[SP-F2] Breaking The Unbreakable [Complete]

[Saix 0]

When Ayane had heard of the inclusion of a Martial Arts <>, she had immediately been interested in how she might go about obtaining it. She had practiced karate for several years before her accident, and the idea of being able to use Martial Arts in the semi-fantastical way that the <> worked was simply too cool to ignore. Given the speed and power of the <> she could only imagine what kind of maneuvers would be possible with the Martial Arts <>.

[Saix 0]

The limited amount of information she had been able to obtain from the Information Brokers suggested that this particular quest had been the bane of the floor for some time, before a player had finally managed to destroy the rock and open the entrance to the dungeon. It had been a while since the quest was completed, but there were some players who still came down to the second floor to test their mettle against the heavy stone that would need to be broken by hand.

[Saix 0]

Everything she had dug up thus far in her research suggested that this was a test of strength and endurance, and that she would have to beat her hands bloody to the bone again and again, until the rock was finally destroyed. She supposed it was somewhat fitting, in a sense. Studying the real martial arts was a painstaking process that took many years, requiring enormous physical and mental sacrifice to truly become a ‘master’ Martial Artist. Breaking an ‘unbreakable’ rock made for a fitting comparison.

[Saix 0]

Taking a moment to adjust the ties of her self-crafted leather armor, Ayane glanced around the small village town of Urbus. She had teleported here via the Teleportation Gate from <>. The great stone was situated at the entrance to the dungeon, a fair ways from the village gates. She would cover most of the distance easily and safely, thanks to the winding little roads that would lead her to the southern mountain. There she would have to fight until she reached the clearing where the rock would be found.

[Saix 0]

She wasn’t too worried about the monster spawns here on the Second Floor, she was high enough in level to be comfortable with her skills, especially since she planned on being careful and not ending up surrounded. Floor 2 was mainly inhabited by the large oxen like creatures <> and <> , <>, and <>. Of the enemy types, she would be most worried about <>, which could hit hard, even at her level.

[Saix 0]

Considered to be the ‘specialty’ monster of Floor 2, the <> quickly gained a reputation amongst players for being a tough and powerful monster, with a very long targeting range and duration, making it difficult for parties to make use of the <> tactic. It was very fast, using charging attacks with a much quicker start up then <>, and was known to not stop chasing it’s enemy until either the player, or the <> itself have died.

[Saix 0]

Thankfully, most of the massive 2 meter tall beasts were situated on the planes to the west of Urbus, Ayane would he heading South, to the lone mountain where she would find the hut of the <>. While she might encounter a few of the large <>, she was confident that she could avoid combat with the dangerous enemy, and would instead end up facing predominantly <> and <>.

[Saix 0]

That was not to say that she would not be in danger, while the <> seemed relatively harmless unless attacked, <> was an altogether different story. The huge wasps were very aggressive, and used a sting attack that caused <> status for 2-3 seconds, making them dangerous ambush enemies, especially when attacking in groups. Unlucky players had tried to flee, been stung, and ended up in <> status after aggro’ing more than one of the creatures.

[Saix 0]

Faced with multiple enemies who could reapply the <> status, it was unlikely that these unlucky players would survive long. However, with their mediocre health and the relatively high amount of experience points, the <> remained a popular monster for low level players interested in hunting to improve their levels, even if that meant facing a giant bee with a stinger the size of an ice pick. Ayane herself had never faced the <> before, but looked forward to the challenge.

[Saix 0]

She had ensured she was well versed in their behavior, and had learned their weak point, the base of the giant insect’s stomach. With her high attack speed, she was relatively certain that she would be able to come out on top against the wasps. If she managed to snag a few Wind Wasp Needles, so much the better, she could always figure out a use for them in her crafting, or trade them to a blacksmith in the hopes of getting a decent weapon.

[Saix 0]

Her <> likely wouldn’t be much use for much longer. She was having to replace them with greater frequency, as the tougher monsters would damage their durability as she whittled down their health points. But still, if she finished this quest and obtained her <>, then she would have a means of dealing damage that did not require specific weapons, giving her some leeway to try and obtain a quality weapon that would last her longer.

[Saix 0]

Smiling at the thought, and satisfied that her armor was secure, Ayane made her way out of the village, the tails of her ornate silk neck wrap fluttering behind her like butterfly wings. She loved butterflies, and it certainly showed in the style of her armor. She felt a little self-conscious, given the semi-revealing nature of her leather armor, which looked and functioned somewhat similar to a bustier. However, the benefits of the armor’s high quality stats were too good to ignore.

[Saix 0]

Almost a half hour later, with only a few fights to show for her trouble, Ayane had come upon the solitary tree that marked the starting area for the <> quest. Turning, she craned her neck and stared up the face of the tall mountain, quickly finding the carved steps that led to the secluded little hut perched high in the mountain. There, inside that hut she would find the Martial Arts Master NPC.

[Saix 0]

Placing her hands on her hips, and surveying the long path, she heaved a sigh and started her ascent. Nobody had said the martial arts were easy, even in a video game. It was almost 20 minutes before she paused to take a break, her chest heaving with the digital effort. She could have sworn that she could feel the muscles of her legs burning, and the thought brought a smile to her face. It was funny that even here in this Death Game, she could still find joy in the use of her legs.

[Saix 0]

Sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever want the game to end, if only to avoid having to go back to a helpless life trapped in her wheelchair. At least here she could run and jump, even if she did have to fight monsters to survive. Shaking her head, with a frown, to dispel such ridiculous thoughts, Ayane thought of her parents, who must be worried sick about her. Her accident had effected them deeply, no doubt being trapped here was driving them mad with worry.

[Saix 0]

Manipulating her inventory open, she withdrew a parcel of food, little more than a large crust of bread and a small multi-use jar of cream. She sat on the nearest rock, and began to eat her lunch. Players in SAO didn’t really need the food to survive, it was more mental than anything, but curiously enough players would begin to feel a sensation much like hunger, which would go away after ‘eating’ in the game. Ayane had an idea that the task before her would be grueling, so she needed her strength.

[Saix 0]

Several minutes later, she replaced the leftovers back in her inventory, and once again set off for the top of the carved stone stair path, intent upon reaching the Martial Arts Master’s hut in the next 20 minutes. The sensation of her burning legs, virtual sweat, and fatigue brought back memories spent laboring at the dojo where she had first begun learning Karate. These were certainly Happier memories from before the accident that had slammed her into deep depression.

[Saix 0]

After the accident she had lost the will to do anything, feeling as though the achievements she had spent her whole life working towards had been simply ripped right out of her grasp. She could have represented Japan in the Olympic Games, and now, she had nothing. She was only in this predicament stuck in the Death Game because she had wanted the experience of being able to run and jump again. And now she was going to undertake a quest for the Martial Arts <>.

[Saix 0]

There was a certain irony there, she surmised. When she at last reached the hut, she found a wizened old man waiting for her. This NPC exclaimed that he was looking for a disciple, someone to train in his art before he passed away. Ayane set her feet, and boldly declared her desire to be this disciple. A few moments later and the Martial Arts Master had painted her face with whisker like markings, before leading her to the rock, a huge bulky thing that looked as solid as the mountain itself.

[Saix 0]

This would be her test. She must break the rock using only her hands, or else the markings on her face would remain forever. Ayane felt a chill at that statement, even though she had known this information prior. She was positive that she would defeat the rock, but also aware that she probably looked ridiculous. With a shiver, she realized that some people might think the cat like whiskers were ‘cute’. As if she didn’t have enough issues trying to interact with other players already, this was the last thing she needed.