Aru

Aru watched as his companions took their own hits against the gigantic piece of earth. He took in a deep breath as to calm his nerves, and closed his eyes to bring in his focus. He was taking in too much information and not focusing on his own actions. A few months with the Info Brokers will do that for a person, where it's their whole job to become aware of everything around them. When he felt his focus was re-aligned with the task at hand, he opened his eyes and struck the rock with a larger amount of force than before, and his fist left a substantial crack in the boulder. He smiled and brought his fist back proudly

"Ohhh that felt awesome! I gotta do it again!" He said with a proud smile on his face, a few flecks on the rock still stuck to his knuckles as it dissolved into pixels, blowing away in the wind. He turned his head to give attention to Randal, who asked a question about himself. His smile still held true. "Well, I did wrestling before this game, so maybe I would have if enough time passed. I can only do wrestling for so long, til i'm out of High School. Then it's time to work."

ID: 191875 BD: 5+1+2=8 Hit! 8 Damage to Rock

[0 Hate] Randal: 440/440 HP | 61/62 EN | 1+3+6 DMG | 3 ACC
[0 Hate] Melissa:  40/40 | 20/22 EN | 1+4 DMG | 2 ACC
[0 Hate] Aru: 760/760 HP | 86/88 EN | 1+1+6 DMG | 1 ACC

Boulder: 52/75 | -2 EVA

Aru watched the battlefield play out quietly. Things seemed to be going in their favor. From Ugzeke not dealing any damage to them, to most of them landing attacks and dealing a solid amount of damage. He decided it would be in his best interest to keep up the lead of Hate, since one crit and one of the DPS players would surpass him. He quickly charged forward, his axe spinning in his hand as he wound up and attacked, the first slash hitting the large creature in the upper body, and the sword art soon taking over, making a lightning-shaped attack into the creatures burly chest. He retreated and held his shield up quickly, in case it decided to take a strike against him this time.

Once again, his attack barely made a dent in the creatures health pool. He was definitely too tanky, and he didn't deal the damage he wished. But, he had to remember that damage wasn't his main goal. He wasn't Hikoru, he wasn't any of the frontlines. He was Aru, and he knew he'd have to earn a title as the others did for how he fought in the battlefield. He would earn it in his own way, just as everyone else had.

ID: 189447 BD: 3+3+1=7 Hit!
Aru used Lightning Axe: 7x7= 49-160 = 1 Damage to Ugzeke

[H:4] Pinball: 760/760 HP | 72/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I | 30 BH  
  Cooldowns: Meteor Break (0/2) | Shadow Explosion (2/3) | Familiar Grapple (2/5) | Nova Ascension (1/1) 

[H:3] Dustin: 620/620 HP | 50/80 EN | 78 MIT | 22 DMG | 1 EVA | 2 ACC | 31 BH (All Might 3/3) (Falcon Jab 2/2) (Acupuncture 1/2) (Crescent Moon 0/2)

[H:6] Hikoru: 760/760 HP | 70/88 EN |  132 MIT | 7 DMG | 0 EVA | 3 ACC | 1 RGN | 1 REC | 2 THRNS | 2 D. Paralyze [FH: 1/4] [UK: 1/2] [LA:0/1]

[H:0]Hestia: HP:900/900 EN:102/102  Mit:163[FA:16] Thorns:80[FA:8]  BH:45  emergency:90 when 225 hp or lower  Recovery: +4 eng CD: 7+

UGZEKE: 1,879/3,100 HP | 300 DMG | 160 MIT | 2 ACC | -1 EVA [DELAY]
  Skills:
<<Oblivious>>: Every turn, unless <<Ugzeke>> rolls CD 5+, he will remain oblivious to the enemy party and refuse to attack. This skill is disabled once <<Ugzeke>> becomes <<In Pain>>.
<<In Pain>>: Once <<Ugzeke’s>> health reaches 1200, he will become enraged as his skin turns red and he notices the party fully. His ACC is reduced to 1, but his EVA is increased to 2.
<<Smash>>: On an MD 9-10, his attack will hit the entire party for 225 DMG, lowering everyone’s ACC by 1 for two turns.
<<The Harder They Fall>>: Upon being hit with a Focus Sword Art, <<Ugzeke>> will falter and his next attack will have -2 ACC. This can only trigger every third turn.
<<Hard Hitter>>: <<Ugzeke’s>> attacks cannot be parried.
<<Tier Lock>>: For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 4. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]
This skill only locks downward. Those at Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 will still have T1, T2, or T3 stats, respectively.

