[PP-F2] <<Breaking the Unbreakable>> (Takao)

[Hekima 0]

God darn it. Hekima thought as she walked to proceed onto the top of the mountain. That morning, she had decided that she was going to take a quest in order to hurry and rush along her skill point grinding. Of course, she required a task that did not require combat as she was only level one. Any sort of combat for her might equal death if she becomes unlucky. After a few luck based criticals, she could either die or kill a mob that was about the same level as she. Of course, she was not willing to take such a high risk until she becomes much higher leveled. For someone like her, luck was never a factor that should be placed into these games. The entirety of a game should rely on skill and not luck. However, most of the time, games do incorporate luck... And luck is of course, an important factor of almost all RPG games. Still, Hekima respected it not. Maybe it was her rebellious side... Or maybe it was due to the fact that she had a strong opinion on how games should be ran.

Anyway, she soon narrowed down the list to two quests from the quest list of the available floors. Indeed, she had found that <<Earning a Living>> was a good newbie quest and so was <<Breaking the Unbreakable>>. However, as soon as she saw that <<Earning a Living>> required you to get a job, she crossed that quest off the list. She would do that later just for skill points but at the moment, she had no intentions of wasting her energy on crafting. I doubt it would help me anyway... It's too much work as well. She decided and went ahead to look at the quest details for <<Breaking the Unbreakable>>

Now, she found herself, for the first time, walking on the second floor. And not just an ordinary location but a gigantic mountain in which one could not see the top of from the bottom of the structure. It was a significant sight... and what was even more significant was the fact that Hekima had to walk to the top of the mountain in order to accept the quest. With a sigh, she began to walk, hoping that she could get there soon to waste no more time than she had already done during the start of this game.

After a while, though. She had found the house that the quest giver was living in. At this point, her leg muscles were rather stressed having walked a long steep mountain that she had no intention of walking. Hm... Interesting. Hekima thought, looking around, wondering if the man was available to give out the quest.

[Takao 0]

"Why's this such a bad idea?" Takao's voice escaped as an almost annoyed grumble. He and his familiar had been engaged in a spot of friendly debate, per the usual for the duo, regarding Takao's decision to spend the day on the second floor. Since his self-reinstatement on the front lines, the brunette had given himself a relatively strict schedule. It just so happened that on this particular day, he'd allocated himself some free time. Time he could spend doing anything he wanted. Sleeping in the fields, lingering in his store, or even climbing a mountain. "We're not doing anything today anyway. Why not see if somebody could use some help? Besides, this quest is a right pain in the arse, I'm sure somebody would appreciate it."

His familiar huffed and folded its arms, then resumed leaning on the brunette's head. At the very least, the second floor was scenic. It wasn't too hot, wasn't too cold, nor did the weather patterns tend to lean toward any extremes. "You didn't have to come if you didn't want to, y'know. I said you could chill in the shop." The cat-sized dragon huffed again, eliciting a low chuckle from Takao. Being stuffed up in a shop on the third floor likely made them both a little stir crazy.

The walk wasn't particularly taxing for him. The system afforded him a large store of stamina; primarily for the usage of sword arts, but it also permitted him to go quite a while without becoming fatigued. He mused that a hike like that in the real world probably would've left him a heaving mess on the ground by the time he'd reached the summit. Sword Art Online was definitely not compassionate in any definition of the word, but he couldn't lie that it provided an incredibly unique experience. The path to the hut was something he'd memorized at some point, having ventured to it on several different occasions with several different faces. What would one more time hurt?

Takao reached the portion of the mountain dedicated to a quest he'd dreaded doing originally. A quick glance around was all it took to notice the blonde woman standing in front of the quest giver's hut. His right arm shot up and his usual smile pulled at his cheeks. "Heya!" He said, waving his arm slightly in greeting before returning it to his pockets. "Are you 'bout to take the «Breaking the Unbreakable» quest?"

[Hekima 0]

Hekima sighed. This was one of the more well known quests. Mainly due to the fact that players found it very frustrating to land successful hits on the rock and she can see why. From the quest information that she read, she knew that the rock was filled with health and even though the rock itself cannot attack, she's heard rumors that people would miss when attacking it even if it was a still target. Sure, that didn't make any sense but again, it was a rumor that she heard inside a shady tavern of the first floor so the reliability wasn't that amazing. One even claimed that the rock had come alive and tried to eat him and Hekima straight up slapped him from the bizarreness of that tale which didn't make any sense at all. 

