against Boar 3
Loot ID: 135800 | CD: 3 | LD: 8 = 50 col and 2 Materials (T1) and 1 Uncommon Consumable (T1)
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG

What a painstaking endeavor. Starting out in Aincrad was a truly backbreaking experience. It was exactly the kind of misery that MISERY deserved, in retrospect. How woeful that it had to come so early into his endeavors.

He should have been done by now. Instead, the boar took another pass at him, hit, and dealt the same amount of damage that it took from the bony appendage that reached out and raked a red line along its skin as it passed. 

He decided that it might not be best to deal with another pack of these cretins before returning back to town. One pack would be enough. Unless this mob neglected to drop what he needed to proceed. In that case he would, reluctantly, go and fight another. But that didn't mean he was going to enjoy the prospect. To the furthest contrary, he loathed the very idea of fighting even one more mob.

IDs: 135798
BDs: 7
Results: Hit
MDs: 9
Results: Partial Crit
DMG to MISERY: 1 | HP: 9/20 | EN: 0/2
1 DMG against Boar 3
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 6/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG

The next time the boar came charging in, MISERY took a step to the side to avoid it. Perhaps if it lost confidence in its ability to accurate hit its target, it would begin to hesitate ever so slightly with its attacks again. This hesitation would allow the Thorns enhancement to do what it was meant to do, and finally take the pig down for good.

That was only wishful thinking, however. It was unlikely that thoughts of such complexity ran through the head of any ordinary boar, much less one of the virtual variety. MISERY was simply desperate to be done with the battle, return to the NPC, craft what needed to be crafted, and move on with his life. One would think that that was not too much to ask, but here we are.

He wondered if other people just starting out had had trouble with this sort of thing before. Perhaps some, but not all. If he'd gone with investing into a Sword Art, he wouldn't be having these issues. But it was too late to begin second guessing himself. 

IDs: 135797
BDs: 1
Results: Critical Miss
MDs: 5
Results: Miss
DMG to MISERY: 0 | HP: 10/20 | EN: 0/2
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 7/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG

Yes. MISERY had indeed overestimated the power of the Thorns enhancement. Because as the boar closed in again, and scored a hit again, and once again came away unscathed, MISERY lost hope that it would ever take effect again. 

Three hits in a row, and still the creature stood. It was undoubtedly a cut above its fallen brethren. Or, perhaps, their deaths had empowered it. Motivated it to rise up and become its most powerful self. As powerful as a boar on the first floor could be, anyways. 

The most likely explanation, however, was that it was simply getting lucky. To a revolting degree. Whether it eradicated itself with reflected damage, or fell to MISERY's basic attacks, the creature would die in the end. The battle had gone on for long enough, and MISERY was no longer amused by it. This had to come to an end. Sooner rather than later.

IDs: 135796
BDs: 4
Results: Miss
MDs: 9
Results: Partial Crit
DMG to MISERY: 1 | HP: 10/20 | EN: 0/2
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 7/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG

Once again the boar charged. Once again, it struck MISERY. And once again, it did not fall.

Another critical hit? It would seem so. It was possible that MISERY had overestimated the potency of the Thorns enhancement. It seemed that the mob, as well, had noticed this trend. It was now emboldened to attack its enemy, seemingly feeling invincible as it landed crit after crit, taking no damage back as recourse. 

This annoyed MISERY. Probably more than it should have. It was, after all, just a chunk of data in a virtual world. But the idea that it no longer feared him, and instead felt confident enough to attack him with such zeal, left a sour taste in the man's mouth. It would need to be taught a lesson.

In due time, as all good things would come. Patience. It was the virtue that would carry him through this. A weak boar was perhaps the smallest obstacle he would face in Aincrad. Getting worked up over it was a waste of time and energy.

IDs: 135795
BDs: 2
Results: Miss
MDs: 9
Results: Partial Crit
DMG to MISERY: 1 | HP: 11/20 | EN: 0/2
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 7/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG

Finally, it happened. The board charged, and the moment it was within range, it was struck by a bony claw that protruded from beyond the bloody veil. This didn't stop the boar from scoring its own hit, inflicting minuscule damage to MISERY, but it meant that it took damage of its own. However still, its health remained green, and Thorns had not taken effect.

It would seem that the boar had scored a critical hit. Not that MISERY could tell, seeing as the damage it had inflicted was no different than if it had been a normal hit. Still, it was a tad annoying that the creature was not yet dead. How many more rounds would they need to go before combat ceased?

Hopefully not many more. MISERY grew tired of this squabble, and desired to recuperate and move on to the next pack. Something told him he wasn't going to get anything particularly great from such an obstinate mob. Likely it would hold whatever loot it had back and leave MISERY with nothing.