Aru watched as the master lead them over to a gigantic boulder. The thing was huge, and a little bit intimidating. He was trying not to lie to himself that he wasn't a bit perturbed by the actual size of the thing up close. Randal struck first. His attack connected well and he made a few small cracks into the gigantic slate of stone. Melissa tried next, but it didn't end up as well as Randal. he didn't expect it to, as her and him had just taken this quest for the first time, where as Randal had taken this before. He cracked his knuckles and realized it was his turn to punch him. He took a comfortable stance, brought his fist close to his body, then struck it forward. He hit the rock, however the damage he did was minimal, barely a scratch. Plus, his fist hurt like crazy. He retreated his striking hand and shook it a bit. He didn't hit it hard enough. He'd have to take another strike and hit it twice as hard as before, that had to be the key to breaking it.

ID:188747 BD: 2+1+2=5 Miss!

[0 Hate] Randal: 440/440 HP | 61/62 EN | 1+3+6 DMG | 3 ACC
[0 Hate] Melissa:  40/40 | 20/22 EN | 1+4 DMG | 2 ACC
[0 Hate] Aru: 760/760 HP | 86/88 EN | 1+1+6 DMG | 1 ACC

Boulder: 65/75 HP | -2 EVA

Aru felt the tension in the room rise as each of his other comrade in arms saw each other. He felt that if he lifted his axe a little too high, he would cut whatever invisible string that was holding the peace and all hell would break loose. He'd have to do his best to avoid that, and he decided he would start by gaining more hate on the gigantic monster. He twisted the axe in his hand, getting a feel for the right timing. He took in a deep breath, and charged forward, screaming like an idiot and positioned his axe to activate his strongest sword art: Ukon Kirves. He didn't have Martial Arts, so it was impossible to get ahold of his highest rank Sword Art, so this would have to be the best he could do.

The sword art hit home, slicing and slashing against the creature. a wide grin fell on his face as he saw that he dealt.... one damage. Apparently, the MIT on this creature was far too high for his low damage. But, he gained hate which was his entire plan. He retreated backwards and had a sheepish smile. "I'm probably the only tank that does that, sorry." He spoke to the two men with swords. "Perhaps I should leave the damage to you two, i'll just soak up the damage."

ID: 188708 BD: 2+3+1=6 Hit!
Aru used Ukon Kirves: 7x13 = 91 - 160 = 1 Damage to Ugzeke (insert "pathetic" meme here)

[H:3] Pinball: 760/760 HP | 87/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I | 30 BH  
  Cooldowns: Meteor Break (2/2) | Shadow Explosion (1/3) | Familiar Grapple (1/5) | Nova Ascension (0/1) 

[H:3] Dustin: 620/620 HP | 51/80 EN | 78 MIT | 22 DMG | 1 EVA | 2 ACC | 31 BH (All Might 2/3) (Falcon Jab 1/2) (Acupuncture 0/2)

[H:5] Hikoru: 760/760 HP | 72/88 EN |  132 MIT | 7 DMG | 0 EVA | 3 ACC | 1 RGN | 1 REC | 2 THRNS | 2 D. Paralyze [FH: 1/4] [UK: 0/2]

[H:0] Hestia: statspread here (they're super awesome and pin's the asshole >:( ) 

