Kaliot

"Nice hit, Vince!" Kaliot shouted excitedly. The boar was nearly dead, but he wouldn't be able to kill it without a critical hit. Kali rose to his feet and wait for his chance to strike. The boar reeled and started to run around frantically, feigning charges at Vince despite being so bold before. It briefly paused before starting to charge again at Vince, this time with the intent to hit. Unfortunately for the boar, it missed pretty badly, and it started to tumble immediately after passing its target.

Kali's eyes widened and he quickly entered his stance. "Let's get this over with!" He charged his sword art and let it carry him body. He tore through the boar's torso and watched as its health bar dropped to zero and its body disintegrated.

Acquired

Col x 160

T1 Materials x 4

Unidentified Rare Trinket x 1

"Yes!" Kali pumped his fist into the air before falling back onto his bum. "160 col, 4 mats, and a trinket. We can split it 50/50 with you getting the trinket. Sound good?" he asked Vince.

@NS @Megitsune

Feral Boar 5: 5/40 HP | 12 DMG

• Failed Attack vs NS

[1] Kaliot: 35/80 HP | 2/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

• [Critical I] Pierce vs Feral Boar 5: 6 DMG

Feral Boar 5: 0/40 (-5) HP | 12 DMG

• Dead
• Loot: Col x 160, T1 Materials x 4, Rare Trinket x 1

[3] Kaliot: 35/80 HP | 0/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

[9] NS: 80/80 HP | 0/8 EN | 3 DMG | 0 ACC | 0 MIT | 0 EVA

[Please RNGesus, please don't do this to us.]

Kaliot was very tempted to go in for a hit after Vince's miss, but he had to remained disciplined. At least for now until the feral boar gets low enough in health. He knelt down to the ground and dug a knee as hard as he could into it. "At this point, we just have to be patient, just be patient." Despite his use of 'we', he was obviously talking about himself.

Kaliot turned his head toward Fox who'd been sitting back for a pretty long time. "As long as we don't get cursed-," He cut himself off and cleared his throat. "Excuse me. As long as we don't get more cursed RNG, this shouldn't take too much longer. Hopefully. Oh, and thanks for sticking around even though you clearly didn't have to!" He smiled at her then turned his attention back to the feral boar.

@NS @Megitsune

-

Feral Boar 5: 15/40 HP | 12 DMG

• Failed Attack vs NS

Feral Boar 5: 15/40 HP | 12 DMG

[1] Kaliot: 35/80 HP | 1/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

[7] NS: 80/80 HP | 1/8 EN | 3 DMG | 0 ACC | 0 MIT | 0 EVA

When Vince joined the fight, a huge weight lifted off of Kaliot's shoulder. Kali cracked a smile for the first time this fight. "Well, I needed something to do after all." He was, of course, referencing Vince's accuracy troubles but Kali wouldn't dare speak about that aloud lest lady luck curse him as well. "Thanks for the assist. You're saving me a potion or two," he said jokingly but Kali knew that he wasn't in the clear just yet. "And we're not <<switching>> just yet!"

Going along with Fox's advice, Kali charged up his sword art and threw a heavy jab at the currently-stunned boar. It opened it's mouth to shriek, but nothing came out. "Alright, now we can <<switch>>!" he yelled out while jumping away from the boar. "I'm starting to save energy for skills, just so you know. I'll jump in with basics once it gets low enough."

@NS @Megitsune

-

Feral Boar 5: 19/40 HP | 12 DMG

• Miss at Kaliot
• Stunned

[6] Kaliot: 35/80 HP | 2/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

• Pierce at Feral Boar 5: 4 DMG

Feral Boar 5: 15/40 (-4) HP | 12 DMG

[1] Kaliot: 35/80 HP | 0/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

[7] NS: 80/80 HP | 2/8 EN | 3 DMG | 0 ACC | 0 MIT | 0 EVA

Kaliot started biting his lip. He desperately wanted the ability to take care of things himself like he'd been able to do for the most part in real-life. But he had to realize that while he may not have intentionally done so, he was pretty much building as a tank and tanks in games rarely could handle things on their own, at least in a timely manner. "Okay, okay." He turned toward the guy who was now resting. "Vince, I'm going to need your help. Please."

