Zenshu

As the time slowly passed and he continued to find absolutely nothing within the areas he was searching, Zenshu began to wonder if he was going about this the right way. He'd seen others having success while he was out - so he knew it was possible.

"Just seems like I'm hitting all the lucky spots - in that they're luckily empty of anything good. Ah well, I guess I should just keep going. I mean one of these times I'm bound to find something!" 

Although frustratingly dull and slow, Zenshu knew that the only way he was going to succeed at the process was to continue pushing himself along. He knew the easiest way to complete the quest was likely to focus on simply killing the boars - so far they had provided most of what he had needed, at a much easier method than the gathering had proven to be. Yet he felt like giving up now would simply speak to his character, and he wasn't one to take the easy way out.

"The truly appropriate thing to do is simply to continue until success is had, even if that means I'm out all night long!" Inspired by his own words, he smiled as he continued searching, determined to prove to himself that he could do it - knowing that once he did succeed, he'd be proud of the fact that he hadn't given in to his temptations.

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ID209170 | LD: 17 | Material Search | Success [1 Material]

"Okay! Fair or not, I think I'm starting to see why people get so frustrated! They do not make this easy, not in the slightest!" He glanced up from his most recent bought of searching, his success still sitting at a mind numbing null amount. He knew that it was likely just a situation of pushing onwards - continuing to browse through the area until he happened to stumble upon what he needed, but he had to admit he wasn't really enjoying himself at the moment.

"Well, that's not really a surprise after the action that was had with combat. I mean, searching through grass and stuff is rather disappointing compared to slashing down your opponent!" He gave another glance towards the nearby enemies, his fingers twitching in temptation. He forced his hand away from the hilt of his weapon though, shaking his head as he pulled himself back from temptation. "Not yet though. I should give this another chance, at least to say that I truly did try! It may not be the most fun in the world, but I'm sure it's a skill worth developing!"

Determined once more, Zenshu fell back into the search with renewed vigor. He wasn't ready to admit defeat yet. Besides, it wasn't like there was any driving force to complete everything right this second. Well, aside from the fact that he needed something to eat - but even that could wait a bit, as a nice little reward for managing to complete the quest.

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ID209169 | LD: 4 | Material Search | Failure

His attention broken away momentarily by the sudden realisation of his hunger, Zenshu found himself questioning if he shouldn't return now for something to eat. "But then I'd have to make my way all the way back to the town, find somewhere to eat, and then make my way back out...maybe if I don't find something in the next few moments. But for now I think I'll focus on searching here."

His desire to complete the task heightened by the sudden need to eat something, Zenshu pushed his pace further as he scoured through the area. He wasn't entirely sure what he was looking for, but he figured the system would notify him once he had found it. 

"I mean, it's not like it would just have me randomly crawling around and passing over an extremely important and needed piece - especially not when it was for a quest. Something would notify me, or it would stand out against the grass, for sure!"

Although he had nothing to base his argument on, he felt that he was correct. He'd heard other players complain about the system - what they called Cardinal, some sort of artificial intelligence - but all seemed to come to the same agreement in the end; the system by virtue was fair, even if you didn't like it. 

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ID209168 | LD: 3 | Material Search | Failure

Deciding it wasn't worthwhile to fight another of the boars quite yet - especially as the ones nearby seemed to be staying close to one another now that they realised they were being picked off when alone - Zenshu turned his attention back to the gathering that he had tried earlier. Although his previous attempt had been less than successful, he figured that giving enough time and focus he could likely find what he needed in the grasses around him. 

"Besides, what sort of game would limit you to only finding what you need in combat? I'm sure there's something laying around here. I just need to find it, and they wouldn't make that easy!" His enthusiasm spreading across his face, he set to the task of searching through the grasses and nearby plants - pulling apart branches, leaves, and even high pieces of grass itself in his search. 