UGZEKE: 2,120/3,100 HP | 300 DMG | 160 MIT | 2 ACC | -1 EVA [GRAPPLED] [DELAY]
  Skills:
<<Oblivious>>: Every turn, unless <<Ugzeke>> rolls CD 5+, he will remain oblivious to the enemy party and refuse to attack. This skill is disabled once <<Ugzeke>> becomes <<In Pain>>.
<<In Pain>>: Once <<Ugzeke’s>> health reaches 1200, he will become enraged as his skin turns red and he notices the party fully. His ACC is reduced to 1, but his EVA is increased to 2.
<<Smash>>: On an MD 9-10, his attack will hit the entire party for 225 DMG, lowering everyone’s ACC by 1 for two turns.
<<The Harder They Fall>>: Upon being hit with a Focus Sword Art, <<Ugzeke>> will falter and his next attack will have -2 ACC. This can only trigger every third turn.
<<Hard Hitter>>: <<Ugzeke’s>> attacks cannot be parried.
<<Tier Lock>>: For the duration of the fight, all of the participants’ stats that scale with Tier are calculated as though they’re Tier 4. [DMG/MIT/BLEED enhancements etc.]
This skill only locks downward. Those at Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 will still have T1, T2, or T3 stats, respectively.

Aru felt himself falling more and more into a trance-like state as the waterfall roared in his ears and over his body. He didn't feel cold surprisingly, his body was numb as his mind wandered to different thoughts he wasn't quite sure of inside of him. These thoughts, he knew they were his own, but at the same time there was something inside of him that wanted to grow. He didn't know why he felt this way, but he did.

He heard something rustling and moving, and it brought him out of his trance. He simply opened his eyes, and he saw his one of his companions, Melissa, get out from under the waterfall. He guessed it was time for it to end, and he stood quietly, his body used to the weight of the waterfall and easily stood against it. He shook his hair as the pixelated water crystals went in different directions.

"That was refreshing Master." he spoke with a smile. "Needed something like that, thank you." He bowed respectfully and awaited the next order, and what their final task would be.

ID: 188707

LD: 5 (Total Damage Bonus: 6)

Aru gave a wide smile as Hestia offered to give him some tier 3 equipment. While he was sure it wasn't the best tier as of right now, it would still be far greater than the armor he was wearing right now. He nodded in thanks as he saw the request to trade and accepted it quietly. He equipped the items and felt the heavier weight of the armor on him. He looked down and mentally shuddered. It definitely wasn't his choice of style, but he wouldn't complain about free items. He comfortable held onto the shield and then punched his open palm

"Alright, lets go bust a skull." he smiled with a fierce determination. Hestia noted something about guilds, but he didn't quite catch it since he was putting on his equipment. He would ask her about it later, but for now he opened up his HUD and pinpointed the location again, then motioned towards that direction. "Lets get moving before that kid kills the ugly ogre." He said with a laugh. He started to make his way towards the fighting as he heard the clanking of blades against pixelated skin.

"Crap he's already-" He turned the corner to see two people "They, they already started." He said. He had a feeling that they had gained a little bit of hate, and he decided to grab it before they got too high. He clanged his axe against his shield and stood his ground, an almost sumo-like stance. "HEY! BIG GREEN AND UGLY! GET OVER HERE SO I CAN PUNCH YOUR PIMPLE-FILLED FACE!" he said, and took a defensive stance in case it attempted to strike him.

Aru used Quick Change to equip the new Heavy Armor and Shield

Aru used Focused Howl: It's Super Effective!

