PP/NK - F18 Days of the Five Rings (Day 2: Water / Daytime) (Baldur)

[Calrex 0]

A flash of light could be seen as Calrex appeared on the eighteenth floor, slowly opening his eyes to the sight of the overcast theme. In some ways, it felt a lot like the twelfth floor, albeit a different twist on the idea. Instead of a swamp, it seemed closer to a flooded riverbank, with even the settlement itself merely being held afloat by the supporting sticks that lifted the platforms above the water. It wasn't exactly doom and gloom like many of the other floors, but it certainly held a somewhat depressing tone compared to ones like the first and fourth.

With a few swipes of his hand he called up a message window, sending out a request to Baldur, to see if he had time to deliver some more training to him in katana swordsmanship. Of course, previously they had met on the seventeenth floor, the if it was one of the things that Calrex knew he shouldn't do, it was practicing in the same place, because then your body would get accustomed to the environment, rather than remaining adaptable.

It had been some time since Calrex had last received teachings in wielding a katana from the samurai-themed player, but the bluenette had gleamed a lot from his mentor had said, and as a result the concept of Fudoshin was something that was now present in his waking mind. A few nights ago he had applied and practiced it against the imaged version of Achilles, and even though he had lost the duel, he was able to help focus that mental state, at least enough that he was able to break through more than half of his opponent's health before losing.

However, even though it would have been considered favorable, the Ultramarine Knight felt, and believed, hat it wouldn't be enough, not to come close to what he was trying to accomplish. This of course was more than just him conquering the presence of the unique skill's influence over him, it was to build up the mental and psychological aspects he would need in order to convey everything he could to his wife, to try and bring Teayre out of the darkness that she was subjecting herself to.

Leaning against one of the buildings he gave a small sigh, waiting to see if the man would be able to show himself.

[Baldur 0]

Baldur wasn't yet sure what to make of the 18th floor. It seemed like a less depressing and redneck version of that one floor that was also a swamp, where he swore he heard banjo music in the background music. Still, he liked the flooded forest look better than the straight up swamp, but there was still something dark and oppressive hanging over the floor. At least here stray bits of godrays filtered through the trees and reached the floor... at least it did out here towards the edge where the main settlement was.

But he wasn't here to sightsee, he was here to help out his kouhei. Calrex had asked for another training session, but Baldur could not, for the life of him, figure out what he had left to teach the blue haired tank. Cal had a better grasp of the game than even Baldur did, so he wasn't sure what insights he could give him other than experience. They could fight katana to katana, man to man, so that he could become more skilled with the blade itself.

"Cal?" Baldur called out when he finally emerged from the village out into the field, the subtle change marked by the different music as he left the city and entered dangerous territory. The background music of the game was something you could easily get used to and forget it was there, but it always came back to Baldur on a new floor. Each one had a different score, and learning them could be helpful, but now that he was pushing the frontlines he didn't have that kind of time.

Idly, Baldur's hand rested on one of the three blades he now carried with him. Fudoshin, his main weapon, Raijinken, his dueling weapon, and the Muramasa Teayre had given him, though Baldur had yet to use the cursed blade in battle. He swore he could feel the blade calling to him, begging to be used, and often times his hand would stray to it, but Baldur had promised himself to only use the demonic weapon when it's power was needed.

Spoiler

 

[Calrex 0]

"Hm?"

As Calrex waited for Baldur to arrive he looked towards the exit into the field zone, recognizing the samurai-themed player as he made his way out, "Huh, guess he didn't see me."

Pushing off of the wall the bluenette put his hands into his jacket pockets, doing a small jog to try and cover some of the distance, "Better catch up before he goes too far out, heh. Roc, see if you can get his attention."

Appearing in a flash of light, Roc acknowledged Calrex's command, flying ahead to circle in front of the man before gently landing on his shoulder. The bluenette gave a laugh as he closed the rest of the distance, "I didn't know that I blended that well into the background. If that's the case I don't need to get the Sneak and Hide skill, heh."

Straightening himself he gave a nod, "Thanks for taking the time to meet me again though Bal. If you want we can talk back in the safe zone for now, although I think we don't have to worry too much about the monsters on this floor just yet. Our level disparity is more than enough to make then monster AI think twice before engaging us in combat."

Glancing down at the three swords his katana mentor carried he made note of Teayre's former sword, the Muramasa, on his hip, his expression turning serious for a second, "How's carrying the Muramasa doing? I know Teayre said that the sword had a presence of bloodlust within it when I spoke to her before. Has it affected you at all?"

