[SP - F17] Perfect Storm {COMPLETE}

[Takao 0]

“It’s not that far fetched,” Takao said, slowly lifting himself from his prone position along a thick branch. Glove-clad hands grasped the tree limb and he swung himself down with finesse, although the thud of his boots hitting grassy ground was heavy.

“It totally is! How in the world would they manage to alter our perception of time?” His companion said, shaking her head in disagreement. Despite her dismissive attitude, the faintest shimmer in her eye suggested an interest in the topic.

“They have full control over what we smell, taste, hear, see, and touch. They can even emulate heat and cold. What makes y’think they can’t switch up how we’re perceiving events? For all we know, all of this could be happening in a matter of hours… minutes even.” He shook his head, trying to clear the cloudiness of his jumbled thoughts. “We’re already livin’ in the realm of impossibility. What’s one more?”

He earned a snort amidst a chuckle. “Nice oner. Come up with it yourself?” She said, stealing a sidelong glance at him as the pair began walking with their backs to the sun.

“Aha-ha,” He forced out a laugh. “Think about it. Regardless of new technology and countermeasures, /somebody/ should’ve been able to crack these things open and figure out how to disable them /if/ it had been this long already. But if it was all just happening in a matter of minutes in the real world…” Takao’s voice trailed off as his mind resumed its wandering. He often did this, especially in recent times where he found himself secluding himself more and more. In an instant, his eyebrows furrowed and his neck tensed, forcing himself to resist the desire to look behind him. Aria saw the subtle movements but reacted not, instead acting natural.

“Are they close?” She asked in a quiet tone.

“No,” He said, unflexing the hand that had turned to a tight fist out of instinct. “They came within range for a second. Might’ve just been a slip up, but they’re been careful so far.” Takao released a bated breath and glanced sidelong to her.
“Maybe they were testing us..? Trying to… spook us, see if we’ll run. See if we even noticed?” She offered a few potential scenarios and he nodded along, keeping his pace steady.

[Takao 0]

“They’re on the move again.” A woman’s voice said quietly, golden eyes peering from beyond a thick bushel of foliage. She craned her head over her shoulder to look to the man behind her and examined his features, finding most obscured by the dense canopy shadows. His eyes were as piercing as ever, shining a bright green.

“Good…” He finally spoke after a moment, his deep and raspy voice kept quiet. “We’ll keep our distance, just out of tracking range. The boy’s good with it.” He stood and crouched down beside her, the light revealing a large scar trailing over his mouth, but little else. She watched him curious for a moment, then turned back. "They were speaking to the Queen NPC earlier, which means they're on the Herculean Labour quest. Set up an ambush at the bottom of the mountain for them, they'll be at their weakest then... and remember, taking the girl alive is your priority. If you kill the other kid, well... Consider it a bonus." Each word that left his tongue was spoken in a smooth, silky tone.

“That won’t be easy… I have to maintain visuals on him, determine the distance of his tracking skill, and stay out of sight all at once..?” She clicked her tongue and exhaled a breath, more in the form of a sigh than otherwise.

“Just remember what’s at stake, Anna. I’m sure it’ll provide you with adequate motivation to not disappoint me.” He said. She scowled at him, but said nothing, and he offered her a curt smile. “Good. Now, run along before they get too far. They’re almost over the ridge now.” He pointed out. Anna turned for only a brief moment to check on the pair’s location, and when she’d looked back to him, he was gone. Inwardly cursing his superior stealth capabilities, she stood and hurried off after the two, taking every precaution to remain in the shadows.

[Takao 0]

“They think my tracking range is shorter than it is.” Takao muttered. Whether or not he was intentionally speaking aloud for Aria to hear him was largely irrelevant, it was best for them both to be informed on the situation.

“...Although…” He wanted to turn and look, but he knew acting suspicious would alert them. “They’re down to one. Passing by the tree we were at… now.” Luckily for the pair, Takao’s knowledge and experience of reconnaissance was at its peak. By passing through certain landmarks and locations that otherwise seems insignificant, he was able to track the exact location of their pursuer.