[H:3] Pinball: 760/760 HP | 87/114 EN | 25 DMG | 5 ACC | 6 EVA | Holy/Fallen I | 30 BH  
  Cooldowns: Meteor Break (1/2) | Shadow Explosion (0/3) | Familiar Grapple (0/5) 

[H:3] Dustin: 620/620 HP | 52/80 EN | 78 MIT | 22 DMG | 1 EVA | 2 ACC | 31 BH (All Might 1/3) (Falcon Jab 0/2)

[H:4] Hikoru: 760/760 HP | 88/88 EN |  132 MIT | 7 DMG | 0 EVA | 3 ACC | 1 RGN | 1 REC | 2 THRNS | 2 D. Paralyze

[H:0] Hestia: statspread here (they're super awesome and pin's the asshole >:( ) 

UGZEKE: 2,121/3,100 HP | 300 DMG | 160 MIT | 2 ACC | -1 EVA  [STUN] [GRAPPLED]
  Skills:

Aru Accepts Items 

Aru took in deep breaths as he maintained his concentration on the task at hand. He could feel his mind focusing on multiple things as the waterfall was roaring in his ears. He couldn't hear anything but his own thoughts, and they all kept going back to him, how he missed his family, how he missed his teammates, wrestling, he missed it all. He wasn't sure, but he was positive tears were streaming down his face along with the waterfall, as his body reacted in the only way that it could that didn't involve moving. He wished he had never put on that stupid nerve gear, he could still be gaming with his brother, he could still be wrestling.

There were so many things he regret, but he knew that if he didn't, his brother would have been forced into this hellhole. And he knew he would never live with himself if he died while in this game. He was strong, but he didn't know if he had the strength to play this game. It took everything out of Aru to just continue every day with his tasks. And some days he didn't have the strength to go out in the fields. He didn't know how the frontlines did it. He might never know how they did it.

ID: 188524

LD: 15 (Total Bonus Damage: 6)

Aru finished the pile of broken jars and came over to the other two players, following suite as the master told them to meditate under the waterfall. Aru instantly went to his equipment and unequipped his heavy armor, only his basic clothes on underneath his green cloak. He felt as if the Heavy Armor would get in the way, or maybe even make it easier to sit underneath the waterfall as it would weigh him down, and he genuinely wished to try this. He sat down under the waterfall, the rushing tides crashing over his head as he fought the pull of the tides for but a few moments. Eventually, he was able to find good seating on the rock and was able to start to enjoy the rush of the waterfall

He calmed his breathing, taking deep breaths and letting them out after holding them for a few moments. As he closed his eyes and focused, he found himself in his own thoughts, thinking back to the times he spent on different quests and missions for the IBS, and how it never really stuck with him well. The more he tried and attempted to join them, the more it became a realization that he never entirely fit. He preferred the feeling of heavy armor and an axe compared to light armor and a dagger or a rapier. He still didn't know why Hik had chosen him as an apprentice when so many more of them fit the bill

And maybe he would never know

ID:188288

LD: 18 (Total Damage Bonus: 4)

Aru smiled happily as Hestia agreed. But he was a bit upset when the young man denied the request to join them and headed off in the direction of the fields. Maybe he was going to train. Who knows? The young man seemed capable enough to handle himself. He focused his attention back to Hestia, who had asked. Aru had a small pained look, but soon hid it with a small smile.

"Im... not sure. He's retired from the frontlines and I'm no longer his apprentice. He's given me the last task to join the frontlines and carry on his legacy, but personally, it feels like a little too much for me, so I'm not joining until I defeat every field boss. When I do that, I'll feel like I'm strong enough to go." He said, his smile widening more as he talked, excited about his personal path to power, and he hoped to join them soon. "Plus, I need to get some better armor, and i need a shield." He awkwardly looked at his arm "I'm uh, kinda useless without one. I have all the points into block but no way to use it without one." He spoke with a small chuckle. "But enough about me, let's get moving and go beat up the Ogre." He opened his HUD and marked where he needed to go on the map, starting to walk toward the area where Ugzeke was

Aru helped Melissa up and she went over to the Master, changing tasks to swimming. The thought of joining interested him, but he decided to stay on the task he was on. He grabbed his jars and joined Randal on top of the pole, doing his best to place the jars as they were before. However, getting back into the groove of balancing them was easier said than done. He attempted to juggle them around and find the right spot for all of them, but one after the other they rolled, hopped or just fell off of the perches he attempted to make, and ended up with more dirt than coals beneath him. He sheepishly looked at the Master and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly 

"This was a lot easier when you helped me balance them." He spoke softly. The Master only gave a small "tsk" and went to focus on Melissa's progress in the river. He looked at Randal a little crest fallen "Well that sucked. Guess I have to move onto the next task." He said with a small sigh. He did his best and attempted to pick up the pieces of broken pottery, scalding his hands against the coals but managing to get the most of it, and made a small pile for the master to do as he wished. He clapped his hands together to get rid of the stray dust, and looked on to see what would be done next.