[Baldur 0]

Baldur had continued on until suddenly a bird shot down out of the sky and flew around his head just enough times for Baldur to realize it was Rohk. He smiled as the bird set upon his shoulder and seemed to tilt its head in a happy but quizzical expression. Turning full circle, Baldur spotted Cal jogging to catch up.

I must have been more lost in my own mind than I thought.

Baldur smiled and waved at his kouhei as the bluenette caught up and thanked him for more training.

"It's always a pleasure, Calrex. I think I get as much out of these as you do. As to the area... I'm actually fine out here. I like to try and get a feel for the floors."

Baldur's eyes followed Cal's as he glanced at the swords on Baldur's hip, but there was really only one blade to look at, even if the other two were masterpieces as well. The demonic blade Muramasa hung at Baldur's hip. The cursed sword that Teayre had once wielded, and according to Cal had meant put a pressure against her mind that drove her to violence. Perhaps driving her to violence was a bit much, but more... nudged her towards thinking that way. Power was a seductive call. He had often felt it since he started carrying the sword, as if its power was a call for an easy solution.

"Yes... I can feel it as well. It's more like... the power of the sword is a temptation for a quick and easy solution, a temptation of the illusion of power and violence. It is certainly easy to give way to know that with this sword, I could be the most powerful DPS in Aincrad, but I have vowed to only use it when it's needed. As of yet, I have not drawn the blade, so maybe that helps keep the temptation at bay. I will be using it in the boss fight, however."

[Calrex 0]

"Good, so at least I wan't going out on a fragile limb, heh. Of course then, if ever that influence appears to be getting too strong let me, or anyone in the Spectrum Coalition know. I'm not going to lose a comrade to this twisted trick Kayaba decided to stick on these skills and weapons. Of course, with the floor raids we always need to be at our strongest, so it would make sense to have to use it."

With Calrex now caught up Roc took off of Baldur's shoulder, heading back into the air to circle above. Giving a nod he gave a small sigh to calm himself, looking over at his katana mentor, "I guess before we do anything else we should probably catch ourselves up on current events and touch base about everything that's happened. The floor boss meeting I'm sure you're already aware of what happened, but I am curious as to your take on the discourse. For me, with the past few raids there always appeared to be tension between the frontliners, but to see that they were so easily distracted wasn't a good sign. If so many were so easily aggravated by a few choice words, I can only worry when worser things befall them."

Giving a quick exhale to calm himself he looked forward again, "However, on another note I have been practicing what you taught me. I was even able to manage a mental imaging battle against the influence of Achilles. I didn't succeed, but I'll keep working at it until I manage to drive him away."

Swiping on his menu he produced the very weapon he had used in that battle, the Shin Musamune. The massive zanbato length two-handed curved sword appeared as the bluenette caught it in his hands. It was too large to have a sheath, so he merely carried it in a reverse grip by the top of the handle. "This was the weapon I used in that fight, the Shin Masamune. I know that Opal herself tends to name her weapons after it, but with everything I've learned I've dubbed this one as the true Masamune, one that at first glance appears fearsome, capable of sweeping through many targets in one blow. However, it's power is wielded with the intent of saving as many people as possible, not cutting them down."

Putting his free hand behind his head Calrex gave a small laugh at himself, "However...I think I got a little too carried away with the length of this thing. Of course this is SAO, and oversized weapons aren't exactly uncommon, but I might have overdone it with this thing. While I can practice the mental aspect of noto with it, there is no way to carry a sheath on my hip with it."

[Baldur 0]

Baldur chuckled at the size of the Shin Masamune, the oversized weapon dwarfed the bluenette to the point where it would have been unwieldable in the real world, however here in the VRMMORPG Sword Art Online, the rules of physics were frequently broken in a million bizarre little ways not merely limited to wielding a sword taller than the bearer. With an amused grin, and a shake his head, Baldur walked over to a fallen tree and sat down on the log.

"Yes, I would say you did."

He has used Fudoshin to battle Achilles in a mental landscape, eh?

Calrex's way of addressing problems was very grandiose, to be sure, but he supposed it would certainly be possible as a form of meditation. Dreams were often ways for your mind to work out problems, but through very symbolic and often unintelligible ways. Calrex seemed to have a form of meditation that resembled a lucid dream. It was impressive to Baldur that he was capable of such a thing, but he supposed it wasn't that far off from Baldur's debates with himself.

"Yea, I've been thinking about it a lot too. We were way too open, and Opal just stepped in and hit everyone where they were vulnerable."

Raising a hand, Baldur covered his chin and mouth as he leaned on it in thought for a moment.