With a sigh, Hekima proceeded to knocking on the quest givers door when she heard a familiar voice from behind her. After realizing that the man was the same man who she had met in a tavern not too long ago, she found it rather strange that he was on the second floor. If she didn't remember a wrong detail, she was quite sure that the brown haired man was a front liner and in her opinion, front liners were supposed to be in the higher floors, grinding their hardest to improve their level and become a even better player. Perhaps the man had skipped this quest and is only now coming back to collect the rewards and awards from this quest by completing it? Who knows, it matters not to Hekima. 

With an emotionless face, she looked at the incoming brown-haired man and nodded in acknowledgement that his presence was noticed. It was then that she realized that she had yet to introduce herself to him. "Indeed, I am on my way to completing this quest... It seems to be one of the easier quests for a low level such as me so it is best if I can finish this quest quickly, get the skill points, and complete even more quests to improve myself even more. One quest will act as a ripple for another. My name is Hekima and I am soon to enter this hut and accept the quest. May I ask why a front liner such as you seeks me on such a low floor level?"

[Takao 0]

Takao and his familiar shared a glance as the brunet approached the blonde. The foot-tall dragon hopped off his shoulder and landed with cat-like grace, opting to stand beside its apparent "master" despite the teenage hardly fitting the description of one. His gaze lingered on her features, vaguely recalling her some somewhere. A fleeting memory was one of a few unfortunate traits he possessed; this was especially so when it came to putting names to faces. His head tilted to the side while she spoke, considering what she said before offering his response.

"Oh, cool. Are you plannin' on comin' up to the front lines some day then?" He asked as his posture straightened back up. This was one of the safer quests that those of similar ambition might begin with, but not the most common, as he recalled. Takao couldn't exactly compare himself to others though, especially when it came to the order in which he'd taken his quests. Even after all the close calls and life threatening situations he's gotten himself involved in, the teenager was still a sucker for recklessly taking risks for no other reason than to sate his desire for thrills. It would get him killed someday, he was sure of it.

"This is a pretty brutal one to take alone for your first go." His glance moved aside in the direction he remembered the boulder to be. Plenty might find his self proclaimed days off as laziness, and in a way, it was. But he was only a single person, and the idea of burning out because he ground himself into the dirt every day was a much more terrifying thought than falling behind. He didn't necessarily find it to be time wasted either, since he was still looking to help others. "But that's kind of why I'm up here anyway. Today's my free day from grindin' 'n that stuff, so I figured I'd see if anybody needed some help doing this quest. I took it a while ago myself, so I've got the skill trained up a ways. It helps a bit with destroying the thing. So, how 'bout it? Need a hand?"

[Hekima 0]

Honestly, Hekima was about to refuse the man's offer for assistance. She was an independent woman, unwilling to be carried by higher leveled player just because they were higher leveled. Sure, Hekima needed to level quickly but that was not the correct method of obtaining the skill points that she so do need. It was a matter of self-pride and Hekima valued self-pride more than anything else. Even if she would have to do something that harms her pride, she would go about doing it in a way that is altered and manipulated so she could minimize the injury as best as possible.

Just as she was about to refuse the offer, the man brought up a skill. Apparently, he has had a skill which helped him punch the rock more efficiently. Perhaps this might be a good investment. Indeed, if Hekima was going to go punch a rock by herself, she was not necessarily going to be very quick about it due to her lack of damage. However, with this man's damage and his help, surely she would be able to finish up the quest in no time and claim the rewards that it would provide as well. 

"Very well, I thank you before hand for you assistance. Now, I shall go accept the quest." Hekima stated.

Then, she strolled forward with her head and chest held high as she opened the door to the hut of the mountain. Inside stood a short, old man. His beard trailed from his chin to the ground and his face full of wrinkles. After a bit of introduction from the man, he began to speak. "Do you accept this quest?" He asked and a pop-up instantly appeared right in front of Hekima. With an emotionless face, she pressed the blue check/circle button to confirm.