ID: 188262

CD: 6 (Total damage bonus +2)

Aru had been exploring the different floors as of recent, trying to compile the list of Field Bosses that had been popping up on every floor. A few of them were quests that had turned into Field bosses, and others were creatures never seen before in all of Aincrad. He was going to be the first to defeat each and every single one, and he was going to make sure of that. He was scoping out floor 23, and the more he looked at it, the more nervous he became. He wouldn't be able to defeat this thing on his own. He wasn't good at damage, all he was good at was soaking in damage and stopping things from moving. That's about it, he didn't even have a familiar to help him either. He was on his own most days, solo. It made things a bit bitter sweet. He had gotten used to his mentor's company, his constant working and coffee drinking. But now he only had cups alone.

He shook his head and brushed those thoughts aside. Aru would find friends, he would maybe even join a guild, even though his mentor had told him to stray away from such things. It was his call, and he could do what he wanted. He walked his way into the town and ignored the NPC's stares. They used to bother him, but now he knew that they were only code, and their thoughts weren't human, weren't real. They just reacted to how he was in the game. But in the corner of his eye, he noticed a player whom he hadn't seen in a long time, but he recognized her due to his time with the Info Brokers. He scanned his knowledge of the frontlines to try and think of their username. Hestia, that was it. He recognized her from the visit she had to Hikoru's estate a few months before his retirement. He had left in a bit of a hurry due to the atmosphere, but he remembered her nonetheless. His instincts told him to go and explore, try to find info. But he knew he was here for another mission. He walked up to her and what looked to be a fellow friend, someone who wasn't all that familiar to him.

"Hestia, The Healing Tank of the frontlines." He spoke, a hand outstretched. "I'm Aru, pleasure to make your acquaintance. We have a similar contact, Hikoru." He said with a nod of understanding. He didn't have to say words to remember the day that they met, as he was sure she remembered it well. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something, but I was wondering if you would come with me to fight the beast in the wood?" He motioned towards the drawing of Ugzeke "He seems to be a problem, and I've heard he gives a decent EXP reward." He said with a warm smile.

Stats:

Quests Completed

Field Bosses Defeated

The Master instructed the three of them to undergo intense physical training. He looked forwards and saw Randal get in position and he followed suite. The jars were placed and he easily lifted them. Balance was one of the few things he was good at, and it was something he trained on for his meets back home, where if a good push made you lost your balance, you were onto the mat and you lost. He felt confident in himself and even though his body screamed in pain, he welcomed the feeling of training like an old friend. He felt his adrenaline pumping and he enjoyed the feeling of it, but he heard a clatter from nearby. He saw that Melissa had fallen onto the ground. Instantly, he moved off of where he was and places his jars on the ground next to him. He went over to Melissa and held out a hand.

"Hey, give it another go." he said with a large smile on his face. "It's all about your footing. Watch where your toes are pointing and try to keep them straight or bent, but don't shift from the position you choose." He said, trying to give pointers on how he balanced. He held out his hand and awaited to see how she would react to his act of kindness.

ID: 188156

CD: 9 (+2 Total Damage Bonus)

Aru nodded as Melissa agreed with him about the trek. This really was a long journey for such a simple quest, but he felt his legs give a sigh of relief as Randal said for him to ask himself, and he revealed a sacred-looking area behind a stone. The feeling of the area felt like some places back home, and he felt at ease and he took in the surroundings. He heard Randal make some sort of cough, and he put it off as the altitude. He did have to admit, the air was a little thin up here compared to when they started their journey.