"I don't want to make these meetings more exclusive and elite, but we certainly do need to maintain control. Safezones can help with that, but Opal will still challenge people to a duel."

Again, the samurai paused in thought.

"In Hollywood, when they're filming, they have a daily call sheet. It's a list of the actors that need to be on set for what they're shooting for the day. The first name on that list is always the most important actor. The one they can't do anything without, and it is often said that this actor is the leader, they set the stage... or perhaps, the mood, the atmosphere... " Baldur genuflected while he tried to find the right words.

"The point I am ultimately trying to make is that we, The Spectrum Coalition, need to be First Call. You took a great first step in the meeting, standing up to the roll of leader and putting everyone in their place to end the squabbling, but it is only a first step. Slowly, people will begin to look to us, and ultimately to you, for that leadership. If no-one steps up, then it will devolve as it did at the meeting. It... is a difficult line to walk though."

Baldur took a deep, slow breath and leaned back on the tree.

"We must be an example, without being a dictator. We must be welcoming, but also hold people accountable. If they cannot be part of a team, then they are putting the lives of others at risk. We cannot allow someone who does not hold to that social compact to become a part of our raid group. Right now the raid is made up of a couple of guilds and a couple of individuals, all with their own allegiances and agendas. We don't need everyone unified, but we do need to create that spirit that the Frontlines are a team, as much as a guild or a group of friends. We need that camaraderie, which is what Opal has attacked the last two meetings."

[Calrex 0]

Calrex gave a nod as he gently rested the Shin Masamune over his shoulders, placing his free hand into his pocket. Listening to Baldur speak he understood what the man meant. It was the same thing that they had spoke about many months ago, as well as something that he and Azide had touched on when they spoke before the Roc battle. The frontlines, while powerful, were unfocused. In a way, it was like having a mass of raw power without something to channel it. The only reason they are able to shabbily work together and complete boss raids, the Ultramarine Knight was sure there were better ways for them to develop strategies and tactics. They could make the frontlines safer, at least if they just put their mind to it.

"Heh, you mean insulting their egos? She certainly went after a few choice individuals with her comments, and from what I could tell they may have also beens the ones that could be most easily provoked. I know you were mentioned, but that may have been a personal shot than anything. However, I do know that Hikoru and Lowenthal are both ones that are likely to not let a well-developed insult go by unresponded. There was a strategy behind those words, even if it was done on the spot."

With a small sigh he lowered the massive blade once again, holding it in a reverse grip behind him, "I did not know that fact about Hollywood though, although I can understand why. It's like cooking, where there is a term called mise en place, literally meaning to put in its place. It is the idea of having everything you need for prepare a dish, ingredients and tools alike, prepared and ready to go. I stepped in because I saw that things were escalating and getting out of hand, and I'm glad at least my commands went heeded. But like I've said before, I never thought of myself as a true leader. However, if it is the case, that this is what we need to do in order to bring things back in line and refocus, then I suppose I can play that part for now. Like you said, we don't have to have the same mindset or beliefs, but we need to be able to at least commence the raid meetings, and the raids, without conflict."

[Baldur 0]

Baldur smiled when Calrex told of him of the cooking term. It was a very appropriate metaphor as well, and one that the frontlines needed to adopt as well. People had died because others were unprepared. Baldur had taken extreme measures to make sure that wasn't him, but he was far too poor for the total balance.

"Wise words that the frontline needs to learn. I've tried to do the same and I placed a massive order with Rain for consumables, but unfortunately, I'm more poor than I thought after a few bountiful resource missions. I misplaced my math and now I owe him a tremendous sum of materials or col to make up for what I ordered, but I have a full stack of single target and area healing crystals, as well as a full regiment of buffing items, sans an alcoholic item from Takao. I can just never seem to get a hold of him."

Baldur waved his hand as if dismissing talk of Takao or his personal finances.

"The frontline is a war effort, and we need to work together to stock it. The Coalition and the Knights have the resources to make sure that everyone has their full compliment of buffs, but it's not a conscious effort. We shouldn't be having anyone come out to the fight to risk their lives without making sure that they have the highest chance of survival. I don't know how to go about doing such a thing, but maybe we can talk to the crafters on the frontlines into giving a Frontline discount, and making sure that the guilds taking a keynote position ensure their members have a full compliment."

Baldur paused and plucked a flower that was growing from the log he was sitting upon. He twirled it in his fingers. It was an exceptionally beautiful flower for growing in such a murky place.