Kaliot kept his eyes on the boar though the boar wasn't really having him have a side conversation. It charged straight at him and hit Kaliot square in the chest. He was tempted to retaliate with an attack but he figured it would be best to start using his sword art from this point forward.

[It is best to know your limits.

It is best to keep your hubris in check.

I should've tried another build.]

@NS @Megitsune

-

Feral Boar 5: 25/40 HP | 12 DMG

• [Critical I] Basic Attack at Kaliot: 8 DMG

[6] Kaliot: 35/80 (-8) HP | 1/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

• No Attack at Feral Boar 5: 0 DMG

Feral Boar 5: 25/40 HP | 12 DMG

[6] Kaliot: 35/80 HP | 1/8 EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

The conversation stopped and it had immediate effects: his anxiety was like a python constricting its prey, and now it was loosening him up just enough for him to be able to breath again. Kaliot glared at the feral boar and started inching toward it. "I can do this. I can do this. Just make sure to stay under control," he said under his breath.

Kaliot and the boar charged at each other again, this time hitting each other with enough force to send them flying back rolling in the dirt. To his spectator(s), it may have looked like he was being incredibly reckless, and maybe he was being incredibly reckless, but he felt that the only way he'd win was to play for crits.

[Assuming no misses, at best I can take 6 more hits. At worst, 5. As for me, at best I can kill it in 8 hits and, at worst, 15. Saving energy would be pointless since the energy-to-damage ratio is the same. I do have an accuracy advantage, though.]

He pondered for a moment.

[It seems that the only way I can get out of this without using a health pot is if lady luck graces me with godlike RNG.]

@NS @Megitsune

-

Feral Boar 5: 29/40 HP | 12 DMG

• [Critical I] Basic Attack at Kaliot: 8 DMG

[6] Kaliot: 43/80 (-8) HP | 1/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 2 (+1) ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

• [Critical II] Basic Attack at Feral Boar 5: 4 DMG

Feral Boar 5: 25/40 HP | 12 DMG

[6] Kaliot: 43/80 HP | 0/8 (-1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 (-1) ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

"I have plenty of pots so I'll be fine. It's just a matter of whether or not I can solo one myself which, as we've all taken note of, might not be possible." Kaliot picked himself up off the ground. "As scary as it may be, now's the best time to figure out for myself how far I can go rather than learning when it's too late." He squared up with the boar again, but his hand wasn't as steady as it was before; all this talk was starting to chip away at the confidence he was so desperately trying to hold onto.

[Did killing those tutorial boars really inflate your head that much?

Confidence isn't a bad thing.

Confidence can save you, but it can all get you killed if you don't keep it in check.]

He and the feral boar again charged at each other, this time with both whiffing their hits. Kaliot quickly turned around to face it again, swearing under his breath.

@NS @Megitsune

-

Feral Boar 5: 29/40 HP | 12 DMG

• Missed Attack at Kaliot

Kaliot: 51/80 HP | 1/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

• Missed Attack at Feral Boar 5

Feral Boar 5: 29/40 HP | 12 DMG

Kaliot: 51/80 HP | 0/8 (-1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

Kaliot remained focused on the fight but still kept an ear out for his two companions. He decided not to say anything.

[Are these two about to start going at it?

Maybe I should use the damage potion?

If only I hadn't wasted those two attacks, this wouldn't have been nearly as bad.]

Kaliot kept his grip tight around his spear. He figured that as long as he didn't hesitate, he should be fine. Should, barring any unforeseen occurrences. He sighed, releasing excess anxiety and tension. The boar continued to circle, waiting for an opportunity to strike. The standoff lasted for a few moments before Kaliot finally blinked. The boar charged immediately at his left leg, successfully destabilizing him and sending him down to a knee. On the way down, Kaliot sent out a jab roughly in the direction of the boar and managed to land a hit of his own.