Aria watched him as they walked. Although he was looking forward at the path ahead, it was clear his attention was focused on tracking. “Which either means that the second bailed, or they’re circling around to ambush us…” His mutterings were becoming more clear that they were mental rambling that he was verbalizing than actually engaging in conversation.

After a moment, he snapped out of it and turned his head to Aria, who quickly turned hers to look ahead. “They’ve probably been following us since I took the quest then. Do you think they’ll try to ambush us when we’re fighting?” She asked.

“Nah, seems unlikely. I don’t think they’ll want to deal with the monsters and us at the same time. The new trend is to ambush players after they finish a quest to rob ‘em of the items and col they get.” Takao said, his voice a jaded monotone. He hadn’t much patience for the criminal sorts in the game, yet he’d seen it all too often.

“But if these guys are who y’think they are…” He continued, narrowing his eyes at her slightly. “What was it y’said they wanted you for?"

Aria turned and glared at him. “Right, right. No questions.” Takao said with a sigh, his shoulders shrugging in defeat. “I’m gettin’ the feelin’ that I might be a lil’ too curious for bodyguard work.”

[Takao 0]

The pair stopped at the foot of a shallow mountain steeped in grass. Whilst Takao had taken to a crouch in order to sort out his equipment, Aria looked on. She could see the figures of three sleeping lioness, all looking very large and menacing with their hovering cursors shining a deep purple. These beasts were well above her level, but one look to Takao showed little worry across his features.

He was used to this, after all. He even stacked the odds against himself for the sake of challenge.

“Alright. You hang back and keep an eye out. I know I said it was unlikely they’d attack durin’ the fights, but I don’t wanna get stabbed in’eh back either. Some players are crazy, y’know.” He said, turning his attention away from her and to his hand as a blue light materialized a crystal in his grasp.

“Oh, big tough guy’s getting worried now, huh?” She teased, earning a snort and guttural chuckle.

“I’d call it careful… Cautious, even. You don’t get far if you take too many risks.” He said offhandedly as the crystal shattered into pieces in his hand. “Usually.” He flashed a smile her way and she turned, grumbling to herself.

“A’right Kiddo. Watch ‘n learn.” Takao said cockily as he stood and began to ascend the mountain. As he did so, he was careful with his positioning. Only one of the three sleeping Lioness became alerted to his presence and he effectively lured it to a more manageable location. The Lioness growled and roared, thankfully not alerting the others before it charged. Takao stood steadfast, taking the Lioness' charge head on. She leapt and clamped her jaws down onto his shoulder, attempting and failing to tackle him to the ground.

The heels of Takao's boots sank into the soft ground under the weight of the Lioness, which he managed to hold up. He lifted his leg and slammed it into the ground a single step forward, lifting and slamming the Lioness into the ground. As he cocked his right arm back and tightened his hand into a fist, the limb shone bright yellow. He pummeled the Lioness with a single strike, nearly depleting its life gauge entirely.

- COMBAT RESULTS -

ID: 75639
BD: 6 (4 + 3(ACC) - 2(EVA) + 1(Concentration))
MD: 9 (9 + 1(ACC) - 2(EVA))

Takao

HP: 1245/1415 (170 - 30(MIT) = 140 + 30(Bleed)(2/3 Remaining) = -170 HP)
Energy: 123/140 (-17)
Sword Art: «All Might»
Damage: 15(base) + 5(charge) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 8(Fallen) = 34 * 15 = 510

Nemean Lioness: 49/512 (510 - 47(MIT) = -463HP)

[Takao 0]

Takao slowly pulled his fist from the Lioness' body and gave it no time to recover. Before the beast could right itself and strike again, the brunet's fist was pulled back and a final devastating blow was dealt. As it lay defeated and eventually shattered, Takao heard a slow clap. He turned and watched Aria giving him a rather sarcastic looking round of applause, and rolled his eyes in response.

"Aw, c'mon. You're not even a little impressed?" He asked, spreading his arms wide. She regarded him with a curious raise of an eyebrow and he clicked his tongue, huffing out a breath a second afterward.