"But that is what I mean by setting the stage. As the first to the roll call, It's up to us to set the standard. Frontliners are competitive, so we need to make the competition a worthwhile one. If we show up in an organized, professional, mise en place fashion, then the others will take our challenge, and the best way to lead, is to serve."

Baldur let the comment hand in the air.

"I wish I could help, but since I'm basically broke trying to pull myself out of the gutter of poverty, I can only speak the words and hope that you guys can follow through. I think we need to load up on extra consumables to account for our fellow frontliners not showing up ready for the fight. I don't think we'll need to do it more than once or twice, and people will begin to see that we take this concept of teamwork and getting everyone out alive seriously."

Baldur gave the flower a little spin and it helecoptered off before returning to the murky waters below.

"Unfortunately, I am all talk and platitudes without the strength to back it up."

Opal had been right. Maybe not in the way that she had meant it, but Baldur was still more of a leach than a contributor. It was something he was working on and struggling with every day. He was almost level 40, and if he could get his complete order from Rain, then he would be set for the next several floors, and could focus on contributing more... but as he struggled to get there, he was still just begging people for handouts based on friendship.

No, asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of. I have proven that I can help on the frontline.

[Calrex 0]

"Heh, well I wouldn't go so far as to say that I have the funds to be able to function on the frontlines as well. As a matter of fact, I'm not exactly the smartest tactician in terms of team battles. I rarely use crystals or potions that boost stats in the battles, and it's been some time since I even carried a healing potion on me. It was mostly due to the fact I'm still far overleveled for our current floor, so I had more than enough health to spare. The closest I've been to dying in a while was during the last Halloween event boss, where I had more than three quarters of my health eliminated in a single blow."

"That last battle was certainly a close one. I had to quickly tank the blows for Teayre, Ariel, and Kalesh because they were being restrained by the boss. Those scarecrows ripped into me. Thank goodness everyone came in to help after that."

With a small sigh the bluenette gave a nod, "However, you're right Baldur. The frontlines is a volunteer effort, because no one here is required to actually participate. Because of that, we need to do what we can to make sure they don't second guess that choice. The floor battles should not require sacrifices and lives to progress, and we need to do what we can to make sure that reality doesn't come to pass. Of course, getting discounts and such will fall more on the shop owners and if they can afford to do so. Even if we pool the funds from both the Coalition and the Knights, that is a limited supply that will dwindle before we even get close to halfway. Of course we'll do what we can, but as well we also want to avoid people becoming reliant on us to make up for whatever shortcomings they have."

Scratching the back of his head Calrex gave a small sigh, "Sorry, I think I might have rambled a bit there. In any case, what I mean is that we need to still find that balance. We want our teammates in the floor raids to be able to fight their hardest without having to worry about dying, but at the same time it needs to be something they are capable of doing well on their own without us having to be a safety net. However, until that happens, it's most likely we'll have to lead by example."

[Baldur 0]

Baldur shook his head in agreement with Calrex. They did not want the other frontliners to become dependent on their largess, but these were lives they were talking about, and unless the Coalition stepped up to show what leaders were like, then they would forever be stuck in a loose confederation of those who always put themselves first.

"You are right my friend, and hopefully we would only need to do it once or twice before the others caught on and stepped up."

Baldur tapped his chin with a finger as a thought came to mind.

"Maybe we should reach out to the knights and set up some sort of joint exercise. We go back into one of the labyrinths, or find an very difficult dungeon, something where we could do a raid setup. Nothing too risky, but with some creatures that would drop good loot and be able to take a hit. The purpose would be to create bonds between our two guilds, and maybe even play a stabilizing role in the frontlines and in their guild. I know it's been hard on them with the loss of both Opal and Mack."

Baldur's thoughts returned to what Cal said about not being able to afford being on the frontline either, and not using a lot of potions.

"I think that is certainly a factor of you doubling my level. When I joined in, my only way to survive was to get the most cutting edge consumables money could buy. I have a little bit of wiggle room now, but anyone under 40 is in a sharp drop of factor of safety. The fifties and above are probably fine, but when you factor in a whole load out of consumables, it roughly doubles our damage, doubles our non-tank mitigation... However, Frontliners need to be responsible as well. I bought a full compliment of perfect tier 2 single target and party healing crystals. I consider myself responsible for my life, and for my party's wellbeing. If every frontliner came to the fight loaded the way I am, we probably wouldn't have to worry about anyone dying. Thus your concept of Mise en place."

Baldur pushed himself back up off the log and brushed his hands off from debris and dirt that simply didn't exist in sword art online. He smiled to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder.

"The burden of leadership ultimately falls on someone with the self-awareness to stand up and do it. We should gather everyone together somewhere and really talk about what we are, and what our place is."