@NS @Megitsune

-

Feral Boar 5: 32/40 HP | 12 DMG

• Basic Attack at Kaliot: 7 DMG

Kaliot: 51/80 (-7) HP | 1/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

• [Critical I] Basic Attack at Feral Boar 5: 3 DMG

Feral Boar 5: 29/40 (-3) HP | 12 DMG

Kaliot: 51/80 HP | 0/8 (-1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

It seemed like their roles were reversed now with Vince laying about, relaxing to get back his energy, while Kaliot was fighting for his life. Actually fighting for his life even as the boar was giving him a tough time. The beast charged again, taking a leap at the end to drive itself into Kaliot's stomach. He recoiled but managed to keep his footing and ready another attack.

[We're running out of energy. Well, not 'running out of'. We are out of energy.

This thing is really chunking us. We might actually have to use a pot.

I wonder how it feels to die in-game...]

His attack was off-center, but it still managed to graze the boar's side. It jumped back and away from the spear. For the first time in the battle, the beast remained silent, suspiciously silent. It started to circle Kaliot again, but this time more slowly.

[There's blood in the water.]

@NS @Megitsune

-

Feral Boar 5: 36/40 HP | 12 DMG

• Basic Attack at Kaliot: 7 DMG

Kaliot: 64/80 (-7) HP | 2/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

• [Pierce] at Feral Boar 5: 4 DMG

Feral Boar 5: 32/40 (-4) HP | 12 DMG

Kaliot: 64/80 HP | 0/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

"No gathering? And a boss fight? Sounds good to me!" Kaliot shouted as he got smashed in the face the feral boar. He fell backwards onto his butt and, for a second, he wondered if he was biting off more than he could chew by trying to solo this beast. He got back to his feet and started to circle the boar, waiting for a good time to strike. The boar stomped its hooves and snarled back at him. "Are you trying to bait me right now? Is that what you're doing?" Kaliot wasn't even aware that he was bantering with an AI boar, his mind too immersed in the fight and the game.

"Well, how do you like this?" Kaliot feinted an attack at the animal which promptly to dodge an attack that never came. It was then that Kaliot used his skill to attack, his spear piercing straight through the side of its belly.

@NS @Megitsune

-

Feral Boar 5: 40/40 HP | 12 DMG

• Basic Attack at Kaliot: 7 DMG

Kaliot: 71/80 (-7) HP | 3/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

• [Pierce] at Feral Boar 5: 4 DMG

Feral Boar 5: 36/40 (-4) HP | 12 DMG

Kaliot: 71/80 HP | 1/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

Vince finally got the boar pup kill and Fox terrifyingly obliterated the remaining boar pup's seniors. All would have been well except that nobody got any damn loot. Kaliot looked through his inventory and confirmed that he'd gotten nothing. He wondered if the message that he had so quickly swiped away during combat had told him that the battle wasn't loot-eligible.  "All of that work. For nothing!" Kaliot paced around the now-clear area. "Well, I didn't actually do much of anything to be honest. But still!"

Kaliot put one hand on his hip and another around his chin. "Maybe I should try taking one down by myself," he said. Right on cue, another feral boar flew right by, tripping over itself and flopping on the ground like a fat fish. "You dare challenge me, boar?" He readied another strike. He had a good feeling about it. And he fell flat on his face mid-strike, his foot catching onto something stuck in the dirt.

@NS @Megitsune

Feral Boar 5: 40/40 HP | 12 DMG

• Failed Attack at Kaliot

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 4/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

• Failed Attack at Feral Boar 5

Feral Boar 5: 40/40 HP | 12 DMG

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 2/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD

"I see, I see," Kaliot said, nodding his head up and down despite not getting the full gist of what Arabelle had said. Heck, he barely understood some of the stuff that he had said. "Sounds good to me! Let's see, 600 col." His voice trailed off as he went into his menu to transfer the money to her. A few boops and a DING! later, he was 600 col poorer; he also wasn't quite sure of its value so he thought nothing of that, either.