"I didn't hire you to impress me," Aria said, sauntering over to sit on a nearby rock. "I hired you to protect me, and get me-..." She had begun to clarify, only for Takao to chime in mid-sentence.

"Get me through the quest. Yeah yeah, I get it. Still, y'gotta admit that was dope. I just punched a Lion to death. Like pah-pah!" Takao said, sending a pair of jabs into the air. The chuckle he exhaled quickly died down by her unimpressed look and he cleared his throat. "Quest, right. Let's wrap this up." With his words escaping in a tone akin to a grumble, Takao trudged further up the grassy mountain.

Aria simply shook her head. "This idiot's going to get us both killed."

- COMBAT RESULTS -

ID: 75736
BD: 6 (7 + 3(ACC) - 2(EVA)) {Concentration - 4/5}
MD: 6 (7 + 1(ACC) - 2(EVA))

Takao
HP: 1235/1415 (30(Bleed)(1/3 Remaining) - 20(Battle Healing) = -10 HP)
Energy: 120/140 (+1/-4)
Sword Art: «Delayed Sword»
Damage: 15(base) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 8(Fallen) = 29 * 4 = 116

Nemean Lioness: 0/512 (116 - 47(MIT) = -69HP)

[Takao 0]

"So," Takao said as he narrowly avoided the Lioness' barrage of swipes and slashes with practiced footwork and careful poise, his voice raised over her roars and thunderous pounding of her paws. "You know y'got people after you... Y'know who they are? Or... anythin' about them?" He asked, hoping to learn a bit more about the supposed assailants whose plans he'd been hired to foil. The Lioness lept into a tackle that Takao caught, binding the large feline whilst he glanced sidelong to Aria who remained silent.

"Look, Kid--" Takao continued, an instinctual grunt interrupting his words as the Lioness squirmed and protested the hold. He lifted his knee and slammed it into the Lioness, the reaction giving him enough leverage to throw it onto its back. "I get you're goin' for the secretive, mysterious angle here," He pulled his arm back in the same manner as before and decimated the Lioness, severely reducing its numerically tracked health.

"But it would really help me out if I knew at least something about 'em. Names, reasons, goals, anythin'. You're sendin' me in blind here, 'n I ain't the type'a guy to go in blind." He said, turning his attention back to the Lioness as it leapt up to its feet. When he looked back to Aria, she had turned her head to the side and cast her gaze upon the ground, her face having adopted a pensive expression.

- COMBAT RESULTS -

ID: 75762
BD: 7 (5 + 3(ACC) - 2(EVA)) {Concentration - 3/5}
MD: 1 (2 + 1(ACC) - 2(EVA))

Takao
HP: 1225/1415 (30(Bleed)(0/3 Remaining) - 20(Battle Healing) = -10 HP)
Energy: 104/140 (+1/-17)
Sword Art: «All Might»
Damage: 15(base) + 5(charge) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 8(Fallen) = 34 * 15 = 510

Nemean Lioness: 49/512 (510 - 47(MIT) = -463HP)

[Takao 0]

Silence had befallen the pair as Takao dealt the final blow to his feline opponent. He had taken the opportunity provided by the sudden calm and turned to Aria, hoping to get as much information from the girl as he could. With furrowed eyebrows and narrowed eyes, he began to draw his own conclusions from the subtleties of her expressions.

"Are they Laughing Coffin?" He asked, curious as to whether or not she knew of the guild that was growing infamous for their terrible actions. She looked up at him, one eyebrow raised, and responded.

"Who are they?" She replied, a lilt of genuine confusion leaving her lips. Takao simply nodded, opting to trust her ignorance to the subject.

"Nevermind," said Takao as he turned back, emerald eyes set upon the last Lioness that stood in their path, but only for a moment. It were as if an alarm had just gone off in his head, causing it to whip around and look into the forest they'd emerged from prior to beginning up the mountain. Aria, looking startled by the sudden change in demeanor and turning, quickly leapt up to her feet.