He squeezed his friend's shoulder and then let it go, returning his hand to his sword.

"Now then, what of your training?"

[Calrex 0]

"Establishing some good inter-guild relations might be a good idea. That way we can at least help take care of some of the in-fighting. I'm sure a lot of it is still personal issues, but we'll have to do what we can."

Giving a nod to Baldur's words about the leadership positions Calrex gave a nod and a small sigh, "We definitely should speak about that. The Spectrum Coalition I would like to avoid placing members into any form of established hierarchy or branch organization. We should all be responsible and recognize that our actions will reflect on the guild as a whole."

The bluenette gave a friendly smile at the samurai-themed swordsman at the shoulder gasp, giving a nod, "As for the training, well, I'm not really sure where we can continue. The concept and ideas you taught me last time, about Fudoshin, Zanshin, Noto, and the like I found to harmonize with my initial perceptions of the cold persona, and with that mental training against Achilles it feels more natural than before. Of course though, I can't really see where to continue from there, as of course techniques and such are still dictated by the Sword Art mechanics. Do you have any suggestions where to go from here."

"Of course, this is still all to try and get my words and ideals through to Teayre. Even without the influence of Muramasa on her psyche anymore, there may still be scars from her upbringing and past that may still be manipulating her. I need to be there, to tear down whatever false lessons she had been forced to learn from them, if I can convey them to her. I have to do what I can..."

His mind shot back to the night when he spoke to Opal, and the events that ensued as a result. It was that night he first struck a man down, as the white-haired woman had coined it "passed judgement" on him. He now had a life taken under his belt, something he could have to carry with him, even should they finally escape SAO. "That woman was still on about me doing what's right, and striking Teayre down. I don't believe that to be an option, not even if everything I've done falls on deaf ears. I need to exhaust every option before I can begin to think like that. If I want to even have a shot at bringing the woman I love back, I need to break down the walls she has put up to protect herself."

[Baldur 0]

Baldur tapped his chin in thought, and then summoned from his inventory the two wooden bokken he had gotten from his shop for just this reason. The two wodden blades were of a solid, beautiful dark wood, and while they were in the shape of the katana, as if it didn't have a tsuba, the 'blade' was rounded so that you could inflict a hit without damage. He had used a very similar weapon for years in the real world when he had trained in the use of the katana. The purified form of Teayre's battojutsu, he studied the art of Iaido and Kendo. In both arts, the do was as imporant and the Ken. 

"I have an idea." Baldur whirled the sword around, and then took a stance in Jodan. The blade was gripped in both hands, as he held the blade above his head as if it were part of some shark fin. It felt comfortable and familiar to Baldur, the forms of his old life. They weren't as useful here, but they brought him a peace of mind from earlier days.

"Were I to stand like this in combat, you would take a certain stance against me based on strikes that I could make. This is an offensive stand, one of power and strength, and my choice of direction of attack is somewhat limited."

Baldur lowered the blade and held it out as an extension of his arms flowing forth from his center, the Chudan stance.

"Were I to stand like this in combat, you would take another stance against me, based on what moves I could make from here."

This time, Baldur relaxed his body, and held the sword in one hand. His body was loose, liquid, and unset. He walked around Calrex and instead of the rigidness of his previous stance, he seemed at ease and almost playful.

"And if I were to come at you like this, eager and arrogant. Maybe breathing a lot and making a lot of unnecessary jumps and flips, you would prepare to face me in another form."

Baldur rested the bokken on his shoulder as he stopped to speak to his Kouhei.

"These are the ideas that Mushin, or the concept of 'No Mind' seeks to unravel."

Baldur's blade was suddenly upon Calrex, a solid thunk coming from his Kouhei's armor as the bokken racked the bluenette with a sudden and powerful hit, that while it caused no damage, shook the player to his feet.

(ID: 68977 BD: 10 CD: 1 LD: 7 MD: 2)

"Mushin isn't just about not paying attention to distractions, it's about not being distracted by what is in front of it. It is..." Baldur genuflected with his left hand as he continued to circle Calrex, searching for the right word.

"It is about not being prejudiced by what you see."

[Calrex 0]

"Hm...well this is certainly different from before. I guess this time around instead of practicing with live weapons like we did before, we're using bokken...wait a second...that could mean we're going to spar."