Kaliot decided to wait around the shop. He wasn't the type to get antsy from staying in one place for too long but the ambiance of Magnolia kept him entranced anyway. And before he knew it, his request was done! "Thank you very much. I appreciate it!"

Kaliot kept a small bit of his focus on Vince whose struggles unfortunately had resumed as he moved on to his next pup. He thought about trying to give him more words of encouragement, but considering that he'd had some pretty godly luck for the short while that he was working on the quest, Kaliot thought it best to shut his trap and focus on the task at hand lest he tilt Vince even more than he may already be.

Kaliot wasn't exactly comfortable turning his back on his current target given that his current target would likely be really pissed after getting stabbed in the face, but he placed his trust in Fox and switched to the weakest of the bunch. He played it safe by using Pierce yet again to guarantee the kill regardless of landing a crit. Fortunately for him, and unfortunately for him, he landed yet another big crit putting his extra energy expenditure to waste.

A loot window popped up on his screen but was quickly swiped away as Kaliot returned to combat. 

@NS @Megitsune

-

Feral Boar 1: 32/40 HP | 12 DMG

• Failed Attack at Kaliot

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 5/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD | [1,0,0,0]

• Basic Attack (2 DMG) + Major Critical (2 DMG) w/ Pierce (2x) at Feral Boar 2: 8 DMG

Feral Boar 2: 0/40 (-3) HP | 12 DMG

• Dead
• Loot: 120 col + 80 col + 40 col = 240 col, 2 T1 Mats, 1 Rare Trinket Redacted

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 3/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | 3 LD | [1,0,0,0]

Kaliot little bout of relaxation was cut even shorter. Beneath the squeals of dying pups, he could hear and feel something deeper; it seemed to be getting closer. He quickly rose back to his feet right as Fox directed him toward the new threats. "Got it!" He readied up and watched as one feral boar managed to find its way through Fox's attack and charge directly at him. If Kaliot had a heartbeat, it would surely be pounding in his chest. This fight wouldn't be like the first where he'd basically just been bullying the poor pups. As his fist tightened around his spear, he felt a strange calmness overtake him.

The system took over Kaliot's body again, sending his spear flying straight between the feral boar's eyes, stopping the beast in its tracks. It recoiled, letting out a heart-wrenching cry.

[I'm sorry, Mama Boar, I know you're just trying to protect your babies.

But this isn't a fight I'm willing to lose, either.]

@NS @Megitsune

-

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 6/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | [0,0,0,0]

• Basic Attack (2 DMG) + Major Critical (2 DMG) w/ Pierce (2x) at Feral Boar 1: 8 DMG

Feral Boar 1: 32/40 (-8) HP | 12 DMG

• Missed Attack at Kaliot

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 4/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT | [1,0,0,0]

There wasn't much for Kaliot to do while he was waiting for Vince. He could've helped by getting some boar pups into one-hit range for him, but Vince didn't seem to want that and he was having some trouble landing a hit anyway. Kaliot decided to open up his menu and take a look at his skills which he'd only just skimmed over before. The weapon and armor skills were fairly obvious though he took note to make sure to get rank 2 for one-handed spears.

[Full tank seems like the obvious skill route.

Dude, why don't we just become a farmer?

A healing familiar sounds nice.]

He pondered, wondering if he should maybe try to grab a familiar before continuing with these beginner quests, but these quests so far have led right into the next so veering off to grab one would be inefficient.

[Well, it might be fine say I need to get some better equipment anyway...]

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 5/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

Vince wasn't having the best of times, so much so that Fox decided to trade away an item to him in the midst of battle. Which was fine since the pup no longer had a human shield to work with. "Mano y mano...again." Kaliot readied his spear. The boar pup stomped its tiny hooves. The both started to circle each other like gladiators in an arena. Kaliot broke the standoff. He charged forward and threw a swipe at the pup, a move which caught it by surprise as it seemed to have been anticipating another jab as it dodged into the attack. The swipe nailed the pup square in its side and sent it flying into a nearby tree before disintegrating.