Despite the fact that the old man shows weary age, he was quite speedy. With a smirk, he rushed up and painted whiskers on Hekima, shocking her. This emotion soon turned into anger as she slapped the quest giver and walked out of the hut, shutting the door hard as she went.

"What an obnoxious fellow. Well, let's get started. I assume you know the location of the rock?"

[Takao 0]

Takao smiled and nodded his head as she thanked him in advance before entering the hut. Given a few moments to prepare while she spoke to the quest character within the ratty hovel, he swiped his hand and delved into the floating menus that appeared. His sword was unequipped and stored safely within the confines of his inventory, and jade eyes examined the text that scrolled by on his way toward the bottom. "Huh... I sure do have a lot of stuff I don't use." He muttered quietly, recalling a few scattered memories attached to the various equipment he rolled past. After finally locating the replacement for his sword, Takao equipped the cloth hand wraps, which materialized on his hands from a shimmering blue light. While the numbers affixed to the cloth weren't particular high, their help would be invaluable.

For the few short moments that followed whilst Hekima lingered inside the hut, Takao had opted to glance down the mountain. Not much about the situation of the players trapped inside the game could be regarded as positive, but denying the beauty of the views and architecture their digital prison had to offer would be an easily discernible lie. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard her voice again, and let his eyes linger on the painted whiskers. The brunet's first urge was to laugh, as he had done with nearly everybody whom he'd taken the quest with. But he managed to suppress the desire after quickly arriving at the assumption that she might not take too kindly to the unintentional mocking. Instead his laugh escaped as a slight snort, which he covered up with a subsequent cough.

"...Uh? Oh, right. The rock." He said, clearing of his throat and shaking his head as he turned himself back around. "Yeah, there's a path here that goes right up to it." A slight gesture in the direction of the rock was given before he descended down a flight of stairs carved into the mountain itself. The path flattened back out, and in their path stood a large boulder, which he estimated to be somewhere in the ballpark of two meters tall and one and a half around.

[Hekima 0]

ID: 51904
BD: 6

(Hope you don't mind short posts while punching the rock)

Hekima glanced at the brown haired man with suspicion as she heard some sort of slight snort as soon as she exited the hut. The quest giver was probably still laying on the ground and she figured that she would not be harmed in anyway because this was a safe zone and she didn't deal damage. However, she decided that she would ignore the sound. I was probably just hearing things. Hekima thought. Things like this have been happening a lot recently. Maybe her complex brain was screwing up the basic functions that it performed on a daily basis in order to make room for more advanced knowledge that she really had no need for except for an occasional showoff. I need to get the hell out of this place... Being here makes my brain cells die. She thought, knowing full well that that isn't necessarily true. 

The man, then gestured to a specific direction and without hesitation, Hekima began to walk. The paint on her face was very, very uncomfortable. It was already starting to dry up and forming a hard crust on her face. She would need to finish this quest in order to get that whisker off her face... And she better be able to or she might just be scarred for the rest of her time in this game. 

After a while of walking, she soon found herself facing a rock. It wasn't as impressive as she thought it would be. Indeed, she had originally thought that the rock would be majestic... bigger than even the tallest buildings of the first floor, tougher than even the strongest ogres. Yet, this rock was only 2 meters tall and almost didn't show any sign that it was something tough to break.

"I guess we shall rotate in breaking this rock. Hopefully it will go smoothly and we can finish this quest with ease." Hekima said, smiling ever so rarely with confidence as she charged up for the first hit. With one attack, she was able to deal a damage. Just like that. It didn't hurt nor did it require that much skill. The rumors that the rock was a burden was not being fulfilled. Still, there was a long way to go and she needed to concentrate her hardest to grind the health of the rock down to zero.

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1 (-1)
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 42/42

Boulder: 49/50 (-1)

Edited March 17, 2016 by Hekima

[Takao 0]

(Shorter posts are fine with me. There's only so much detail I'll be able to go into with punching anyway.)