IDs: 135794
BDs: 10
Results: Crit
MDs: 9
Results: Partial Crit
DMG to MISERY: 1 | HP: 12/20 | EN: 0/2
2 DMG against Boar 3
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 7/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG

The final boar was now even more reluctant to bear its tusks against MISERY. Despite this, its coding prevented it from fleeing. From behind the mask, MISERY could see how scared it was. Practically trembling before the seemingly insurmountable wall that stood before it.

Good. It should be scared. MISERY had no illusions about how powerful he was in this world. This was only the beginning, and any halfway competent player could destroy him without so much as a second thought. But to creatures such as these, he may as well have been a god. It was good that they recognized their misfortune in crossing paths with him.

He could play the waiting game. The boar would attack eventually. Standing still and waiting wasn't an altogether horrible strategy. With patience, and a little bit of luck, he would see the end of this battle soon enough. Only one or two more attacks.

IDs: 135793
BDs: 3
Results: Miss
MDs: 2
Results: Miss
DMG to MISERY: 0 | HP: 13/20 | EN: 0/2
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 9/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG

MISERY scored a hit against the fourth and final boar right before it closed in on him. It struck, drained the last of its health, and was reduced to blue ash. Another loot screen populated, this time showing MISERY exactly what he'd wanted to see. Not one material, or two, or three. Four materials. With one animal eradicated, he saw the end of his quest in sight. 

Not that he wouldn't spend more time out in the fields slaying more of them. It was easy enough to accomplish, and he felt as though he hadn't walked away with any truly good earnings yet. Just as he could be patient in his fighting style, he could be patient in how long it took to walk away with something worthwhile for himself. The quest itself was worth the day's work, but if he could get his hands on something even better, he would have to at least try.

IDs: 135790, 135791
BDs: N/A, 7
Results: N/A, Hit
MDs: 5, 8
Results: Miss, Hit
DMG to MISERY: 1 | HP: 13/20 | EN: 0/2
1 DMG against Boar 4
9 DMG reflected against Boar 4
Loot ID: 135792 | CD: 1 | LD: 7 = 30 col and 4 Materials (T1) and 1 Uncommon Consumable (T1)
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 9/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG

It seemed that, perhaps, they were starting to learn their lesson. The boars stared hesitantly at the prey they had chosen, unsettled by the deaths of their comrades. They stirred nervously, occasionally stamping their hooves into the dry dirt, almost pacing as the rusty gears in their heads turned in an effort to churn out a reasonable solution to their quandary. None would come, of course, as they had put themselves in an unwinnable situation.

MISERY, too, decided to bide his time. He was a patient hunter, and knew that the mobs could not deny their instinct to blindly attack for long. One step at a time. Slow and steady wins the race. Such turns of phrase were cliche, yes, but still held truth and timeless wisdom. He would wait, and watch, and listen, and strike only when the time was right. To jump in blindly now would go against his every instinct, as well as the art of the craft itself.

IDs: 135788, 135789
BDs: N/A, 3
Results: N/A, Miss
MDs: 4, 5
Results: Miss, Miss
DMG to MISERY: 0 | HP: 14/20 | EN: 0/2
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 9/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG

It was laughable that they would continue attacking, even if it meant certain doom. MISERY needed to do little more than stand still and take their pitiful attacks. In time, they would subdue themselves from the damage reflected. MISERY needed only attack if he felt the need to make the process more efficient.

It seemed that his last attack had done just that. When the boar charged forth and struck him, it disintegrated soon after. The loot screen this time yielded even less than the one before it, but a part of MISERY didn't mind. Watching the creatures struggle was its own reward.

He reached out with another bony appendage and struck another, its health bar barely moving. Still, it would likely be enough to force it into submission should it attack him afterward. He now needed only to focus on the final boar, and hope that everything worked out for the better.

IDs: 135784, 135786, 135787
BDs: N/A, 8, N/A
Results: N/A, Hit, N/A
MDs: 6, 5, 2
Results: Hit, Miss, Miss
DMG to MISERY: 1 | HP: 14/20 | EN: 1/2
1 DMG against Boar 3
9 DMG reflected against Boar 2
Loot ID: 135785 | CD: 8 | LD: 4 = 70 col
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 9/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG

Their attacks had been so weak that MISERY had hardly registered them. A pack of boars had managed to creep up on him. Ironic, considering the only thing he actually knew how to do was hide. The ironic thing was that, in attacking him, they'd done far more damage to themselves than they had done to him.