"Now that that's over," Kaliot said as he took a seat against another nearby tree, "I can relax for a bit." He took the time to stretch. "C'mon Vince, you can do it!"

@NS @Megitsune

-

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 5/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

• Basic Attack (2 DMG) at Boar Pup 3: 2 DMG

Megitsune: 220/220 HP | 22/22 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 LD

Boar Pup 3: 0/5 (-3) HP | 3 DMG | 2 HATE at Kaliot

• Missed Basic Attack at Kaliot
• Dead

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 4/8 (-1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

"If you insist," Kaliot said as he prepared to attack. He'd wanted to get Vince the hit since it was pretty pointless for Kaliot to kill any more of them. Just then, Fox jumped in to get the kill, barely missing as the boar pup frantically moved about area.

"Is that so?" Kaliot said. Fox was right, but he was sure that there was more to it than just gear; regardless, better equipment would eat up most of the distance between them. "I guess I gotta make another trip out on the town after this, huh." Luckily for him, he had mapped out the layout town when he was looking for his trinket and already had a good idea of where to go.

"My turn to miss." Kaliot watched as the pup darted around, sometimes inadvertently using Fox as a shield. He tried to steady his aim before thrusting his spear, but it didn't help as the pup sudden change in direction sent it sailing past. The little guy used the miss as an opportunity to attack, charging toward Kaliot, but it too failed to land anything.

"Quite the party we're throwing here."

@NS @Megitsune

-

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 6/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

• Missed Basic Attack at Boar Pup 3: 0 DMG

Megitsune: 220/220 HP | 22/22 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 LD

Boar Pup 3: 3/5 (-2) HP | 3 DMG | 1 HATE at Kaliot

• Missed Basic Attack at Mao: 0 DMG

Kaliot: 78/80 HP | 4/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

Fox waved for Kaliot to join her, but he wouldn't do it just yet. "Gimme a sec!" He wanted to get this last pup off his back and he wanted to help Vince so Kaliot decided that now seemed like a good time as any other to test out the <Switch> mechanic. He squared up with the little pup which was revving up its hooves by digging into the ground.

"Mano y mano, little guy." Kaliot took a deep breath for lunging forward, hitting the boar pup off center as it attempted to dodge his attack. The pup retaliated by charging at his legs, forcing him to step back. "Hey hey, I know you're pissed but kindly cut that out, please." The irony of having just stabbed it was not lost on him.

"Hey Vince, care to <Switch> with me? I'd like to have this guy off my back, thanks!"

@NS @Megitsune

-

Kaliot: 79/80 HP | 5/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

• Base Attack (2 DMG) at Boar Pup 1: 2 DMG

Boar Pup 3: 3/5 (-2) HP | 3 DMG | 1 (+1) HATE

• Basic Attack (3 DMG) at Mao (+5 MIT): 1 DMG

Kaliot: 78/80 (-1) HP | 5/8 EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

Fox'd already spoken to them more now than she had during their entire time together with the first quest. Kaliot wasn't sure if that was actually true but it certainly felt like it was. Fox seemed almost like a different person, but he wasn't complaining.

Fox called out that more were coming, but Kaliot didn't see from where. He turned around too late and was met with the sight of two boar pups charging at him. The first lunged at him, but he collected himself quick enough to get off Pierce just in time to impale the little thing while it was midair. It disintegrated and DING!, it dropped the last tusk that he needed. The second boar pup tried to follow up with a lunge of its own, but Kaliot managed to sidestep the attack and get into a readied stance.

"Thanks for the call-out, Fox! I'm all good over here," Mao said aloud. "How's it going over there, Vince?"

@NS @Megitsune

-

Kaliot: 79/80 HP | 6/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

• Base Attack (2 DMG) + Major Crit (2 DMG) w/ Pierce (2x) at Boar Pup 1: 8 DMG

Boar Pup 2: 0/5 (-5) HP | 3 DMG

• Basic Attack (3 DMG) at Mao (+5 MIT): 1 DMG
• Dead

Boar Pup 3: 5/5 HP | 3 DMG

• Critical Miss at Mao: 0 DMG

Kaliot: 79/80 HP | 4/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

3/3 Pup Tusks Collected

Kaliot had seen Magnolia before on his town-exploration trips, but the shop was only open for a small window in the late evening making it somewhat difficult to visit, but today he'd planned for it since he was actually here for something.