Accepting the wooden curved blade from his mentor Calrex took a quick moment to get an idea of the center of mass of the object. Surprisingly enough, the wooden sword was accurately weighted, with most of it being towards the handle, rather than the blade. Many swords were weighted differently to suit different purposes, but one of the things that made the katana special was the fluidity and control that could be exerted over the blade. Rapiers shared a similar balance, since they relied on pinpoint strikes. However, as the blade got larger the weight distribution seemed to be less prevalent, as swinging a two-handed sword was in many ways similar to swinging an axe.

Taking up the wooden bokken with both hands the bluenette listened to Baldur as he went through a couple of different hand positions. The first was an overhead stance, with the sword poised as if to prepare an overhead chop. The words of his trainer flowed through, and Calrex did recognize what he meant. The Jodan stance made it fairly clear that the quickest strikes would come from above, so an overhead guard to match would be the quickest way to meet. When the samurai-themed swordsman switched to Chudan, the positioning of the blade made it seem prime for safe poking jabs with the tip, and potentially dangerous flicks of the wrist. In this case a central guard would be appropriate.

With the last, the rigidity of Baldur's previous ones fell away, taking up something less predictable. It was something that martial artists always needed to be aware of: People there did not train in rigid patterns and stances were in some ways harder to read, because they were not drawing from pre-established systems. In some cases, the best way would be to overwhelm them with a series of combinations, as unrefined fighting styles usually also did not have a solid form of defense and counterattack. The alter method would be to wait for an opening attack and respond with the fastest and most effective counter. "You are very correct Baldur. Funnily enough many systems claim to fame is having a response to every situation, or in some places they would coin it as 'training for the street.'"

ID: 68995
Craft Dice: 2 (Quick Strike) = Clash

In a flash it seemed that Baldur was upon him as the bluenette's peripherals caught the quick movement of the swordsman. Quickly turning to face his mentor he quickly brought his own bokken up, but not fast enough to direct the entirety of the blow. He felt the wooden sword tap against his shoulder pauldron, but the blow carried through his wrists, forcing his body to bend for a second to cushion the blow.

With a small laugh Calrex gave a nod, "In a way, it means to not fully trust my sight, because it is so easily deceived right?"

"The brain is hardwired to be efficient, meaning that whatever incoming information that it deems as insignificant is usually ignored. It is why sometimes drivers didn't see a post coming until the last moment, or for something to be hidden right in front of your face. You have to trust more than just your sense of sight, even though it is one of your main means of gathering information about the world around you."

[Baldur 0]

Baldur was proud of Calrex, though he never knew why he constantly underestimated the bluenette. Perhaps it was because Baldur did truly still think of him as that wide-eyed player that came into his shop, looking to go unlock the martial arts quest. But the boy showed great insight into sword fighting. With enough training and dedication, he could probably learn to become very good in the real world outside of this castle. Within it, he was already one of the best.

"That is a very key point of fencing, but no." Baldur whipped the blade back and forth as fast as he can in a series of feints that Calrex was under no illusion, they weren't meant as a attacks, merely an illustration.

"When you are dueling with rapiers, the point moves too fast for your eye to keep up with, so you must instead watch the body so that you can read your opponent and keep up. That's a critical skill that every fighter needs to develop, but no, what I'm talking about is more... esoteric. You are limiting yourself. In SAO, our bodies are irrelevant when it comes to determining our combat ability. A small child with a high strength score doesn't look like a body builder, but will pack a whallop. If you didn't know her, Ariel's small blond girl appearance may throw your expectations off, and you wouldn't be prepared for one of the highest damage dealing players on the Frontlines. People may see you laughing at being kind and cheerful, but not know that you're capable of killing."

ID# 69046 CD: 1 (Quick Strike)

"Teayre appears to be a small, porcelin red-head, but she is perhaps the greatest case of 'looks can be deceiving.'"

The wood of the blades rang out as they attacked, parried, and riposted.

"But what I'm describing isn't just about the ideas... it's... being free from preconceived notions. Let's see... what's the fighting term... a change up?"

Again their wooden blades clacked against one another as they fought.

"I'm speaking of freeing your mind. We can get caught up in trying to match something to a pattern, and that can limit what we see, what we're expecting, what we're prepared for." Baldur stepped back for a moment to disengage with Cal as he thought.

"You know I am a master of the katana, but say that we were in a duel, you would prepare to fight me, but then if in the beginning of our duel, I used the Quick Change mod to switch to a spear, or pulled out a shield... This was because your might had been... caught... one the stance I was in." Baldur assumed the position of Jodan before once again reengaging Calrex.

[Calrex 0]

"Ah, I think I see your point. It's more than just not trusting what I see, but also breaking from a mould that I have set up surrounding a person, a monster, or an individual. That is definitely something very difficult to do consciously, because patterns and the like are what our brain uses in order to make sense of the world. So in a way, it would be like retraining years upon years of development, heh."