Even as he focused on his gathering, he was careful to keep an eye on the nearby wildlife, knowing that they could always present a threat to him if they decided to. Careful to skirt around anything that looked like it was taking an interest in him, Zenshu found himself quickly being led further and further away from the main gates of the town - completely absorbed in his searching. 

As time quickly passed, he realised that he hadn't eaten anything yet today in the rush to complete the quest given to him. "As soon as I'm done here, I'm going to the nearest cafe for a treat - it's the least I can do, really. Plus, it's a good incentive to work faster!"

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ID209167 | LD: 6 | Material Search | Failure

The dialogue box popped up as soon as the boar shattered, letting Zenshu know that he had once again found success in his hunt. Whipping the blade around carefully, he let the piece fall back into the sheath in a somewhat smooth movement, before closing out the dialogue box. 

"I'm definitely getting better at this. A bit more practice...practice always helps! In no time I'll be wiping away these boars and all the other creatures!" He gazed across the field, letting his eyes roam before suddenly remembering the blue colouring his blade had made on the air behind his attack. Curiosity overcoming him, he drew the blade again, giving it a few test swings.

Although the blade moved swiftly, Zenshu was disappointed to notice there was no colour trail. "Must be a specific effect then...maybe it's because of the attack pattern I was using? The sword art? I wonder if it's different for each attack?" 

Spending a few moments testing out his theory, he was excited to find that the colour was in fact related to the sword art itself - but that it didn't differ per attack. Content that he at least understood where it came from, he sheathed the blade once more. "Oh! Right! I need to find one more of those materials before I can head back!"

The flash of the blade seemed to push the boar into motion, driving the creature backwards and just out of reach of Zenshu's blade. The blade itself whistling by, leaving Zenshu open for a counter attack that never came. 

Hopping backwards to avoid any danger from the boar, Zenshu glared at it, wondering why it failed to retaliate against the obvious opening that he had presented. The other creature had so quickly and so willingly struck him, that the actions of this being seemed odd. 

"I guess that's just good luck on my part. That, or you don't really want to fight - which is just too bad for you. You have something I need, and I'm gonna get it!" He rushed forward towards the creature again, slashing out with the blade as he went. For the first time he registered the colour trail in the air behind his blade, a soft blue similar to the colouring on his tunic. Amused, but willing to put the interesting bit to the side for the moment, he tucked the knowledge away for later review. 

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Zenshu | Lv. 1 | HP: 20/20 | EN: 16/20 | DMG: 4 | Light Momentum [+1 BD]
Boar | HP: 0/12 | DMG: 4

Round Two
ID209165 | BD: 7+1 = 8 | ST-I vs. Boar | Hit: 4x4 = 16 DMG

Looting Boar
ID209166 | LD: 10 | CD: 7 | Loot Boar
60 col (36 + 24)
2 materials
Rare Trinket (1), Additional Col (12)

Safe for the moment from the eyes of the wolf, Zenshu continued his path towards the lone boar. He was fairly confident that the creatures on this floor could all be dealt with, but he also didn't feel like overwhelming himself just yet. Especially not after that first confrontation with the boar.

"Get some practice under my belt, then I'll come back and deal with all these different creatures! I mean, it's not like they're undefeatable or anything." A quick nod to confirm his own words, and then he was once again closing the distance on his target. 

The boar seemed to monitor Zenshu's progress towards it, the eyes of the creature tracking him as he stalked closer and closer. Ignoring the glare of the boar, Zenshu drew his ninjato blade and levelled it out before him. His usual kendo grip still felt wrong in his hand, and once more he flipped the blade around into a reverse grip, holding the edge away from his body as he levelled his left arm before him. Splaying the fingers, he leaned his weight into a lowered position, before smiling at the boar.

"Your earlier friend got a good start on me, but I think I can handle you! Let's make this nice and quick, shall we? I'll admit I need the practice, and you're just the perfect target for that!" The moment his words finished, Zenshu launched himself across the open space towards the boar. Blade flashing as he whipped his weapon upwards and around in an arc meant to slash across the boar's side, the black Blade leaving a flashing trail in the air as the sword art activated. 