"Uh, alright." He said, and motioned his way towards the little hut. He walked up and knocked on the door, but as soon as his finger rapped lightly against the door, he was blown back as the NPC kicked open the door, He was hurled through the air as his back soon met the rocky ground, and Aru grunted in pain. The NPC, who's name appeared as "Master Yunxiang", approached him and his party. The master stroked his beard and nodded.

"You came for lessons, no? First Lesson, keep your legs on the ground to win a fight." He mused, and Aru muttered a few profane words as he got up, his armor clanking as he did so. "Now, you three, follow me." the master spoke, and his eyes locked with Randal. "Came back for more lessons? Very well." He spoke, and soon the Quest window popped up. Aru pressed accept and quietly made his way towards where the Master was leading them.

Aru nodded as the gentlemen in their party offered to lead the way. It would definitely make it faster, and his eyes had caught onto his scarf, and he was intrigued. He knew about many familiars, from Pumpkins to parrots, but this was a new one. Was there truly no limit to the amount of range a familiar could be? He'd have to take a look into this and maybe get something familiar, or perhaps get something different that was way cooler. He had no idea though, and he had some time to think about it. He saw the path ahead and let out a small sigh, and continued forward. His armor clanked a bit underneath his green cloak, and he did his best to ignore the sound, trying to focus on the trail before him, and not how his armor was starting to sound more and more like his joints as they protested against the sheer mountain they were headed towards.

"They weren't kidding." He said with a small laugh. "This really does kinda suck. Hopefully the quest isn't too much harder than this." He half hoped, and he felt himself working up a little bit of a sweat. Even though he was now max level, he still hadn't done something like this in awhile, and he felt it was truly starting to show. "So, do you know the name of the NPC that we have to talk to? I don't really have any info on him since the update." He asked the one leading them up the path, Randal if he remembered correctly. He wasn't the best at names, but he'd do his best to remember the hand-wrapped man's username.

Aru only had to wait a few moments for the two people whom he had recruited to appear. One was a slightly larger man whom seemed to know what he was doing, with decent equipment to match. He had a few hand wraps on so he was sure that this gentlemen had already completed this quest. The other one was a girl with a slightly distinct accent. He had to think for a moment, but he recognized it as French, if he remembered correctly. He had learned a little bit about French people from his studies, and some from his wrestling matches from exchange students. He nodded at the two of them silently and re-sheathed his axe on his hip in the loop holster he had for it.

"Yes, I'm Aru, thank you for coming." He said formally, his nerves still a little on edge. "We best get moving, I've heard that the trail to the quest is a bit long." he opened up his HUD as he uttered this, and pinpointed the direction they needed to go. He set up a marker for where the quest is, and his small map he had opened pointed him in the right direction. He motioned them forwards with a smile. "Alright, lets get moving. If anyone tries to stop us, I'll tank the damage for you guys." He said with a smile. He sent them both a party invite, and then started to make his way towards the mountain.

He looked forwards and saw the long trek he had to climb. He remembered a story Hik had told him about this quest and how the climb was brutal, and he shuddered. He hadn't done something like this since his training for wrestling. Definitely not to this extent, but hill climbs, pull ups, training on rock walls. All of those paled in comparison for what he had in front of him. He looked at his two companions and gave a small smile. "Well, time to get climbing eh?" he said with a nervous smile. He turned and started his long climb, the trail well worn and his knees ready for the aching that was sure to come.

It was moments like this he really wished he didn't wear Heavy Armor

Aru awoke quietly in the tiny inn room he had rented himself. Ever since Hikoru had taken full reins, he had told Aru that he had to live the life of a frontliner and had to earn a bed such as he had. While it was a bit cold-hearted, Aru knew that he only wanted the best for his pupil, and a bit of tough love was what he needed to grow. He groaned and got up from the uncomfty wooden bed, and went down to have breakfast. It was only a few small things, a few slices of toast, some eggs and three strips of crispy bacon. He said thanks for the meal and dug in, enjoying the savory food. Even though it was only ones and zero's, they still tasted really good. He washed it down briskly with a cup of black coffee, something he learned to enjoy after a few weeks straight of pumpkin flavored anything.