He stepped into the shop and was greeted with the pleasant sound of a faint song, a currently unseen voice singing in tandem. Aside from the music, multiple paintings lined the walls and blue crystals were neatly ordered on the shelves; the atmosphere of it all was quite comfy. Kaliot took a few more steps in and saw the counter, occupied by the shopkeeper.

"Good evening! I was looking for something that would help me with taming mobs. Do you happen to have anything on hand?"

Kaliot previewed the armor that he'd requested of Setsuna. It had a slightly heavier feel than what'd he been wearing before and it made him feel a tad safer.

"This looks and feels amazing! Thank you so much."

Kaliot receives:

He continued to his next stop, an alchemy shop, to pick up his next item. Kaliot previewed the potion.

"I honestly don't know what I'm looking for but it does look good. Now onto hunting for a familiar!"

Kaliot receives:

And at the smithy, his final package awaited. Kaliot previewed the items once more, examining the craftsmanship put into each of the items.

"These are beautiful. I really do owe you one. If you ever need anything, please let me know!"

Kaliot receives:

With the little focus Mao could spare, it seemed like he wasn't the only one that wasn't having as good as a time the second go around: Vince was as well and he just botched an attack. "Yeah, maybe. But even then...," he trailed off. It seemed unusually fast, but it also seemed like Fox actually knew her stuff so it was best not to question it, and he wasn't exactly in a position to worry about it, either.

Mao did the best that he could to soak in Fox's advice given that it was on short notice. As his body reeled from the tackle of the pup, sank his feet into the ground and took a deep breath. Again, Mao could feel himself lose control of his body as his sword art took over. His spear launched forward and pierced the little pup straight between the eyes, its body disintegrated instantly and leaving behind a tusk. He knelt down to grab the loot.

[This still feels pretty bad but

Fox really does know her stuff.

This has to be done.]

As Mao got back to his feet, he gave Fox a thumbs-up.

@NS @Megitsune

-

Kaliot: 79/80 HP | 7/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

• Base Attack (2 DMG) + Minor Crit (1 DMG) w/ Pierce (2x) at Boar Pup 1: 6 DMG

Boar Pup 1: 0/5 (-3) HP | 3 DMG

• Basic Attack (3 DMG) at Mao (+5 MIT): 1 DMG
• Dead

Kaliot: 79/80 (0) HP | 5/8 (-2) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

2/3 Pup Tusks Collected

"Yo," Mao replied back, watching as Vince almost immediately one-shot a boar pup as well. Mao saw Vince's face flash from one emotion to the next and raised an eyebrow for a moment before lowering it again as he returned to his business. Mao wasn't sure if it'd get easier to watch, but right now he just had to power through it. "It would've been nice it were actually slimes, I gotta say."

Not soon after, a familiar word was uttered nearby. Mao looked around to see Fox brutally cleave through four pups, and she'd managed to get all three tusks. "Was she always that strong?" Mao asked Vince. He pointed a thumb in Fox's direction before continuing his search. As for her, he greeted her with a "Kon!" of his own. "Maybe I shoulda went AOE," he muttered.

In the vicinity, Mao heard a faint oinking. He lowered his hips and moved more slowly, and behind a tree was another pup. Mao raised his spear, and with a loud "hmph!", he thrusted. Fortunately for him, he managed to land a hit but the little pup, despite it's squeals, managed to survived and retaliated quickly, lunging at Mao's legs.