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Zenshu | Lv. 1 | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 4 | Light Momentum [+1 BD]
Boar | HP: 12/12 | DMG: 4

Round One
ID209164 | BD: 3 | Miss [-2 EN]; Light Momentum [+1 BD]
MOB: 4 | Miss

Zenshu | Lv. 1 | HP: 20/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 4 | Light Momentum [+1 BD]
Boar | HP: 12/12 | DMG: 4

His first search came up empty. Which truly wasn't a huge surprise, if he was being entirely honest with himself. He doubted that the system would make this quest easy for him. Still, it would've been nice to find at least something for all his hard work. 

"Not that I can complain too much. The boat gave me a good head start on this. I just need to keep plucking away at it, and eventually I'll find everything I need! Then, I'll just head back and hand in all the materials and get the mayor's owed money. Easy!" His enthusiasm had returned in full, and as Zenshu eyed up the grasses around him, he wondered if the boars weren't the better way to go with this. It seemed like they paid out more than he could obtain with the foraging he was doing, and he felt confident in his skills that he could hold his own against them. 

"Besides, if I can hit them, they do go down very easy. It's just hitting them that's the hard part! I can do this!" Content that he was up for the challenge, Zenshu turned his attention back to the large boars nearby. He knew he wasn't ready to face a group of them - not yet. Not with the little equipment that he had. A single target stood out, a little ways away and requiring him to shift around a small collection of wolves.

Determined, he began to make his way across the field - careful not to call attention to himself as he went. As he made his way past the wolves, he felt himself freeze as one looked directly at him. For a brief breath of a moment, he thought that he was about to be pulled into a fight he wasn't ready for, then the creature seemed to look past Zenshu.

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Zenshu | Lv. 1 | HP: 18/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 4 | Light Momentum [+1 BD]

A deep breath as he exhaled, his limbs shaking as he watched the boat explode. A small dialogue box appeared before him, letting him know what he had received from the fight. Almost blindly, he replaced the sword back into his sheath, letting his muscles relax. 

"Wow. Okay. That was...that was awesome." The tone sounded flat even to himself as he realised just how close to actual danger he'd come. His mind reeled as he tried to compute the reality of his situation. He knew that he'd been reckless, but still...you needed to face a bit of danger to do anything, right? 

"I just...need to be careful. Dangerous and carefulness. Yeah, that's it!" His smile slowly returned as he felt his normal, cheerful attitude returning. Shaking himself, he turned his focused to the area around him. He'd spoken once to a player who had told him that foraging was a thing in the game - a way to find the different things you needed. Perhaps he could forage up some materials.

With no better ideas at the moment - and wanting to give his health and energy some the to recover before the next fight - he turned his attention to trying to gather what he needed from the local area.

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Zenshu | Lv. 1 | HP: 17/20 | EN: 17/20 | DMG: 4 | Light Momentum [+1 BD]

ID209163 | LD: 8 | Material Search | Failure

His swing went wide, the tip of the blade just barely missing the boar’s face as he twirled on past. He felt the sudden impact from behind, tossing him a few feet as the boar rammed into his body. His health bar teetered slightly in response, and Zenshu felt a sudden concern as he realised this wasn’t going well to begin with.

Jumping to his feet and dancing away from the creature, he flipped the blade in his hand, bringing back into a proper backhanded grip before rushing forward towards the boar once more. He was determined not to be taken out by a simple creature, and pushed himself into the battle dance that Kendo had taught him.

Dodging left and right, he danced around the creature, watching for the opening he knew would come eventually. “Come now, neither one of us wants this to go any longer than necessary. And it would be really nice if you’d just let me score that hit on you – I promise I’ll end it quickly. No pain, no suffering. If you’d just…let…me…hit you!”