He finished his meal and cleaned up his little table, and made his way towards the center of town. He had put out a bulletin a few days prior as to do a frequently done quest that he had never gotten around to do, <<Breaking the Unbreakable>>. He had gotten two people to join him on the quest, and he was sure that it would make this interesting, as he never really did a quest before. He had gone along for some with Hik and stayed in the background and let him handle it, but he had never lead one before. Even though this one held no real combat, he was still a little nervous, and found himself shifting and adjusting his cloak every few moments as he approached the teleporter. The gleaming white marble ready to be used, he stepped up quietly and took in a deep breath, and exhaled loudly.

"You can do this Seno, just play smart." He said, and he looked up to the sky "Teleport! Floor 2!" He spoke, and soon the pixels overtook his field of vision for a few moments, and he appeared onto the second floor in but an instant. He looked around, and decided to wait near the teleporter, walking off and standing to the side, taking his axe and holding it over his shoulder, awaiting the rest of his party to approach from either the teleporter or the walkways nearby
 

Quest:

Stats:

Aru awoke in his bed with a jolt. He body was still numb from the feeling of the shadows sweeping over him. His armor had held him back, and he had been swallowed by the endless abyss, and his mind went blank as everything grew dark around him. Now, he found himself in the familiar bed he stayed in during his apprenticeship with Hikoru. He stumbled out of bed, a little shaken as he opened his inventory and realized that everything, literally everything, had changed. He was given a prompt to shift his Skill Points, and he filled them out, looking into multiple new options and did his best to work with the new system. He decided to stay with his weapon of choice, his axe, and converted the ones he had bought from Shield a few weeks back. He was able to change their names, and as he held them in his hands, the rumble of power came from them as they wished to slay the creatures in front of them. He put them away and thought for a moment as he found his bearing with the new things in the game. From what he understood, there was now a way to fuse items together into one, but he needed the right materials.

He'd have that plan on the backburner as he equipped his items, which all were a bit shoddy compared to his new axes, and walked out the door. No one seemed home for the most part. The fire crackled in the living room and the faint whiff of coffee could be found, but no familiar nor Master could be found. He walked out of the house quietly with a plan in his mind. He had read that there were now Field Bosses, something that really peaked his interest. They were apparently a challenge and gave interesting new items. He wasn't interested in the items per say, but he was definitely interested in the challenge they brought to him. Tier Locks? Unique attacks? That could prove he was strong enough. He had a mantle to uphold, and as the Apprentice of Shadows, as he privately called himself, he needed to prove that he was worthy to be on the frontlines. Sure he had the stats, but he didn't have the experience to boot. He had usually let Hik deal with the creatures they'd come across in scouting missions or looking through rumors.

He decided to start from the beginning, and went to the center of Floor 21's town, which had changed in structure quite a bit. Apparently everything had been changed, and he knew the IBS would be hard at work to gather the bearings as all the information they had before the update was now made obsolete, and new information would have to be gathered. He eventually found the teleporter, and stood upon the bright blue, circular piece of metal.

"Teleport, Floor 1." He spoke loudly, and soon pixels overcame his vision and it blurred for a moment, and as soon as they appeared they dissipated, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the bright colors of the Floor of Beginnings. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head for a minute, finding his bearings for what felt like the hundredth time today and stepped off the platform, opening his HUD to see where the nearest Field boss location could be found. He was only aware of one that was provided thanks to his map, but it was a good walk away. He found the direction he was supposed to go, and started to jog into the general direction of the Field Boss.