The idea of a Quick Change in the middle of a battle did appeal to the bluenette, and it was something he had hoped would show up sooner than later. While he was training in the philosophical, as well as physical aspects of the katana with Baldur, he had also been fostering the second side of his straight sword capabilities, the synergy of his <<Martial Arts>> skill. He was close to grandmastering it, and from what had happened in his duel with Takao, the two skills blend together and form a deadly combination.

Matching blow for blow with his mentor Calrex continued to listen, "That is very true though. Our physical appearances don't change at all in SAO, no matter what bonuses we gain to our stats. If it were true, every time a person popped a damage increasing item all of a sudden their muscles would expand and it would look like they're on steroids."

ID: 69051
Battle Dice: 3 (Quick Strike)

It seemed at the moment he was matching Baldur's flurry of attacks, using quick flicks of his wrist and manipulations of his forearms to keep up with the samurai-themed warrior's speed. As the man brought his sword into an above stance Calrex kept his low, the point facing backwards, as if primed for an uppercut. "That is certainly something to be careful though, even though PvP shouldn't be the focus of our efforts. The Quick Change mod could be equivalent to creature suddenly using a new attack, or gaining some kind of bonus when an unknown condition is met. We can't always be prepared for every eventuality, and we always need to be aware of the fact that something completely random and unpredictable can happen. Becoming locked up because something doesn't fit into some grand master plan can only put you in danger."

[Baldur 0]

Baldur smiled proudly at his kouhei once again.

"Yes Cal, now take it a step further. Follow where that train of thought leads you."

ID# 69057 CD: 1 (quick strike)

The bokken was a blur in his hand as he rained a series of lightning fast blows on the younger man, each meant to slowly lead him into a position more advantageous for Baldur to follow up from. Each blow of the bokken from Baldur was crisp and clean and obviously practiced, even when put into a defensive posture he seemed to be in control. The bokken in his hand was held as if it were an old friend of his.

"You're still limiting yourself too much. This is a philosophy, not sword technique. It is training of the mind, of perception, of self awareness. Don't let your mind get caught on the patterns that a stance provides, or the arts that a sword in the hand of your enemy provides. Predicting is fine, and necessary, but don't get stuck there."

There is was, the moment.

Baldur's blow was lightning swift and sure, as he tried to cut through the opening Cal have given him in their duel.

"Free yourself of the preconceptions, don't limit what you think is possible. Don't eliminate the impossible, or the improbably. Our perception will always be limited by our knowledge, but you limit yourself even more by thinking that we know everything that is possible. What Mushin is trying to teach you be limitless. The world is full of wonders we haven't experienced, but there are two ways to face the unknown. To be ready for everything you can imagine, or to just be ready."
 

[Calrex 0]

ID: 69063
Craft Dice: 9 (Parry / Baldur Hits)

With each of the swift strikes that came at him Calrex brought his own bokken up to block the blows. One thing was for sure, even without using Sword Arts Baldur appeared to be formidable practitioner of the katana. His attacks moved with purpose and directio, honed from most likely years upon years of training. In the opening that he did present the bluenette had taken his own shots, but the samurai-themed swordsman seamless transitioned from offense to defense.

Unfortunately, with another opening Calrex had feigned to provoke and attack of opportunity, he felt his wrist move into an odd position for a second, his parry failing as the quick attack broke through his guard and got his arm. taking a step back in reflex for a second he gave a calming exhale to refocus with a nod, "Don't sabotage yourself. Gain what you can, while still being receptive and open to new information, now possibilities. You only know what you know, but what you know is not everything that can be. Your imagination, while less limited than your waking mind, is still in itself contained by you. So the best you can do in the face of the unknown is to be ready, right?"

Shaking his struck arm for a second the bluenette gripped his wooden sword once again, ready to continue.

[Baldur 0]

Baldur once again engaged Calrex in melee with his bokken, the rapping of the wooden swords filling the glen that they found themselves in. This time, his flurry of blows was meant to try and draw Calrex in, trying to bait the bluenette into coming at him with a heavy blow so that Baldur could step in for a counter. The bluenette had amazing natural instinct with the sword and combat in general, but the arena of katana swordplay was Baldur's.

ID# 69122 CD: 9 (Counter)

"Do not let your mind be restrained by preconceived notions. Don't stereotype. Don't pigeon hole. Free your mind to accept that anything is possible and just be in the moment. Just because you see someone with an orange crystal does not mean that you know what you think you do about that person, and the one time it is different you will miss it. Something is impossible because no one has yet figured out how to do it, not because it can't be done."