The boar seemed to grunt and squeal in response, doing everything it could to dodge Zenshu’s attempts to lay a strike upon it, and as they moved around the field, Zenshu felt a sudden freedom. He’d known for a while now that he’d been missing out on the truer aspects of the game. Now he was beginning to experience what he had missed – there was a freedom in fighting, even if there was a danger to it.

“From now on, I’m getting fully engaged in this! No more hiding away, no more dodging the dangers. I’m here to stay. And you’ll be just the first one I take down!” He lunged forward, slipping under another ram attempt from the boar before sweeping his blade out in a sharp arc, aiming once more for the throat of the creature.

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Zenshu | Lv. 1 | HP: 16/20 | EN: 16/20 | DMG: 4 | Light Momentum [+1 BD]
Boar | HP: 12/12 | DMG: 4

Round Two
ID209156 | BD: 10+1 = 11 | <<ST-I vs. Boar>> | Hit: (4+1)x4 = 20 DMG

Looting Boar
ID209157 | LD: 17 | CD: 2 | Loot Boar
60 col (36 + 24)
2 materials
Rare Consumable (1)
Rare Weapon (1)

The first target was closer than he had expected – having snuck up behind him entirely unnoticed. As Zenshu jumped back to place some distance between himself and the boar, he let his gaze roll over the creature. He knew he shouldn’t underestimate the thing, but it seemed so…well, weak.

“You’ve got a size advantage, that’s for sure. But you’re just so large. It would be hard to miss you!” His confidence soaring, he reached down and drew the blade from the sheath, eyeing the black blade for the first time since he’d received it. A simple design, the ninjato was nearly forty-five centimetres long – short for a blade, even for the regularly smaller designs of the ninjato’s themselves. Still, Zenshu liked the look and feel of it – it sat well in his hand, and the balance felt almost perfect.

“Well, looking at the blade won’t kill you, will it? I guess we need to actually use the thing, don’t we my little bacon-esque friend?” He smiled as he positioned himself in front of the boar. Letting the blade fall into his usual kendo stance, he frowned. It didn’t feel quite right, and he found himself needing to change his stance. Letting his right leg shift backwards, he let his left arm fall away from the blade, flipping the blade around in a backhanded grip and raising the right arm before himself – the point of the blade angled down towards the ground. Lifting his left arm, he held it in front of him, palm open to the boar.

The entire stance felt like something out of a movie, but it also felt more appropriate to Zenshu somehow. Accepting the new stance, he waited a moment as he steadied his breath. Almost with lightning reflexes, he rushed forward, lashing out with the blade in a sweep towards the boar’s face.

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Zenshu | Lv. 1 | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 4 | Light Momentum [+1 BD]
Boar | HP: 12/12 | DMG: 4

Round One
ID209155 | BD: 3 | Miss [-2 EN]; Light Momentum [+1 BD]
MOB: 7 | Hit: 4 DMG

Zenshu | Lv. 1 | HP: 16/20 | EN: 18/20 | DMG: 4 | Light Momentum [+1 BD]
Boar | HP: 12/12 | DMG: 4

Almost bounding, he made his way down towards the gate – waving at the single guard as he’d seen so many others do, although the purpose of it was lost to him. Smiling at the few players he passed, a couple of them nice enough to return his greeting wave, he stopped on the other side of the entrance. Taking a deep breath, he looked around. For the first time, he took in the rolling fields and hills, the plentiful trees and open plains combined into one growing expanse that disappeared onto the horizon.

In the far distance he could see the peaks of mountains, jutted against the sky. He wondered how long it would take to get to them, before remembering that he didn’t have time to go exploring quite yet. There was a quest to complete first – which meant that he had to find the materials that the alchemist needed.

“Right. Materials…materials…where do I find materials?” His eyes roamed about the open fields. He could see a few other groups of players, and at first he thought about approaching them and asking one of them – before realising they were all consumed with what they were doing. Interrupting them would be rude, if nothing else. He watched a few of the groups, before hearing one of them exclaim about how the boar they had been fighting had dropped a collection of materials that they needed.