"What?" She asked. "Did you hear something?" Despite her best efforts, her lacking detection skills revealed little to her eyes. Takao on the other hand was looking around, his eyes darting from one spot to another.

"No-... No. Nothin's there. But whoever was following us just started movin' fast toward us, then just... disappeared." He explained, closing his eyes for a moment to activate the Reveal skill. His green eyes turned silver and the foliage faded away as he looked into them, searching for whatever he could find. But he found nothing, and not even the detect skill revealed anything to him. With a curious hum, Takao disabled the skill and turned back around.

"Let's keep goin'. The sooner we finish this up, the better."

- COMBAT RESULTS -

ID: 75828
BD: 7 (6 + 3(ACC) - 2(EVA)) {Concentration - 2/5}
MD: 10 (10 + 1(ACC) - 2(EVA))

Takao
HP: 1245/1415 ( +20 (Battle Healing) )
Energy: 101/140 (+1/-4)
Sword Art: «Delayed Sword»
Damage: 15(base) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 8(Fallen) = 29 * 4 = 116

Nemean Lioness: 0/512 (116 - 47(MIT) = -69HP)

[Takao 0]

As silence once again settled between the pair, Takao decided to fill it with the sounds of battle instead. After all, his purpose for being hired was twofold: To protect the girl from anybody who might wish to harm her, and to outfit her as best he could to aid with the first goal. He had taken the assignment and put his own spin on it. If he were to level her up and make her a harder target to kill, then his job would be easier and the girl would be safer. Of course, starting her off with the Herculean Labour quest was a bit overkill, but it wouldn't hurt to overlap their success. He could take her on some hard quests that he hadn't yet completed himself, thus garnering both of them the experience they needed. It was win-win.

The Lioness' had proven to be adversaries requiring caution, as he had assumed they would be. They hit hard and they were fast, but they were manageable. They had spawned ahead of them and in an open field, which made pulling them one at a time that much easier. Once again, Takao's extensive experience with solo play had lent its advantage. The final remaining Lioness lunged at Takao in the same manner that the previous two had. Having given careful notice to their attack pattern, Takao struck at the opponent that presented itself.

Whilst the Lioness was in the air, Takao turned and whipped his leg around, performing a system-guided Ushiro Geri that landed on the Lioness' chest. The debilitating nature of the strike had saved Takao from sustaining damage, and had resulted in the monster falling to the ground, struggling to regain its composure.

- COMBAT RESULTS -

ID: 75988
BD: 8 (7 + 3(ACC) - 2(EVA)) {Concentration - 1/5}
MD: 9 (9 + 1(ACC) - 2(EVA))

Takao
HP: 1265/1415 ( +20 (Battle Healing) )
Energy: 90/140 (+1/-12)
Sword Art: «Full Cowl»
Damage: 15(base) + 5(Charge) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 8(Fallen) = 34 * 9 = 306

Nemean Lioness: 253/512 (306 - 47(MIT) = -259HP)
*STUNNED*

[Takao 0]

Silence persisted, and so did Takao's assault upon the Lioness. He had no patience to allow the battle to continue any longer, and thusly ended the beast with one swift and powerful strike to the side of its face. The force of his punch had sent the monster tumbling, until eventually it shattered into pieces and faded away into the nothingness that some of the more pessimistic players said would claim them all.

His gaze changed and settled upon Aria, who had directed her gaze to the ground. She was young, just a kid perhaps around the same age as his own sister, thrown into hell and hunted even further beyond that. While he hadn't experienced firsthand the turmoil she faced, he was no stranger to being thrown into foreign waters and fighting an uphill battle with the odds stacked against him.

Takao sat down beside Aria's rock and spread his legs out, a long yawn exhaled mere seconds afterward. "I know this whole situation is probably takin' its toll... But I've known your sister for the better part of a year now... and we both know how she is. She'll turn up eventually, if we don't find her first."

- COMBAT RESULTS -

ID: 75998
BD: 6 (3 + 3(ACC))
MD: 5 (6 + 1(ACC) - 2(EVA))

Takao
HP: 1285/1415 ( +20 (Battle Healing) )
Energy: 76/140 (+1/-17)
Sword Art: «All Might»
Damage: 15(base) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 8(Fallen) = 29 * 15 = 435

Nemean Lioness: 0/512 (435 - 47(MIT) = -388HP)
*STUNNED*

[Takao 0]

Fingers tapped diligently away at the virtual keyboard that floated before her. A bead of sweat had grown on her forehead, if only to demonstrate her growing frustration and anxiety within her digital prison. The boy looked like nothing special, and his equipment was was uninteresting as she found his face. Yet surely there was a mystery to him, judging by how easily he dealt with the three Lioness opponents without appearing to have even broken a sweat. She had been tasked to prove herself, which she surely could not do by failing her first ambush.

Quote

Recipient: Death_Adder
Sender: Vryce

Message: The kid is stronger than we thought. I can't do the ambush alone. Can you spare anybody to help?

Her teeth ground together and she forced her hand to send the message. It was a difficult call to make... She could either attack them and surely fail her task, or try to prove to them that she could read a situation adequately enough to know when help was required. She hoped that the latter would be true, but Adders' strict reputation was well known in the Underground. The chances that he would judge her simply for the suggestion was just as much of a possibility as the other options.

A nearly inaudible bleep sounded as an incoming message was received. Her breathing hitched and she looked up, noting that both Takao and Aria hadn't moved yet. The message had gone unheard, which prompted her to open it and read with haste.

Quote

Recipient: Vryce
Sender: Death_Adder

Message: The girl won't fight, and the kid won't kill you. Prove to me that you can handle situations under duress and do as you're told. Do not disappoint me.

Anna bared her teeth and suppressed the growing desire to hiss at his words. How cruel of him, to send her into an unwinnable battle. Fine, she thought to herself. She would trust in her orders, and hinge her survival on the notion that the boy wouldn't kill her after being attacked.

[Takao 0]

She thought that he hadn't heard that discrete little blip of an incoming message, but he had. Takao was especially good at picking up on small queues like that, it was one of few skills he could boast. His ear had simply twitched in the direction of the distinct sound that stood out amidst the ambient noises of the forest and hills. But he knew if they were that close, they would be watching, so he hadn't moved an inch. Instead, he kept his attention on the general area the sound had come from and continued his conversation.

"They call themselves The Horsemen," Aria finally spoke up. "I heard my sister talking to somebody about them a long time ago... I think... she was doing some kind of business with them," She continued, the frustrated expression that twisted her features making clear indication that she was trying hard to remember. Takao appreciated it, for he hadn't even the slightest inkling about their pursuers.

"Trading, maybe... Or crafting..? I don't remember... All I remember is a name. Death Adder." She finished with a hard swallow. It wasn't a pleasant name to speak, it rolled off the tongue like poison.

"Death Adder." He parroted, much easier than she had originally spoken the name, and repressed the urge to snort. He hadn't heard such a villainous sounding name in a while... but it didn't sound familiar in the slightest. None of the frontliners had a username like that, and he'd been partied with plenty to draw such a conclusion. Typically that meant the name in question belonged to somebody whose level wasn't quite up to par with the frontlines, but it wasn't the time to go underestimating.

"...I'll see if I can figure out who that is. I know some people, mostly brokers. Shouldn't be too hard." He said. He climbed to his feet and turned to her. "I've heard rumours of criminal guilds becoming the new fad, kinda... ridin' the coattails of Azure's edginess. Either weirdos roleplayin' some bandits and thieves, or some real piece'a works tryna' get a quick buck. Either way, they all end up bein' losers and halfwits. We got nothin' to worry about." He reassured her with a practiced smile, one that he had once boasted to be genuine but as of recent had felt more like a fabrication. She returned the gesture with a curt smile of her own, perhaps either not entirely convinced or not quite in the mindset to be smiling.

Death Adder... He repeated in his head, mulling over the name for a moment. Why does that name give me such a bad feeling?