ID: 51924
BD: 6 (3 + 3)

Takao flexed his hands as he walked, adjusting to the feel of the wraps that were bound to his extremities. Using a sword for so long left him a bit unfamiliar with the feeling, but he had no doubts it would wear off quickly. With the boulder now laying in front of him, he cast a sidelong glance to Hekima, and chuckled lightly at the impression that she might've been a bit disappointed by the scale. Yet the size didn't matter much, for he knew precisely how much of a task it was to take down. It would be a job, if not one made easier with the aid of some extra skills.

"Sounds good to me." Takao said in response, cracking his knuckles as she took the first swing. The brunet moved off to the side and gave her adequate space whilst preparing his own swing. "So," He said as he cocked his arm back and raised his leg, assuming a stance more fit for throwing a baseball than a punch and likely doing so simply for comedic effect. He dropped his leg down and used the momentum to swing his arm forward, smashing his cloth-wrapped fist into the surface. The boulder rumbled and shifted slightly from the force. His damage was a concoction of skills, mixing the unarmed skill itself with charge to augment his damage. "What made you wanna start doin' quests and the like?" Takao asked, attempting to fill what would otherwise be silence with a spot of friendly conversation whilst they pulverized the rock.

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42 (-1)

Boulder: 39/50 (1(Base) + 1(Athletics) + 2(Unarmed Weapon) + 2(Martial Arts) + 4(Charge) = -10)

[Hekima 0]

(Well, I guess if you deal that much damage then the thread won't get too long and I won't be too frustrated with writing.)

ID: 51970
BD: 7

So this is the power of a DPS. Hekima thought. As the DPS dealt damage to the rock, the first thing that she noticed was how professional he looked as he sliced the rock. Also, the fact that his damage is so much more superior than hers made her teeth clutch in salt. However, she calmed down after comforting herself about the fact that she was still only level one and can't exactly expect herself to be able to deal very much damage. Maybe when she uses her War Hammer, she would be able to deal damage than with just her fist. With a sigh, she looked back at the rock.

The puny rock seemed to already have a crack on it. So much for being the unbreakable. Hekima thought, raising her eyebrows. There were two options as to why this rock already had a crack in it. One was the rock was just plain weak. The second option was the fact that the man standing besides her was a powerful DPS player that was able to inflict lots of damage on the rock with a single chop of a motion. Now, when the man started conversation, Hekima debated between opening up herself to the man's words or to ignore them. She had no intention of socializing and just wanted to get this quest done and over with. Yet, the man was a front liner according to what she had heard in the tavern not too long ago.

"What made me want to start doing quests and stuff? Well, power is what drives people from going on. Sure, this game is a team game... However, I do not think people's intentions are truly to help the others and themselves to escape from this world. If that was indeed the case, player killing should not occur. In my opinion, I think most of the front liners are there to prove their strength and through their greed, they use whatever method they can to become stronger. I must say, this is the same as me. Power is the driving force ever since the beginning of history." 

After that serious matter, Hekima smiled gently yet with arrogance, "I'm certain that you have yet to inform me of you name."

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1 (+1) (-1)
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42

Boulder: 38/50

Edited March 17, 2016 by Hekima

[Takao 0]

ID: 51976
BD: 7

Takao listened to her speak while his attention remained on the rock. He has punched it with no reservations or hesitation, which was a product of his time spent in the game. Pain eluded him as it did with every other player, and he had long since stopped imagining the sensation where it should be. Despite his gaze wandering from the boulder to his fist, he still listened to her response. "That sounds a lot like Zelrius and Ssendom." Takao said as he pulled his arm back after shuffling his feet apart, rooting his stance as the fist collided with the stone. The damage dealt was a bit less than what he was able to muster previously, yet it was still a hefty chunk gone from its nonexistent health gauge.

"But not all of us are like that. Like Calrex and Teayre, they're married in game and I think they were planning on meeting up in real life once all this is over. Jomei is a really nice guy, same with Oikawa and... Azide. He was a good guy too." Takao paused as he pulled his hand back after connecting with the boulder and glanced over the new crack that formed. It was durable, sure, but far from invincible. A few consumables would really speed things up, but he still had plenty of time to kill. It certainly didn't help that he now felt obligated to change her mind about front liners. "Maybe you should get to know us before you make judgements like that. Most of us just wanna get out of here and go home to our friends and families 'n stuff. There's a few that kinda sound like what you said, but they're really just the minority... Even if they are the loudest."