@Valentine

Stats:
 

Total Word Count

• Character Name: Aru
• Character Description: A former pupil of the former Master of Shadows, Aru is a black-haired Tanky warrior on his own quest to find his own place on the frontlines. He feels as if he needs to continue to carry the mantle of Hik as his apprentice, but had decided to do it his own way, through his axe, his shield, and his crazy ideas. He doesn't yet deem himself ready to join the frontlines, as his combat experience is small, and he wants to learn more before he finally fights with all the great players he's learned about in his time in the IBS
• Character Journal: [Aru - The Axe Wielding Bruiser]

Current Level: 52
Current SP: 223
Link to SP Tracking: Here
Item Upgrades:

Notes:
The two weapons were bought at Shields shop here. I couldn't find any ID numbers when I went to check, hence why it's blank

Keep 'er Rolling!

Aru's eyes looked onto the vast skies that were filled to the brim with dark clouds emitting from what seemed to be nowhere. He was confused. Were storms like this normal on this floor? He definitely didn't like the way that all of this looked, and apparently he wasn't alone. He saw a bunch of other players around, converging with the NPC's and one another to make their way to what seemed to be safety. He grabbed onto his axe and trudged onwards, wishing he had a shield right now. He had ordered one from Hik awhile back, but he never got it. It was a bit frustrating, but he knew that there was nothing he could really do about it. He was a busy man and there was only so much that he could do.

Moving forwards, he made his way to safety, slowly though. He wanted to see what would happen, and he was trying to wait and see what was going to happen to his surroundings. Obviously, as far as he understood with video games, things like this didn't happen randomly, else the NPC's would act as though nothing was wrong. This was pre-ordained to say the least, but he wondered why. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time it seemed. Was it like this on other floors too? And if so, what does this mean for other players and NPC's that have yet to notice it?

Aru had been exploring and shopping on the Seventh Floor. He was still trying to find a few bits and pieces to his build so he could finally get started on his climb to the frontlines. Hikoru had warned him that things would be difficult at first, but once he got his bearings that things would start to run smoothly. His master hadn't given him anything to get started with. He wanted him to start like every other player, as so he could "Have equal thoughts" or something like that. Sometimes Hik didn't make sense, but he had tried to respect what he said, even if he was struggling to find help. He had met Shield and bought a few cool axes though, but their names were... interesting, to say the least. That was a start.

Suddenly, he felt the air start to grow a bit colder. The wind was starting to pick up, and he looked up to see dark storm clouds brewing. His eyebrows furrowed on his head in confusion. Was this something that happened on the 7th floor? No, no that didn't make sense. In learning about the floors, this wasn't something that usually happened. He saw some of the NPC's look a bit concerned and start to leave the area. His hand reached for his axe. Something was wrong here. He didn't know what. But his instincts told him that this wasn't a good thing. He decided to follow the NPC's for now, to see where they would end up.

ID: 176694

Initial Roll Value: 14 (I know I didn't really need to roll, but wanted to have a good start)

1. Aru

2. Male

3. Female

4. My Life

Aru walked into the grand building, his eyes looking everywhere in astonishment and amazement in the workings of the home. He had grown used to the dank, Japanese-style home of Hikoru for far too long, that he forgot what other houses could look like in the right places, and this was one of them. He enjoyed seeing all of the woodwork, the style choices and many other parts of the home that he enjoyed seeing. His green cloak billowing around the store, speedily looking at everything, before he finally got to work of what he set out to do. He started looking at the shelves to find a new, suitable weapon for him to use. A few moments into looking, he found a pair of axes with the oddest names he had ever found, so much so that it made him laugh. He grabbed the two of them, wanting it to be a pair, and bringing them to the counter, to a larger looking man wearing some heavy-looking armor like himself. Aru gave a large smile

"These two please!" he said, and as he approved the transaction, he stopped. "Oh, right." He spoke, and opened his HUD. He grabbed a letter, and put it on the counter. "From Hikoru, it's the last thing he asked me to deliver you. He's retiring from the frontlines, and wanted to give you the info to the rumors of a new quest line, something Nordic about it? I don't know, Anyways, seeya!" He said, then ran out of the building, ready to use his axes in battle.

Buying: