[SP-F1] Testing the Blade

[Itzal 0]

Recently Ulises had died.  The cardinal system simply couldn't sustain him any longer.  Still, it couldn't be helped so he needed to let it go.  Before passing however, Ulises gave Itzal the technique he had perfected.  He named it Soul Barrage.  It was a fitting name too.  And now Itzal was about to test it with his own hands.  He stood on the town of the first floor and was heading outside.  Twilight Cloak was wrapped around him so that he could get col much easier.  He had recently ordered an item from Birdie that should help him greatly.  With the col multiplier, fighting several enemies, as well as his ld bonus, he should have no issue gathering col.  With Niger Natio on and Ascendant's Rosario equipped he was ready to head out and fight monsters.  He adjusted the ring on his finger before heading out.  He leaped from beam to beam across the town buildings until he finally hit the wall of the town of beginnings, leaping up and grabbing a hold of the side, climbing up and when he reached the top, ran over to the gate area and leaped from the roof, grabbing a rope that hung as usual and landed safely on the bottom, heading out to find monsters to fight.

[Itzal 0]

Itzal walked towards the forest and drew his blade.  He wasn't even going to scout out the area.  He needed col and he also needed to practice.  He walked into the forest and moved to a clearing he had found long ago.  He found that monsters would emerge and hang around there for a while.  He also noticed that they couldn't leave nor could monsters join them.  Itzal spotted the clearing and walked over.  Sure enough, there were four lizard men in the clearing.  All three had curved swords and they noticed him, turning to analyze him.  With his hood and mouthpiece on, his sword in hand, he walked swiftly over to them.  They figured out his intention pretty quickly.  The first of the group rushed up and struck at him but he parried the blade and kicked the monster back.  When he struck them he intended for it to be all at once.  But only if he could land bleeding..  Maybe.  He might just spam AoE regardless.  He rushed up to the four creatures and when they charged he jumped off of the sword they swung, into the air and shot lightning fall down onto them, landing a critical hit and giving them the bleeding effect.

ID#  69098  BD:  9  CD:  11  MD:  1

Mob info:  4 lizard men  <>  400 hp  <>  10 dmg

Itzal:  640/640  <>  51/64

LM1:  337/400  Bleeding

LM2:  337/400  Bleeding

LM3:  337/400  Bleeding

LM4:  337/400  Bleeding

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Itzal landed and saw the four monsters flinch from the bleeding effect.  The looked at the marks and roared at Itzal.  He just stood there with a blank face.  The four monsters each charged him one after another.  He parried this one, flung the next over his shoulder, blocked the third and kicked him in the stomach, and threw the fourth into the first one coming up behind him.  He then charged his sword, a blue glow filling up the area and rushed at the first lizard.  It had recovered from the collision, but nothing could prepare it for Soul Barrage.  Itzal released his new sword art Nova Ascension and combined it with Soul Barrage, making the sword art attack twice as fast.  When he landed the final attack he struck with such force that the lizard man was sent flying backward.  He stopped using Soul Barrage as although it was a strong technique, it wore down on the wielder.  First he would practice using it alone, and then move on to partnering with someone.  It was then the monsters struck at him from behind.  He didn't flinch, just kept his eye on his health meter.

ID#  69099  BD:  9  CD:  1  BD:  9

Itzal:  596/640  <>  42/64

LM1:  232/400  Bleeding

LM2:  313/400  Bleeding

LM3:  313/400  Bleeding

LM4:  313/400  Bleeding

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Foregoing action

Itzal could feel his body wear down just a little bit after using Soul Barrage.  His body wasn't yet adjusted to it and thus he was practicing.  He decided to give himself a moment to recover a little energy and thus the only movement he used with his sword was parrying and deflecting.  He was entirely focused on the combat, his mind never wandering for a second to any unrelated topic.  All his fast thinking was focused on the here and now.  Two lizards rushed up behind him and made horizontal strikes which he backflipped over.  The third threw it's weapon at him but he dodged it, letting the sword continue until it got stuck in the tree nearby.  The fourth rushed up at him and performed a sequence of strikes, followed by several other sequences.  Itzal dodged and soon found the pattern in his attacks, his hand meeting the monster's wrist and twisting the weapon out of it's hand before punching it in the face.  After he jumped back they all flinched from the bleeding's effects and the status vanished.  Now he just needed to apply it again.

ID#  69100  CD:  3  MD:  6-3

Itzal:  596/640  <>  43/64

LM1:  208/400

LM2:  289/400

LM3:  289/400

LM4:  289/400

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Foregoing action

The four lizard men stumbled back into their little group, staying close together and watching the player much more carefully.  Itzal stood in a lax position, his sword by his side.  The four monsters were hating this player very much but there wasn't much they could do really.  However.  The four of them rushed at him all at the same time.  Itzal stood still until the last moment, leaping into the air.  He was planning on jumping off of their swords but they all made uppercuts, striking him from below.  Itzal frowned and his attack was rendered to nothing.  He rolled when he made contact with the ground, refusing to trip or stumble, and straightened his body as the monsters turned around.  Neat trick he thought.  Too bad it won't work again.  The four monsters charged him but instead of avoiding them he rushed head on.  He dodged their swings and pushed through the middle of the group, punching their guts as he did so.  The two bent over and he swung his sword's flat end across, hitting both of their heads.

ID#  69103  CD:  5  MD:  9

Itzal:  552/640  <>  44/64

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Foregoing action

The four monsters fell back, some falling down to the ground as Itzal leaped backward.  He closed his mind and meditated on the situation.  The four lizard men had curved swords, each of them.  They had their own fighting styles and had multiple forms they could practice.  However they lacked the ability to change or blend forms together into deadly, unpredictable patterns like players could.  Especially players who had grand mastered their sword skills.  Someone like Itzal.  This meant they shouldn't be an issue.  This he already knew but he decided to stick with his plan of attack instead of going for Soul Barrage.  He figured he needed to work up his strength for that.  Which meant he'd need to increase his amount of exercises soon.  He opened his eyes just in time to begin blocking the monster's attack and deflect/parry the other three.  He could feel his energy rising again but he would not use it until he was sure he could apply the bleeding effect.  That was the key to all of this.

ID#  69104  CD:  12  MD:  2

Itzal:  552/640  <>  46/64

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Itzal continued deflecting and parrying their attacks until he finally went on the offensive.  He struck at the monsters using Soul Barrage which they still hadn't figured out yet, and forced them to retreat.  Two of them stayed however and Itzal struck at them both like lightning, each two seconds landing maybe two to three strikes on the both of them.  He could feel his strength begin to drain but not by much at first, as he had just started it.  Soon he broke past their defenses and smashed them into their comrades, knocking them all to the ground again.  Itzal rushed at them and they struggled to get off of each other, stopping when they saw him leap into the air.  One of them seemed to groan when it saw Itzal charge his blade in mid air.  With an almighty thrust, the energy was sent down to the group once again, dealing a major critical hit and giving them the bleed effect once again.  He landed away from them and turned to a defensive position.

ID#  69107  BD:  10  CD:  3  MD:  7-3

Itzal:  552/640  <>  34/64

LM1:  128/400  Bleeding

LM2:  208/400  Bleeding

LM3:  208/400  Bleeding

LM4:  208/400  Bleeding

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

After Itzal landed he watched as the monsters began to get back up on their own feet.  He did not hesitate to strike again, charging his sword and releasing Nova Ascension once again, striking a single monster and dealing a good amount of damage to it.  The lizard skyrocketed backward and as it got back on it's feet, it and the other monster he had singly attacked flashed their eyes as they had passed the half health zone.  All of them flinched from the bleeding before the monsters charged him again.  Itzal deflected all of their blows before forcing an attack, switching to Soul Barrage once again and forced two of the monsters back.  The two enraged ones however worked together to hold their own against his onslaught.  Due to his needing practice with the technique it seemed to cause a draw in this fight.  However that would change.

ID#  69108  BD:  10  CD:  7  MD:  4

Itzal:  552/640  <>  25/64

LM1:  104/400  Bleeding

LM2:  104/400  Bleeding

LM3:  184/400  Bleeding

LM4:  184/400  Bleeding

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Foregoing Action

Itzal struck at the two monsters and soon the other two re-joined the battle.  He was fending off all four at once and they seemed to have learned how to work together.  Thus all four of their efforts was just as difficult for Itzal to deflect, parry and block as it had been when he dueled against Ulises, and he was just one individual.  One by one the monsters slipped through his defenses and struck him, each managing to get a critical hit.  However after the final one had done so he leaped over their heads and kicked one of them.  The other three rounded on him and the center lizard's weapon to the side, getting in the way of the right Lizard's own strike, and used his momentum to strike at the left lizard's strike with enough force to push it back a little bit.  He then began using Soul Barrage to force the four back, keeping them from hitting him let alone trying to hit him. 

ID#  69110  CD:  6  MD:  10

Itzal:  504/640  <>  26/64

LM1:  80/400  Bleeding

LM2:  80/400  Bleeding

LM3:  160/400  Bleeding

LM4:  160/400  Bleeding

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Soul Barrage was working, but he knew it would only work for so long.  He couldn't use it against four separate opponents for too long without wearing himself out.  Not to mention it was too much to focus on and without Ulises he couldn't keep an eye on all four.  He needed to adjust to combat.  He miscalculated a move and that set off another chain reaction which allowed them to strike him, each of them.  He leaped back after the attack.  How were they landing so many critical hits?  However he intended to make a counter attack.  His energy was dropping but if he could use a weak one to apply the bleeding to them all.  He rushed up and activated horizontal, the weakest AoE sword skill.  The Lizards shrank back from the attack but were confused as to why it dealt so little damage.  That's when the red pixels came out and they realized what he did.  He shrugged before returning to a defensive position as they came at him again, all of them below the half health point.

ID#  69136  BD:  8  CD:  11  MD:  10

Itzal:  456/640  <>  25/64

LM1:  72/400  Bleeding

LM2:  72/400  Bleeding

LM3:  152/400  Bleeding

LM4:  152/400  Bleeding

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Foregoing action

The monsters were beginning to weaken with their low health as well as the bleeding he had inflicted upon them.  One lizard tried to jump on him and he pushed it onward, using it's momentum to shove it head on into a tree.  He rolled under the next lizard's attack, staying crouched to the ground, and swung his sword all around, the flat end knocking the two on both sides off their feet.  He rolled and jumped to his feet rightward to escape the final lizard's strike and grabbed a large rock, throwing it at the creature's face, hitting it and confusing it for a split second.  Immediately he was charged upon once again, and he once again defended himself.  This fight needed to end soon, but he would not leave it without getting col from it.  He would get the prize in the end.  Of that he was certain.  The bleeding effect activated as if to prove his point.

ID#  69137  CD:  6  MD:  3-2=1

Itzal:  456/640  <>  26/64

LM1:  48/400  Bleeding

LM2:  48/400  Bleeding

LM3:  128/400  Bleeding

LM4:  128/400  Bleeding

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Foregoing Action

The monsters continued to strike at him, over and over again, but he could tell that they were weakening.  They're movements were growing sluggish, their eyes less focused.  This battle was finally drawing closer to a close.  As he fought them he thought about what he was trying to gather col for.  He was debating whether or not he wanted a damage dealing unique or a scout based unique if they actually existed, or would exist.  If he had damage based it would really help the front lines not to mentioning soloing would become a lot easier.  If he got something that helped with scouting however, then he could be a better help that way, which was his main focus.  He wasn't sure though...  His mind refocused as the lizards continued to assault him.

ID#  61939  CD:  10  MD:  2

Itzal:  456/640  <>  28/64

LM1:  24/400  Bleeding

LM2:  24/400  Bleeding

LM3:  104/400  Bleeding

LM4:  104/400  Bleeding

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Foregoing Action

The lizards continued, and failed, to defeat him.  As they tried and tried Itzal worked towards calming his mind.  He refocused his strategy from defensive to offensive.  Ulises could keep Itzal off of him by constant attacks.  He opened his eyes and struck out at the lizards, shocking them at first, and when they tried to retaliate Itzal struck before they could attack again and refrained them from keeping that option open.  They tried team effort to break through his offensive strikes but he pushed forward again, using Soul Barrage to force them back, each of them with either renewed concentration or panic.  This technique of his was powerful and the monsters were beginning to realize just how powerful it was.  And if they could they would use it on him, but it was way too difficult to master or observe for them to do so.  Which suited Itzal just fine indeed.

ID#  69144  CD:  10  MD:  6-2=4

Itzal:  456/640  <>  30/64

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Itzal was watching as the two monsters with the lowest health were using up the last of their energy in a wrathful attempt to kill Itzal.  He grinned when he saw his chance and stopped his attack suddenly and ducked under their attacks before leaping high into the air and released Rage Spike, striking out at all the monsters.  He didn't use Lightning fall because the final attack needed to be precise otherwise he'd get no loot at all.  The attack landed a bleeding effect on all of the lizard men and shattered two of them.  The monsters were a bit stunned at first but when they recovered.  The monsters with only four health flashed their eyes furiously at Itzal before charging with a passion.  Itzal recalled what Ulises said about Soul Barrage and how it wouldn't work unless you channeled emotions into it.  So he forced himself to think about Velnia dying at the hands of the warg and all the other players who had fallen to these creatures.  His eyes narrowed and he charged at the group once again.

ID#  69150  BD:  10  CD:  2  MD:  4

Itzal:  456/640  <>  26/64

LM1:  4/400  Bleeding

LM2:  4/400  Bleeding

LM3:  84/400  Bleeding

LM4:  84/400  Bleeding

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Foregoing Action/switching armor

Itzal struck at all the monsters almost at the same time.  The two that were about to die fought the hardest but not for long.  The moment they fell apart Itzal struck at the last two monsters hard enough to shove them away from him.  When he did he opened his battle ready menu and switched armors, his +3 LD Twilight Cloak emerging around him.  He would get a prize if he had to sit here all day dang it.  He rejoined the battle with the two and they were filled with renewed hatred for him.  However he had an anger towards them as well.  The difference between Him and Ulises however was that Itzal could  contain his anger while Ulises just when all at it.  The combination of his controlled emotions, Soul Barrage and his calculative thinking kept the two monsters from ever closing in on him.

ID#  69154  CD:  1  LD:  13  MD:  3

Itzal:  456/640  <>  27/64

LM1/2:  Deceased  Bleeding

LM3:  60/400  Bleeding

LM4:  60/400  Bleeding

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Itzal lashed out at the monsters, but surprisingly they didn't retreat.  Realizing that powered by grief and hatred towards him, they didn't care if they got hit as long as they could deal damage to Itzal.  However they failed to realize that this was futile in any case.  Not only had they lost half their damage entirely, but Itzal still had plenty of health to go around.  The monsters landed a hit on him each but he took no notice of it and instead used horizontal again, hitting them both and dealing his base damage on them.  The creatures recoiled and flinched when the last of the bleed effect wore off, before charging at him again.  Itzal shrugged and deflected their attacks pretty well before pushing them back with Soul Barrage once again.  Faster and faster he struck.  Hopefully this would end soon.  It's not that Itzal couldn't handle it, more like he just didn't want to.  He'd do this once a day of course but not more than that.

ID#  69152  BD:  8  CD:  6  LD:  2  MD:  8

Itzal:  436/640  <>  25/64

LM1/2:  Deceased  Bleeding

LM3:  35/400  Bleeding

LM4:  35/400  Bleeding

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Itzal watched as the monsters showed less and less intelligence as they became tools of raw emotion.  He knew they couldn't do much damage so he decided to create an opening.  When they struck at him he didn't block.  Instead after they hit him with no resistance, their momentum made them fall over.  He then leaped into the air and used lightning fall, destroying them as they lay on the ground.  With a shriek from their demise they shattered into crystals.  He landed soundly on the ground and waited for the loot menu to come up.  When it did he was pleased with the reward.  Sixteen hundred col and three materials.  Excellent he thought.  This was definitely worth it.  He stretched for a moment and held his sword in front of him.  Soul Barrage was a very powerful technique but until he increased his strength he couldn't use it to it's full potential.  That needed to change so he'd be getting back to training.

ID#  69153  BD:  9  CD:  7  LD:  17+6=23  MD:  6

Itzal:  416/640  <>  11/64

All monsters defeated

Final attack:  Lightning fall=63 dmg

+16,000 col

+8 MAT

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Itzal continued to stare at Ascendant's Rosario.  Soul Barrage.  It was a very suiting name for the technique.  Ulises was based off of the raw emotions of Itzal, and emotions were a part of the soul.  The attack was non stop strikes that kept the enemy from striking back and therefore it was a barrage.  Therefore Soul Barrage.  However unless the user had mastered using items in both hands the technique was all but useless to them.  Not to mention it took forever to master.  Itzal however already had the knowledge and skill thanks to Ulises.  All he needed was the body strength and stamina.  Which of course required training.  Itzal sighed as he sheathed his sword once again and for good measure, checked the vicinity to see if any extra materials were nearby but saw nothing.  He shrugged and made his way back to the town.  He couldn't wait to get home.

ID#  69154  LD:  5+6=11

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

He wondered who he would share his sword technique with.  Then he questioned whether anyone else would want to use it, and even then, if they should.  It was a dangerous and powerful technique.  He thought about Ulises' words and knew he needed a partner.  Yes he wanted Kasier to be his partner.  He longed for that.  But first he needed to connect with her even more.  They were together now and he wanted it to stay that way.  He wanted to get to know her, to spend more time with her, to let their relationship flourish.  Sure he was inexperienced in social interaction but that could be overcome.  He smiled a little as he thought about Kasier.  He never really thought about how ironic it was.  In the real world he couldn't make any friends whatsoever.  Now that he was inside SAO he was making friends all over, and now had a girlfriend!  It was incredible to be honest.

ID#  69155  LD:  8+6=14

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal

[Itzal 0]

As he reached the town gates he spotted a red flower, the same color as Kasier's eyes.  He picked it and looked at it for a moment, smiling before he put it in his inventory.  He couldn't wait until he saw her again.  He looked up and continued walking through the town towards the teleporter.  He wondered when Kasier and he would get together again.  The last time it was on the fourth floor and while he hated the cold above all else, he enjoyed the time he spent with her.  Not to mention that he found a hat Kasier seemed to think worked for him.  He needed to visit a tailor so that he could get the hat made for him.  It was a nice one he thought.  As he stepped onto the teleporter he wondered what monster he'd be fighting the next time.  The lizard men reminded him of a few games and they weren't the most intelligent monsters.  Not much of a challenge to be honest.

ID#  69156  LD:  10+6=16

+1 MAT

Edited October 7, 2016 by Itzal