The arrogant undertones of her smile hadn't gone unnoticed when he glanced over. Rather than going with his gut and commenting on what he saw, Takao smiled warmly back. "I'm Takao. You?"

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42 (+1/-1)

Boulder: 32/50 (1(Base) + 1(Athletics) + 2(Unarmed Weapon) + 2(Martial Arts) = -6)

[Hekima 0]

ID: 51988
BD: 10

Hekima listened as the man introduced himself. It seemed as if she had misinterpreted how the players were functioning in this game but honestly, she was still sticking to her theory. She would observe the players for a longer time. Indeed, it was definitely difficult to see who is truly good in their hearts or who is truly just a power-seeking freak. Yet, Hekima was one of those power hungry people. Sure, she helped those in need and will help those in need once she becomes stronger... Her goal in life was to achieve power... Something that she couldn't exactly have in real life. The feeling of power was contagious and could lead to corruption yet she knew her purpose in this life. The gentle maiden of darkness.

Yet, now was too early for that. She was thinking way too ahead of herself. Even if that was what she wanted, she needed people to help her and people must need her to help them The only way to grow in this game is through both individual efforts and cooperative efforts. A boss cannot be defeated by one person, but rather, by one team of people. Like a chess game, one pawn might do nothing, yet a wall of pawns can be effective against even knights and kings.

"I guess I must have made an error about what the majority of the players are like. Nevertheless, I shall try to achieve this power and in a way that doesn't harm any. A maiden must have a kind heart and a poker face and that is what I shall have." Hekima said before raising her eyebrow. "I'm sure I told you my name when we met on the top of the mountain. I guess my name is not important enough to stick to your mind huh? Sounds about right... It is the natural reaction of the brain... It remembers what it wants to and releases the rest of the information. Anyway, my name is Hekima... Just try not to forget it again."

Hekima said, looking back at the boulder and pouncing upon it in an effort to punch it. Oh boy... Boy did she punch it hard. It was a critical, dead on the spot and the strike caused the boulder to have just a bit more of a crack... Sort of suits it better. "I must say, I haven't missed yet... Quite good for my first time." 

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1 (+1) (-1)
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42

Boulder: 29/50 (-3)

Edited March 18, 2016 by Hekima

[Takao 0]

ID: 52002
BD: 8

Takao paused for a moment as his staring at the rock became blank. She had told him her name before, and remembering it took only a short moment of recollection. He mentally berated himself for letting it slip when he did. "Ah jeez... Sorry. I knew that. I won't let it slip my mind again, promise." Takao rubbed the back of his neck and refocused on the rock laying before him. A quick change of the subject was in order.

"Gaining power in whatever capacity that the game allows isn't necessarily a bad thing," Takao said as he swung as the rock, smashing his cloth-wrapped fist against the boulder. Another chunk of indiscernible points were chipped away as they moved past the halfway point. The rock rumbled and fractured under the stress of their pummeling, leaving only a handful of strikes left before it finally came crumbling down. The cadence of his voice shifted ever so slightly, adopting a more earnest undertone as he continued to speak. "At least in my opinion anyway. I just think that SAO gives people a very unique platform to gain power in ways that aren't usually possible. Manipulative types have been around since the beginning, but every time we unlock a floor and somebody gets stronger or somebody gets a new unique item or skill, they get put on a pedestal. Y'know, from doin' things like killing giant monsters 'n stuff that would seem impossible in the real world. Lotta' people don't know how to handle that and it goes to their head really quick. But plenty of people are really cool about it, like Calrex for instance. He's the highest level player in the game, but you'd never know it if you didn't ask. He doesn't brag about it or think it makes him better than others, or anything like that." His mind drifted toward the thought of a handful of other Front-Liners that didn't fit that same description. People who openly bragged about their luck in landing killing blows, piggybacking their successes on the hard work of a group and their ability to network with others to amass the game's iteration of wealth and power. A few names came to mind, yet none of them were worth mentioning.

He glanced over to her and smirked slightly as she commented on her accuracy thus far. "Yeah, you're right. You're doin' really good." Takao said, taking a second to step back and look over the boulder in all its unimpressive majesty. "The elusive stationary boulder is a remarkably difficult target to hit. I've seen many a person fumble against it." Takao folded his arms and grinned, his solemn inflection having quickly worn off and turning into a teasing tone.