[Takao 0]

"Alright, Kiddo. You're gonna wanna keep some distance on this one." said Takao whilst his attention remained on his inventory, who had opened it for a quick gear change. One of countless benefits to his elevated level was a plethora of options available at his disposal; namely his ability to switch the distribution of his damage. The metal equipment that augmented his knuckles disappeared in a brilliant blue light, and was replaced a mere press of a button later by a large sword on his back. He pulled it from its scabbard and examined it briefly. In recent days, he hadn't had such a use for it, but such a harrowing scenario as the one that threatened him required a more brutish approach.

Aria looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes and furrowed her brows in response. "Are you sure this is such a good idea? Doing it alone, I mean." She said, her arms folded. "This is a high level quest, right...? It seems like a stupid risk."

"Well, coincidentally," Takao began his response, taking a short intermission in his reply to twist the cap off a drink and throw it back before finishing. "Stupid risk happens to be my middle name." He couldn't help but chuckle at his own state of being self-aware of the very recklessness that had gotten him as far as it had. Or perhaps it was the simulated alcohol in his system, it was anybody's guess.

The girl rolled her eyes hard. "You're an idiot." She said bluntly.

A faint smirk rolled one side of his cheek upward, and he responded simply in turn. "I know."

---

Vodka used.
Fang of Corrosion switched with Ragnarok.

[Takao 0]

The roar of the Nemean Lion pierced the quiet that had overtaken the seventeenth floor, followed closely by the collective guttural bellows of the Lioness' behind it. Their presence brought a faint smile to Takao's face as he was reminded of his earliest ventures into the Castle Aincrad; danger at every turn, taking on the worst of odds on his lonesome as a self-inflicted challenge. He would be lying if he claimed that having an audience didn't encourage him. Takao really didn't mind showing off, after all.

"Watch and learn!" He called out over his shoulder. His legs tensed and the «Charge» skill was subsequently activated, with the «Tempest» Sword Art stance being assumed in the same motion. The three Lioness' charged first and the Lion wasn't far behind, preparing to meet Takao head on. He met the first of the Lioness' by feigning an overhead blow whilst the Lioness swiped wide. His weight dropped onto his right foot and he ducked under the swipe, the leverage of two hands on the handle of his sword allowing him to swiftly spin it and slam the pommel into the Lioness' lower jaw. The second Lioness closed the distance in an instant and forced him to reposition quickly, shifting his weight to his left foot and spinning the blade to strike the next of his foes in the underbelly with the pommel a second time.

The third Lioness leapt into a pounce and was met halfway by Takao, who intervened and slammed his shoulder into its stomach, allowing the beast to roll over his back before finding the pommel of his sword striking its jaw. Only the Lion was left, and was dealt a swift blow to the top of its skull. All four were left stunned and immobile, whilst Takao also suffered from minor post-motion rigidity.

"Yeesh... S'lil obnoxious that it only strikes with the pommel."

---

COMBAT RESULTS

ID: 78433 - 78434(Lion)
BD: 7 (6 + 3(ACC) - 2(EVA))
MD: 10 (8 + 2(ACC) + 1(Negative Evasion))

Lion BD: 7 (6 + 1(Negative Evasion))

Takao
HP: 1385/1415 ( +40 (Battle Healing) )
Energy: 121/140 (+1/-19)
Sword Art: «Tempest»
Damage: 15(base) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 6(Vodka) + 5(Charge) = 32 * 8 = 256

Nemean Lioness 1-3: 310/512 (256 - 47(MIT) = -209HP)
*STUNNED*

Nemean Lion: 664/838 (256 - 82(MIT) = -174HP)
*STUNNED*

[Takao 0]

"Finally." Takao grumbled as he shrugged off the paralysis that stemmed from the usage of his last sword art. His four adversaries each laid on the ground, struggling to return to their feet. He had a few seconds of respite before the battle would return to intensity, and he had every intention to spend them wisely. His grip on Ragnarok was switched to favour the blade end, and another sword art was selected with a simple shift of his feet and positioning of the sword.