Baldur continued to smile as they fought, he was enjoying a friendly duel with his friend as he had done in the real world as well. One thing Baldur had prided himself on was boiling down fencing, especially foil fencing above any other, to a matter of rock paper scissors. It's not that there were only three moves and a counter, but rather that the trick was learning to read your opponent. The longer Baldur fought someone in real life, the better he would do after each set, eventually turning a complete loss around into a fight that went seven rounds into over-time in the same day. He had broken four swords in that tournament, and while he eventually lost, the difference from the beginning of the match to the end was very different.

He saw this skill in Calrex, and was curious to see how his Kouhei would over-come him.

[Calrex 0]

Quickly recovering from his first hit Calrex returned back to a defensive guard, deflecting each of the incoming attacks Baldur sent his way. At the same time he was taking in what the man said, about how even with all of the grand ideas the bluenette was speaking, there was more to it than that. Of course, this was true for many philosophies. They are an integration of both logic and ethics, and sometimes they were taken to the nth level. It seemed that Mushin was something like that. It was a grand concept, and something that was difficult to comprehend or describe. It was something that could apply to everything and nothing.

ID: 69132
Craft Dice: 7 (Strong Attack / Baldur Hits)

It seemed that whatever strategy his mentor had used worked, as a large opening appeared to his top right. Quickly sliding forward, Calrex did a full 360 spin to wind up his strike becoming coming down at a diagonal. However, his bokken was met with a parry, the excess momentum from his powerful swing being deflected to the side and exposing his side for another hit. Taking a few steps back he gave a few calming breath, centering himself once again, beginning to speak a bit to himself rather than to his mentor, "Remain open...receptive...disregard preconceived notions..."

"That place in my mind I was in before...back when I was defending the Amethyst Boutique from attacks..."

While he had zoned out during that time, the bluenette remembered that at one point in his past, there was a time when he had fought without using any of the previous trainings he had learned. It was something he had originally begun to worry about, because it seemed to be the exact opposite of the side of him he had called the cold persona. Rather than ignoring any new information and relying solely on what he knew, this mental state abandoned all that he had previously known, acting and responding to only the incoming information from his surroundings.

"Maybe that time...and the times before with the cold persona...I need to learn to merge them together..."

Centering his stance the bluenette closed his eyes for a moment, letting all of the muscles currently tensed to hold up the sword relax as he gave a long calming breath. Slowly letting his eyes open, even his eyelids seemed to be holding back with less tension than before. His mouth was closed, but his tongue was resting against the roof of his mouth, a type of breathing he had learned in the past that would help to channel his chi. The originally rigid stance he was in relaxed, his knees bending slightly like springs ready to coil.

As for his sword positioning, the blade appeared to be in a neutral stance before it shifted upwards, the tip of the bokken now pointing skywards, one where he could move it from any angle at a moment's notice with a quick flick of the wrist. It was a stance he had seen in the past, and dabbled in using back before SAO, known in kendo as the Hasso-no-Kamae. His grip remained firm, but was not relaxed, placing little pressure to keep the handle in his hands. "...just because it hasn't been done...doesn't mean it's impossible..."

[Baldur 0]

(ID# 69157 LD: 13+6 = 19 Beginner Dungeon Found)

Baldur smiled as Cal seemed to begin to adapt and incorporate what Baldur had been explaining to them. As they fought, it was much more intense this time, and Baldur was unable to force Cal into an opening nor bait him into another trap. It truely seemed that he was beginning to expand his mind, even if it was only temporary. It would take years to begin to reprogram your mind to think a different way, and it was something even Baldur struggled to remain and adapt with. These lessons he was conveying to Cal were discoveries he had made over a lifetime, even though he had never had a teach quite try to brute force Baldur into learning them as Baldur did now. Forcing Cal backwards, their fight began to move throughout the forest, incorporating the landscape into their duel as they fought far longer than either normally did in a duel or against monsters. A smile began to develop on Baldur's face. They traded light blows tit for tat, but nothing ever landed substantially for either of them. Finally, Baldur thought he saw an opening and pressed, but Cal had been waiting for him and deflected his blow with such force that Baldur's bokken went flying out of his hands and clattered over by another fallen log.

Baldur held up both of his hands in defeat, yet gave a bit of a laugh.

"Well done my friend, well done." Ducking over to the side, Baldur saw that there was a copse of fallen trees that seemed to have a tunnel leading down into a dungeon below.

"Hey Cal! Come over here. I think I found a dungeon!"