There was no attempt to stifle the smug chuckle that hummed through his mask. An appendage of pure bone reached out and struck one of them, dealing a minuscule portion of damage. It was enough, however, to fell the foul creature should it be foolish enough to strike him once more.

Two of them attacked him a second time. One of them fell as a result. The loot screen that generated afterward showed a useless piece of jewelry and a paltry amount of col. Figures he wouldn't get any materials. Perhaps the next one that died would bear fruit.

IDs: 135779, 135781, 135782, 135783
BDs: N/A, 9, N/A, N/A
Results: N/A, Partial Crit, N/A, N/A
MDs: 7, 2, 5, 9
Results: Hit, Miss, Miss, Partial Crit
DMG to MISERY: 2 | HP: 15/20 | EN: 1/2
2 DMG against Boar 2
9 DMG reflected against Boar 1
Loot ID: 135780 | CD: 12 | LD: 18 = 100 col and 1 Rare Trinket (T1)
Boar 1: 0/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 8/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG

Stats
Level: 1
HP: 20
Energy: 2
DMG: 1
MIT: 9
Thorns: 9

It was a simple enough request. Go out into the wild and recover materials for the seemingly helpless woman running the studio in the town square. MISERY didn't care one way or another about aiding some foolish NPC. It was the experience, as well as the ability to craft, that he was after. 

It had never been the sort of individual to fight his own battles. If he must, he would weaken his opponents to the extent that they would sooner off themselves than tolerate him chipping away at them. Even now, he walked into the fields without a weapon in his hands. He knew he didn't need one.

For the boars of the land were stupid and feeble. The idea that any of them could put up the slightest resemblance of a "battle" was a humorous thought. He needn't worry about being in any danger. Whether or not pelts were an adequate material for what the woman needed didn't matter, so long as he brought them to her.

IDs: 135771, 135772, 135775, 135776
MDs: 8, 4, 9, 10
Results: Hit, Miss, Partial Crit, Full Crit
DMG to MISERY: 3 | HP: 17/20
9 DMG reflected against Boar 1
Boar 1: 1/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 2: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 3: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG
Boar 4: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG

"Alive," MISERY echoed. "Yes, I suppose. If we must."

He hadn't even checked the quest details. In all actuality, he didn't care if the brother lived or died, or what he got if either happened. He needed capital to acquire the equipment necessary to move forward. If he could get someone else to do all of the work for him, all the better.

He could have made small talk on the way to their destination. But he didn't. He had no illusions about the chemistry between them, or the lack thereof. She was skeptical of him, but intrigued just enough to follow through with this facade of a mission. So long as MISERY could toe this line long enough to see the end of the quest, he cared not what happened afterward. Sparing breath on someone like that wsa a wasted effort.

"I think that's them, up ahead," came is modulated warning, an appendage comprised purely of bone protruding from beyond the veil of blood and toward the maw of the cave. There stood a collection of masked men, all with red cursors, guarding the entrance. "There are many. Are you sure you won't struggle against them?"

"You should go and get him yourself," MISERY responded coldly, uninterested in the plight of the man who had approached him.

"I cannot! They will kill me, for sure!" Ali responded, exasperated.

"And what makes you believe I would be any different?" MISERY inquired.

"There will be a reward in it for you if you succeed. A heap of col. Can you really say you're not interested?" Ali replied.

"Fine. But don't expect good news," shot MISERY, before standing and departing from the bar.

But how did he plan to slay the bandits? Surely their level was too high. MISERY had no place being on the floor to begin with. Perhaps he would abandon the quest altogether.

"Alright, time to go kill some bandits!"

Oh? How interesting. Perhaps he could use her.

"I couldn't help but overhear, given the volume of your voice," his heavily modulated voice teased from beneath his bloodied cloak. "Killing bandits, is it? Perhaps I could tag along?"

STATS

EQUIPMENT

SKILLS

SP

MISERY
 

HISTORY
There's no easy way to explain Adam's origins, because he himself is unaware of them.

Some years ago, he woke up in New York City. His black hair was bloodied, though the liquid had congealed into sticky, matted hysteria. There was blood on his hands, too, though it was still fresh. Wet, warm, and its original red coloration. A far cry from the mess that covered his aching brain, which had blended into the rest of the obsidian strands.

He wasn't sure how he had gotten there. He wasn't even sure who he was. Every time he tried to remember, the only word that came to mind was "Adam." Being that he woke in an alley beside a church, the last name that he decided on only seemed fitting.