"See? Told you!" He called out to Aria, who responded with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. He chuckled quietly to himself as he cast a sweeping glance over the treeline, finding that their pursuer remained hidden. With a throaty hum, he turned back to the task at hand.

"Alright fellas," said Takao as he relinquished control of his movements to the system. Thankfully and conveniently for the predetermined motions that his selected sword art intended to guide him through, the four feline adversaries had begun to rise to their feet, which made divvying up the six strikes between them a little easier. The lioness' health gauges were dropped significantly, barely hovering above nothingness by a strand of red pixels. The Lion was a little better off, his own gauge showed him to be sitting comfortably around the halfway point. For now, at least.

---

COMBAT RESULTS

ID: 78449
BD: 11 (8 + 3(ACC))
MD:

Lion BD:

Takao
HP: 1415/1415 ( +40 (Battle Healing) )
Energy: 98/140 (+1/-24)
Sword Art: «Calamity Disaster»
Damage: 15(base) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 6(Vodka) = 27 * 12 = 324

Nemean Lioness 1-3: 33/512 (256 - 47(MIT) = -277HP)
*STUNNED*

Nemean Lion: 422/838 (256 - 82(MIT) = -242HP)
*STUNNED*

[Takao 0]

 

The Lioness' lunged as soon as they could, but each was met with a swift stroke of his sword cleaving clean through them before any contact could be made. By sheer luck, or perhaps a thinly veiled attempt at masking clever usage of vague combat sequences, Takao had made it to that point unscathed. But Sword Art Online was a terrible fickle mistress, whose grace or ire was earned as randomly as a roll of the dice. Just like the wind, such success was destined to change, and change it did.

Just as Takao had swung his blade around to strike to Lion, the beast had lunged first. He managed to lodge the blade in its side, but not before it slammed one of its heavy paws down onto his shoulder and slammed its jaws shut around the other. A breath caught in his throat, not from pain but from surprise, and he simply stood motionless for a second.

“Well,” He managed to grunt out with an exhale, his hand trying to free the blade from the monster’s midsection. It was caught, and the angle he was in didn’t provide much leverage. “This is a bit awkward.”

---

COMBAT RESULTS

ID: 78611 - 78612 (Lion)
BD: 11 (8 + 3(ACC))
MD: DEAD

Lion BD: 9 (8 + 1(Negative Evasion))

Takao
HP: 1295/1415 ( 145 - 30(MIT) = 105 - 40 (Battle Healing) - 55(Bleed, 4/5) = -120 HP )
Energy: 75/140 (+1/-24)
Sword Art: «Calamity Disaster»
Damage: 15(base) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 6(Vodka) = 27 * 12 = 324

Nemean Lioness 1-3: 0/512 (256 - 47(MIT) = -277HP)

Nemean Lion: 180/838 (256 - 82(MIT) = -242HP)

[Takao 0]

"Okay, friend," Takao said as he struggled to lift his leg, placing it on the chest of the beast. He pried it off him and pinned it to the ground with his foot, hefting the blade from its form in the same smooth motion. A bite mark patterned wound adorned his left shoulder now, one that he was thankful would go away and never return, although the residual effects of its damage continued. Even as his battle healing ticked, it only proved to mitigate the incoming damage from the lingering wound.

"First off, rude." He continued, lifting the blade above his head to trigger the sword art he expected to end the battle. "Second, thanks for stayin' away from the face. Thas' my bread 'n butter." A bit of mindless, idle banter brought him back to his earliest days of hunting and grinding, and with the memories came a faint and curt smile. He swung the blade down like a guillotine and cleaved the beast's head from its shoulders, leaving it in two pieces. The body exploded into polygons and colourful, shimmering fragments, just as the three Lioness' had done before it.

A second passed and a menu appeared in front of both himself and Aria, the latter taking a moment to skim its contents whilst Takao simply closed it. His eyes were now cast upon the treeline, and his reveal skill was activated. The foliage peeled back and the skill showed to him their secrets, yet the person whose eyes he could feel on him remained unseen. With narrowed eyes and furrowed brows, he made his way back to Aria.