“Ah! So fighting gets me the materials. Well, that seems…easy enough.” Pulling up his menu, he scrolled through the small list to his inventory. Within it, he found the two items that he owned of any consequence. The white tunic that he wore – the hood pulled up over his head – and one other item. Selecting it, he watched as the sword materialised into his hand, appearing as if from nowhere. He took a moment to attach the sheath it was in onto his torso, looping the belt around and locking it into place. Once he was sure it was secured, he looked around for his first target, ready to get started.

The shop left behind, Zenshu made his way along the main corridor towards the gates that he had seen from afar. He knew there was more beyond the walls – an entire world out there. He’d known it for a long time, but he’d never actually made his way beyond the walls. Not yet, at least. Since the start of the game he’d been focused on finding friends – collecting allies to assist and stand beside. That had…well, that hadn’t gone as he’d hoped.

And then had come the Dark Times. He’d hidden himself away as those few he’d come to stand beside turned their backs on him – either driven away by his personality, or by some other reason. A few had even appeared on the Monument, which had sorrowed Zenshu’s heart thoroughly. For a while, he’d hidden himself away from the world – coming out for the basic necessities, but little beyond that.

“Today I’m going to go explore the fields beyond the wall! I’ve been trapped away for far too long! It’s about time I get outside.” He strode purposefully down the street, smiling at the few he passed – most of whom quickly turned away, either too busy to acknowledge him, or perhaps extremely shy. Zenshu wasn’t sure – and he didn’t have the time to figure it out, regardless. He had been given a quest, an adventure. He was going to make sure he did exactly what was required of him – find the materials, return to this Zachariah fellow, and then get the mayor’s loan back.

“Then I’ll make my way towards the front, where all the action is. I have a lot of catching up to do, but I’ll do it!” He swore to himself that he’d catch up. He had to, he owed it to everyone here. It was partially his fault that they were all trapped here, after all. For that, he had to atone – even if it meant doing everything he possibly could to get them out of this beautiful world, and back to the real world beyond the game. “I owe it to them. So, I’ll make sure we all get home!”

Mouth agape in a half smile as he paused in his reply, Zenshu felt entirely befuddled by the question, and following statement. He hadn't intended on buying anything from the shop, but it seemed like the shopkeeper was under the impression that was why he was here. 

"Uhm, no, I'm here to collect some money owed to the major. Friendly fellow, but he certainly seems interested in getting his money back." He felt his confusion breaking through the smile on his face. Turning to look at some of the display items, he tried to hide the emotions from the character. He wasn't sure if they were able to read emotions, but his old habits were hard to break away from. 

"Would you gather a few materials for me? Flowers, herbs, rare woods, whatever you can find outside the city walls. I promise I’ll help you fill your order as soon as you return. In fact, I would be willing to show you how to do it yourself." Zenshu's head snapped around as the NPC continued on. It was like he wasn't even listening to a word that Zenshu had said. His wide smile bringing pain to his face, he did the only thing that he could do. 

"Yes, of course! I'll head out and find them immediately for you!" A quick bow and then Zenshu was out the door, making his way through the town's streets. He remembered hearing once that materials were something to be collected from outside the town, and he had to admit he was interested in making his way to the supposedly lush fields beyond the walls. "Maybe this isn't such a bad thing after all! I can go see the outside world for a change!"

The alchemists shop wasn't at all what Zenshu was expecting to find. In his mind, he had somehow pictured a wizard's tower, with smoke and broth bubbling, and different concoctions exploding periodically. What he found instead, was a plain looking building front of brick and windows. Still, he had to admit it did have a certain welcoming presence to it - and a cute little sign, too. 

"They did say there was no magic in this game. So I guess it's not too crazy to believe that they would go with the ordinary over the extraordinary. I do kind of wish they'd gone with the tower though, that would've been cool!" Pushing his way into the shop, he found a little more of what he was expecting. Tables covered in vials, numerous alchemic tools set up and on display - and tucked into the back behind a desk, was a white bearded man who was clearly the person Zenshu was looking for. 'Now that's more like it!'