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42 (+1/-1)

Boulder: 23/50 (1(Base) + 1(Athletics) + 2(Unarmed Weapon) + 2(Martial Arts) = -6)

[Hekima 0]

ID: 52043
BD: 1

"This Calrex guy. It would be best if I meet him one day. The highest leveled player in Aincrad? Extraordinary. It's magnificent that he doesn't brag of his accomplishments. Most people fail to realize that bragging is just a show of weakness. Once one brags, it is immediate that the person wants to emphasize his power and he wants... no... needs others to recognize his or her power as well. A huge sign of weakness and a critical error as well." Hekima replied after hearing the man's comment on the issue of power gaining, selfishness, and pride. All of these three, Hekima contained some within her heart. Sure, she was not a power gaining freak nor someone selfish but her goal in this game was power because that is who Hekima is.

"Say, I have been thinking of taking the tank class and I have already planned out kind of what skills and equipments to get at what time. But do you think the class is a good idea for me? A power seeking woman?" Hekima asked, thinking about the problem. She had chosen the tanking class due to the fact that she hated DPS. DPS was way too mainstream of a class for a unique person such as Hekima and support sounds boring as hell. The only real class remaining would be a non damage dealing tank who had lots of mitigation. Eventually, Hekima would have an insane amount of mitigation and would attract all the mobs away from the others and onto her during battles on the front lines.

Despite her thinking about her class, she still had an opposition on mind. With a smile, she charged forward with her chin held high and a fist in the air. At the last moment, she brought down her clinched fist and struck the rock only to find that she had missed the target completely and had gone past the rock in a moment of misconcentration. She had to balance herself with one foot in order to not topple down the mountain and to say the least, she was not pleased with herself for that mistake.

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 1/1 (+1) (-2)
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42

Boulder: 23/50

Edited March 18, 2016 by Hekima

[Takao 0]

ID: 52138
BD: 2 (3 + 1(Concentration))

Takao chuckled lightly as she spoke and nodded along. There had once been a time when the competitive side sought to rival one of Aincrad's finest in level, but quickly found it to be a fool's errand. Even now he wasn't terribly far behind in comparison, but the desire to catch up simply for the sake of competition had long since faded. "I can introduce you someday if you'd really like to meet him. We stay in contact since we go huntin' every now and then." Takao responded, allowing his mind to briefly wander back to the few times the two had teamed up. As he mused over past happenings, the brunet reeled back for another punch. He aimed carefully and concentrated hard on his stationary target, not giving the immobile stone an opportunity to evade his swift strike.

"Depends on the kind of power you want to have, I guess." Takao said as he pulled his hand back, glancing down at the particle effects that followed the wrapping clad extremity. "You probably won't get a lot of brute power over other people. Tank builds are big skill point sinks, so you'll end up giving up most, if not all of your damage output. Take Tristan for example," He took a step back and rested his hand on his hip, glancing away from the rock and over to Hekima. "The guy's literally invincible, and I mean literal in the literal sense. He's invested all or most of all of his skill points into tanking skills, and he has that unique skill too. There's nothing that can really do anything to damage him aside from another unique skill... 'n at the same time, he's useless if something doesn't hit him first. He can't deal damage without damage being dealt to him. But Tanks are vital parts of group combat, so they end up being well respected people of the community. You'd end up getting that kind of power if you went that route." Takao said as he turned his attention back to the rock. "Being a Tank is fun sometimes, and really rewarding. It feels nice to help people, and it can really change your perspective of things. So... Yeah. I think it'd be good for you."

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42 (+1/-1)

Boulder: 17/50 (1(Base) + 1(Athletics) + 2(Unarmed Weapon) + 2(Martial Arts) = -6)

[Hekima 0]

ID: 52217
BD: 2

The day was still early. There was plenty of time for the two players to destroy this rock before night falls. It was the time limit that Hekima had set for this quest to be completed. She did not want to waste any more time than the amount that was wasted. All she wanted was for the quest to be over and as soon as the quest was over, she would be able to receive the skill point that this quest provided as well as the other skill point that she would obtain for the whole experience. Still, the quest was sure underway alright. It was definite that the two players were making great progress on defeating the rock.