The strange thing about not knowing who you were before, is that you have no way of knowing who you are now. He still had his faculties. Walking and talking came with no issue. He even knew where he was when he woke, and was able to navigate back to an apartment in which he apparently resided on instinct alone. Reading, too, it seemed, was something of which he was capable. In fact, he enjoyed it. Tales of murder were of particular intrigue, for whatever reason. Jack the Ripper felt acutely familiar to Adam, but he couldn't put his finger on why. In fact, despite the kinship he felt with Jack, he loathed the way he conducted his business. Jack was messy, and only got away with what he did because the law enforcement at the time was ill-equipped to find him. Sloppy work. Adam could do better.

All he needed was the opportunity. Virtual reality was a good place to practice. He could learn how to behave methodically, and pull the strings of others to accomplish his goals. So when the first full-dive technology was announced, he preordered it instantly.

He wasn't the first to enter the game. Or the second. Or even the nine-thousandth. Adam believes he was likely the last person to enter the game. As news spread on launch day regarding the dangerous of the NerveGear, and how it trapped its users within the virtual world, anyone who had not yet dove in certainly wouldn't. Why trap themselves? It was a sentiment that Adam didn't share. It was the fact that those who had used the machine were now trapped within it that he dove in himself. He wanted to be a part of that environment. He wanted it to be real.

Luckily, it seems as though someone found him on the outside, otherwise he surely would have perished by now. Little did they know the MISERY they would allow to persist in Aincrad.


APPEARANCE
Few have seen what lies beyond the mask. From day one, Adam has worn vanity items over his usual equipment to conceal his identity. To most, he would appear to be more mob than human, his body seemingly comprised of an amorphous pool of blood. Bony appendages will occasionally reach beyond the viscous concoction to strike his opponents, move objects, or otherwise gesture in lieu of his actual hands. Other grotesque features will occasionally manifest within the mixture of obsidian and crimson, such as eyeballs, gnashing sets of unsettling human-like teeth, or skulls of creatures impossible to discern. A featureless white mask sits atop the mass as a substitute for an actual visage, making reading his facial expressions impossible. Most often, one will find MISERY cradling a book, which can evidently be seen through the holes in the mask.

VIRTUES
MANIPULATIVE
This is a particularly powerful trait for a man like Adam. Through its lens, he can make others do his bidding, rather than needing to get his hands dirty himself. Whether through crafting a story the compels others to do what he needs, bribery, blackmail, or physical force, he can manipulate the populace in ways that one might struggle to even imagine. In this way, his powers of intervention scale far beyond his own physical limitations. He is constrained only by the number of people he can convince to support his cause, either willingly or unwillingly.

INTELLIGENT
One can't get far in this regard without first having the intelligence to back it up. It's one thing to set people on a path, but another to ensure they stay the course, let alone produce the outcome you're hoping for. Adam is a man that thinks several steps ahead, and already has his fingers wrapped around the strings he needs to pull. Nothing is on accident, and everything is a means to an end. In a game where you view everyone as pawns, and aim to control both sides of the board, your power needs to extend beyond how many creatures you can slay or quests you can complete. To this end, Adam values his intelligence as his fiercest and most effective weapon.

ADAPTIVE
But beyond all else, one must be capable of improvising. Being tactical and intelligent can only carry you so far. In a world with so many unknowns, the true puppet master understands that there will be situations they will need to adapt to. Adam sees this as nothing more than committing the occasional reactive maneuver in a game of chess. Every now and then, your opponent will do something that will both surprise and bewilder you. If you can overcome these obstacles and stay the course with grace and agility, your victory is almost certainly assured.

FLAWS
ARROGANT
A problem with being so capable and twisted is that one might eventually lose sight of the possibility of loss. Adam is so self-assured in his competence that he legitimately believes he cannot lose; that there is nobody capable of outwitting him and coming out on top. It is because of this that he may become frenzied and angry should he actually be outplayed, no matter how rare of an occurrence that might be.

WEAK
Physically, Adam is not a strong individual. It is because of this that he often works from the shadows, orchestrating his bizarre and heinous machinations through pulling the strings of others. One does not need to be strong if they can get others to be strong for them. Despite having found his solution, Adam's physical weakness is not lost on him, and it is an inadequacy that riddles his thoughts with doubt in times of distress. Though the engine of the game may allow him to perform feats no human should attempt, one will find that in times where the system isn't running the show, Adam lacks the power to do much of anything.

TROUBLED
Adam is aware of the evil wrought by his actions. Though most of him gets off on the sheer thrill of wrongness, there are small pieces of him that experience doubt, and perhaps even regret. But as a person who has done so much wrong, there is nobody to turn to in times of doubt. He internalizes these emotions, digests them, and uses them to further the misery of others. On occasion, though, one might see bits and pieces of this doubt brought to the surface. However fleeting, there are signs that Adam could indeed be human, were these features not shrouded beneath the evil that infects everything else.