"Ah, hello! You must be Zachariah! The mayor sent me here to collect some money that you supposedly owe him. He was rather firm about it all!" Zenshu flashed what he hoped was a winning smile, as the man seemed to slowly pull his eyes away from whatever he was working on in order to focus on Zenshu. Slowly, as if waking from a deep sleep, the NPC seemed to register the man standing before it. 

"Oh hello." The voice seemed to be as quick as the character itself, and Zenshu felt the pain beginning in his face as his smile stretched even wider in response. "Are you here to order something? I'm quite swamped with orders currently, and am running out of materials."

He couldn't help but admire the designs within Aincrad. Even though the game itself was a death trap - one that he would more than likely succumb to, if he wasn't cautious and careful - he still had to sit that it was visually impressive. Every little detail was taken into account, down to the point that if he'd awoken here without knowledge of putting on the NerveGear, Zenshu wouldn't be able to tell immediately that he was inside a virtual world. Of course, up until he began interacting with other players or non-player characters. 

"The whole death game bit really puts a bit of a damper on the beauty of all this...but then again, where would be the fun of just walking around and taking in sights? Adventure is the key to growth, after all!" A few passing players shot Zenshu an odd look as he continued talking to himself. Although he noticed their presence, he was far too wrapped up in his internal considerations.

As he wondered along, following the guide line that appeared in the mini map he kept open, Zenshu browsed through his menus. His eyes glanced across the friend's list - completely empty, as of late. A moment of sorrow twitched across his facial features before the everlasting smile returned. Swiping his hand, he closed the menu and refocused on the area ahead of him. 

"I cannot wallow in sorrow on such a lovely day..."

The day was absolutely perfect – sun shining down, but not overwhelmingly hot. The wind bristled gently through the town’s streets, playing gently with Zenshu’s scarf and hair. Leaning his head back he smiled towards the sky – or roof, other floor, whatever you wanted to call it. He knew it was all artificial. Even the sun shining down and heating his skin was fake. But that didn’t make it any less enjoyable, at least in his mind.

“This place really isn’t that bad, if you forget the whole death thing everyone is so worried about. I mean, look at this place, it’s beautiful!” Speaking to himself had become an almost norm for Zenshu lately. He’d found an odd comfort in it, although he was sure it was just another reason people were avoiding him. At first, he’d almost become overwhelmed by the solitude – it had covered him in a darkness that he never wanted to return to. But now, he could almost see the goodness in it all.

“You there! Stop please!” Zenshu’s eyes were drawn back towards the street level as he glanced about for the cause of the commotion. The Town of Beginnings had been relatively calm and quietly lately, so yelling tended to stand out fairly well. Almost immediately he saw an older looking man making his way in Zenshu’s direction, and another quick look around confirmed there wasn’t anyone else this man could be approaching.

“Oh! Me? But…I’m not moving? It’s a pleasure to meet you!” He gave a slight bow, smile still plastered on his face as he tried to figure out what the other could possibly want. He listened attentively as the man broke into a spiel about requiring his help – with a loan, no less! – before Zenshu realised something was off with the man.

“Oh! You’re one of the non-player people of this world! Awesome, you seem so real!” Without a second thought he reached out a hand to grasp the NPC, curious at how it would feel.

“What are you – please don’t touch me!” The NPC recoiled from the attempted grasp, a look of surprise and concern on its face.

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you could react!” Another bow as Zenshu gave his apology, amazed at the response. It seemed as though these artificial people were almost lifelike in more ways than just appearance.

Continuing as if nothing had happened, the NPC finished it’s explanation, giving Zenshu the task of hunting down some alchemist who supposedly owed some money to the man. Smiling, he accepted the quest, before heading off in the direction of the supposed shop.

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