At the moment, the rock had an obvious crack in the center of its stubborn body. Indeed, it hadn't even been such a long time since the two started punching the rock yet the health of the rock was already down to a low half of what it had originally been. Hemika smiled, everything was going according to plan and even better. She had definitely not expected the quest to be finished off in such a short amount of time and even though she was practically carried by a frontline player, she was still glad that the skill point would be given to her soon. It was good. She thought with a sway of her hair, she prepared to attack once more after carefully listening to Takao's long speech.

"This Tristan appears to be the tank that I am striving for. It seems like people like him a lot. Yet I do not see the community liking me very well. I guess I have to improve my abilities quickly in order to obtain respect and not just from personality or characteristics. It was be good to meet a tank with experience in the nearby future as communicating with another tank would definitely be a boost to my own personal growth. I shall keep his name in mind." Hekima said and went ahead to strike the rock. However, once again, just like the last time, she was unable to deal damage to the stubborn rock. "Gosh, I guess it was beginner's luck that I managed to strike the rock twice in a row just a couple of attacks ago." She decided with a sigh.

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1 (+1)(-2)
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42 

Boulder: 17/50

Edited March 19, 2016 by Hekima

[Takao 0]

ID: 52234
BD: 10

Loose gravel crunched beneath the soles of his boots as Takao pulled his left hand back. He twisted his torso and snapped his right arm forward like a whip, resulting in his fist smashing into the battered surface of the cracked boulder. The stone rumbled and shook under the pressure, and a new large crack formed where Takao's fist made contact. Whether it be through sheer brute force or a lucky strike to a loose pocket of sediment, it had quickly begun to fall into ruin. Only a few hits remained, and the once formidable boulder would be reduced to dust and pebbles. He glanced sidelong to her as another low chuckle escaped. "I wouldn't dwell on it too much if I were you. Some people take days to finish this on their own." Takao said, already preparing to strike again.

"Having another tank would be good though. We won't always be able to rely on him." He said, his words slowly dissolving into a low mumble as the sentence carried on. Putting all of their eggs in one basket seemed like too risky of a move, and Takao liked options. If the ever fickle Azure Brigade were to decide on another boss raid strike and they were without an appropriate damage sink, the entirety of the floor clearing process threatened to slow to a halt. The idea had even caused him to consider going the tank route himself, and while it was a worthwhile goal to work toward, he still had other obstacles to jump beforehand.

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42 (+1/-1)

Boulder: 9/50 (1(Base) + 1(Athletics) + 2(Unarmed Weapon) + 2(Martial Arts) + 2(Critical) = -8)

[Hekima 0]

ID: 52580
BD: 6

Hekima must continue to punch this rock in attempt to hurry up her quest grinding. Indeed, she was looking for a way to get skill points as fast as possible and the best way to do that so far was truly to go ahead and try her hardest to complete as much possible quests as possible at a low level without placing her life at risk. Indeed, in order to survive in this game, one must learn how to make good decisions and learn how to make the most out of the free time that they would most likely be provided with. Indeed, in order to be successful, just like how a single drop of water should not be wasted, a single digit of time should also not go to waste.

Hekima smiled and prepared to strike the rock. A few more hits and the boulder would go down in dust. The health of the rock was already down to a low nine health and she was aware of the fact that Takao had the ability to deal eight damage if he was lucky. With a sigh, she charged up, if she dealt damage, they had the potential of achieving the QUEST COMPLETE icon pop-up in the next few attacks... Just as fast as Hekima would like it to be. And hence, with a spirit full of determination, she landed the fist punch, dealing a low damage of one but it was decent enough and for now, all she could hope was for Takao to get lucky.

"Well, I hope you get a tad lucky here so we can complete this quest quickly. And soon, after a while of grinding, you won't be needing to rely on that tank that you all currently have because soon enough, I would be better than he is..." 