Kaliot: 80/80 HP | 7/8 (+1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC

• Basic Attack (2 DMG) at Boar Pup 1: 2 DMG

Boar Pup 1: 3/5 (-2) HP | 3 DMG

• Basic Attack (3 DMG) at Mao (+5 MIT): 1 DMG

Kaliot: 79/80 (-1) HP | 6/8 (-1) EN | 2 DMG | 1 ACC

@NS @Megitsune

1/3 Pup Tusks Collected

Mao left the smithy in a hurry. It was hot, and it was loud. An overall unpleasant experience. But he was sure that he would have to deal with worse things in the future should he survive that long. He passed by the field they were in for the previous, which was still inhabited by many poor souls, and he approached the nearby woods. "I think this should be it." An astute observation, given that the area was also crawling with other people.

The boar pups themselves looked quite adorable, if is this were somehow the real world, there would be know way that Mao would have the heart to attack them. He had to remember that it was a game. A game with life-and-death stakes, but a game nonetheless. He took a deep breath and unsheathed his spear, muttering gibberish to himself. Mao looked around and eventually found one that was untouched. "I'm sorry, little piggy, but this has to be done." He readied his weapon skill, Pierce, and as his arm lunged forward, it was as if it had taken over his body.

Mao's spear gashed through the pup's eye and it let out a high-pitched squeal before disintegrating. "Well then...," he said, hiding his distraught.

@NS @Megitsune

1/3 Pup Tusks Collected

"Pretty exciting day, yup." There was a great deal of relief in Mao's voice. The status didn't last nearly as long as he expected, and luckily nobody decided to get any funny ideas; it was impossible to predict what anyone else would do given the situation. Mao sent Vince a party invite, though it was just him in it, before heading off towards the shop. "Let's get this over with."

Zackariah's shop was still as lively as before. Mao had to squeeze himself through the doorway, and the lobby wasn't much better. Luckily, there was a special area in the shop designated for anyone who was on this part of the quest and there was where Mao and company found themselves. If anyone didn't notice before in the lobby, it was clear that there was a pungent aroma emanating from the room. The walls were lines with shelves, and atop the shelves were various jars and other containers filled with reagents. In the center of the room was a large, metal table with mortars, crucibles, flasks, beakers, and various apparatuses needed to create any potion.

"Crafting a potion. Should be easy, right?" Mao asked rhetorically. Zackariah simply laughed which didn't inspire much confidence. "Well, here goes nothing!"

Mao tinkered and fiddled with the equipment on the table, following Zackariah's instruction as closely as possible. In the end, he held up a flask filled with a bright-blue liquid. "It looks good...I guess?" Zackariah took the flask and tilted it to and fro, examining how the liquid moved inside. After a moment, he gave a nod of approval. As a reward for his efforts, Mao was given Lyle's parcel.

"That wasn't so bad."

@NS @Megitsune

1/1 Potion Crafted

Mao really should've been prepared. A part of him knew that this was a possible outcome, but like some conspiracy theorist's fantasy, he let it happen anyway. His head flew back, eyes sealed shut, and his body lagged behind on its way to the soft, grassy ground. Despite the force behind Fox's punch, it felt like nothing more than a distinct tingle; he wasn't sure if that was a result of the game or Fox herself.

Upon crashing against the ground, Mao heard a familiar DING!. He opened his eyes only to find that between himself and the bright, blue sky was a quest indicator showing he had finished finding all five materials. "Finally done with this pa-," Mao paused as his eyes wandered onto Fox's cursor, and the regret that she had guessed he would be feeling was now beginning to sink in.

He sighed and slowly got back to his feet. Mao looked around and it seemed that, along with his little stunt, Fox's orange was catching people's eyes. This time, he didn't approach her but instead perched himself on a nearby tree trunk. "I deserved that. Sorry." Mao kept it short and sweet. He wasn't sure how long it would last. He wasn't sure how serious it was. He wasn't sure how other people would react. "I'll stick around until it goes away, or when we get back into town." His tone made it seem more like a demand than a request. "After that, I'll be outta your hair."

Mao turned his attention to Vince who seemed noticeably farther away. "Hey Vince!" Mao shouted, his tone a bit more lively than before. He gestured for Vince to come over. "Did ya finish up with the mats? Let's party up!"

@NS @Megitsune

5/5 Quest Materials Found