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1 (+1)(-1)
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42 

Boulder: 8/50 (-1)

Edited March 21, 2016 by Hekima

[Takao 0]

ID: 52593
BD: 8

Takao watched as she struck the boulder with fervor, eagerly seeking the end of the quest and the experience awards that would be attached to its completion. He let his gaze linger for a moment before glancing back to the beaten and battered boulder, cracks covering its surface and large chunks missing from their systematic abuse. The poor mineral had definitely seen better days. "Well, it'll be nice to have another tank we can rely on." Takao said as he pulled his shoulder back and rotated his core, sending yet another punch at the rock. His fist collided and the boulder shook, the cracks they'd created thus far finally giving way. It wasn't quite ready to fall apart just yet, but it was certainly well on its way.

"It'll take a lot of work and dedication. Not to mention luck and networking. But, if it's somethin' you're passionate about doin', you won't have any problems getting there." Takao smiled, not immediately feeling the need to mention Tristan's literal invulnerability, in fear that it might discourage her from attempting to surpass him. A bit of positive reinforcement did wonders for some people, although as he let the thoughts simmer, she didn't seem like the type to be motivated by reassuring words. Perhaps something a bit more coarse might be her style-- a challenge. "...Although Tristan is certainly somethin' special. With his unique equipment, it might just be impossible to actually surpass him."

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42 (+1/-1)

Boulder: 2/50 (1(Base) + 1(Athletics) + 2(Unarmed Weapon) + 2(Martial Arts) = -6)

[Hekima 0]

ID: 53662
BD: 8

(Sorry it took so long)

Hekima smirked. She had conquered the word impossible since she was born multiple times and she was fully aware that nothing is truly impossible unless one makes it impossible. Especially in a video game. A video game is created so all people were to be equal. It depends on the player to find loopholes through the system and if they do find a loophole then so be it. Uniques dropped from the bosses weren't going to belong to one person and she was fully aware of it. She was fully aware of the sneaky businesses that goes on in this fantasy world where one can obtain a unique through unjustified methods.

One thing that Hekima had noticed since her time in this game was the fact that this game favors the strong. Indeed, once you have a unique and belongs to the front lines, you will continue to get uniques and hence, the people that are lower leveled than you would no longer have a fair opportunity at them. Technically, one could basically start a monopoly of uniques and the more uniques they have, the more it makes for players to catch up. Hekima sighed and looked at the rock.

"Impossible means nothing to me. Sure, the difficulty would be great as he has an unique and I possess nothing of the sorts. However, I believe that devotion would take me ways... Or else this game is a pathetically designed game. If that is the case... It would kind of be like socialism right? All are supposed to be equal... Yet it isn't the case. Certain players have advantage of others... Even a newbie such as I am fully aware of that fact." Hekima said, stubbornly looking at the rock before charging and striking it with anger. 

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1 (-1) (+1)
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42

Boulder: 1/50 (-1)

Edited March 28, 2016 by Hekima

[Takao 0]

ID: 53684
BD: 10

(No problem.)

"Good," Takao replied after she spoke and subsequently charged the boulder. The stone was falling apart now, large cracks pulling portions of the stone in different directions while other spots were missing entire chunks. With the boulder falling to ruin, it was just about time to wrap the quest up. Takao dropped his weight onto his left leg and raised his other. Pivoting on the toe of his boot, Takao's midsection turned and his right leg snapped forward like a whip. The steel plated heel of his boot slammed into the rock with force, reducing the once formidable boulder into little more than pebbles and debris. "That's a good attitude to have. The game isn't balanced, nor is it fair. Perseverance is the only thing that can keep the unfortunate relevant and useful." He said, musing over his own inhibitions on the subject.

"Anyway, looks like you can go 'n turn the quest in now. I'll be headin' off." Takao said, glancing down to his familiar which had been idly sitting by in the vicinity. Two clicks of his tongue were all the more communication they needed for the monster to scuttle closer and hop onto his shoulders. He took the opportunity to remove the wraps on his hands and replace it with the sword he'd arrived with earlier. "Good luck, 'n I hope to see you on the frontlines soon." With a small smile, he dipped his head slightly toward her.

HP LIST
Hekima: 4/4
   Energy: 0/1
Takao: 174/174
   Energy: 41/42 (+1/-1)

Boulder: 0/50 (1(Base) + 1(Athletics) + 2(Unarmed Weapon) + 2(Martial Arts) + 2(Critical) = -8)