---

COMBAT RESULTS

ID: 78693
BD: 10 (10 + 3(ACC))
MD: DEAD

Lion BD: DEAD

Takao
HP: 1280/1415 ( 55 (Bleed, 3/5) - 40 (Battle Healing) = -15 HP )
Energy: 63/140 (+1/-13)
Sword Art: «Galaxy Destroyer»
Damage: 15(base) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 6(Vodka) + 2(Critical) = 29 * 13 = 377

Nemean Lioness 1-3: DEAD

Nemean Lion: 0/838 (377 - 82(MIT) = -295HP)

[Takao 0]

"Knew this would come in handy someday..." Takao said as he rummaged through his inventory list, eventually procuring a lilac coloured liquid housed within a decorate glass encasement. He pulled the top off and downed the drink in a single go, the effects of the consumed fluid resulted in his shoulder wound healing almost instantaneously. His usual rate of health generation returned just as Aria approached him.

"Well... Okay then, I'll admit that was impressive. Wasn't expecting you to make it look that easy, Freckles." She said, managing her usual mysterious mixture of compliment and insult. Had he not been so preoccupied, his amused exhale might have even been a chuckle. But unfortunately, they had bigger problems at hand.

"Here," He said, handing her a blue crystal bound in silver detailing. She took it, although not without a confused and concerned expression growing on her face. "If I tell you to use this, use it. No hestitatin' and no buts, just do it, yeah?" He explained. He gave her a chastising look, as if he knew she would protest it and he intended to stop her before she started. It worked, and she remained quiet and compliant. At least as far as he could tell.

Takao turned, his back to Aria and his front to the woods, and he took a few strides forward. “Alright,” He began, addressing the unknown entity lurking beyond the foliage. “I know you’re there, ‘n I know you know I’m there. So come on out, let’s not make it any more awkward than it already is.”

He set the flat side of his blade upon his shoulder and kept his eyes forward, narrowed on the spot where he had the feeling their observer was located. He was met with silence, and responded in turn with a sigh. Without moving his head, he looked to the right and pressed one of the ocular buttons on his display. The result was his detect skill’s activation.

“Also, I can see your cursor.”

---

SEARCHING RESULTS

ID: 78708
LD: 18 (8 + 5(S&D) + 3(Detect) + 2(Reveal)

Vryce's Stealth Rating: 18 - FOUND

[Takao 0]

"Tch... Figures..." Anna hissed through clenched teeth, slowly standing up and stepping out from the foliage. She looked up the hill to Takao, whose own eyes bore down upon her. "Even with the cloak, you still managed to spot me. You're full of surprises." She commented idly, brushing the stray leaves and brush from her clothing.

"That surprises you?" Takao said in response, his eyebrow quirking upward. "You don't know who I am then?" He continued, glancing over his shoulder to Aria, who shot him a glance that was somewhere between annoyed and ashamed.

"Come on. Takao? The scout? Y'know, the guy who found like... two boss rooms in under three hours each? Not ringin' a bell?" He said, holding one hand out from his side in an expectant gesture. Anna simply raised her eyebrow in a questioning manner, practically asking him if he was being serious with just her expression.

"You guys are gonna make me cry." He huffed a breath and shook his head, sliding Ragnarok from his shoulder and resting the tip in the soft soil beneath his feet. His eyes refocused on Anna and his head tilted. "So, you're following us then. Been following us for a while now, too. But you're only now showing your face-- why?"

"The girl," Anna replied curtly. She gestured with her head to Aria, then looked back to Takao. "If you're smart, you'll hand her over and save both of us a lot of trouble. Otherwise, you're gonna start diggin' a nice grave for yourself." She threatened. On her lonesome it was mostly an idle one, but she spoke knowing that her back was supported.

Takao stared at her for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing. The whistle of wind rushing between them filled the silence in a cinematic way, and he responded once the quiet had returned. "That's not going to happen." He said, pulling the sword from the ground and lifting its tip to face her. She drew her own weapon, a long katana with a milky white blade and ash-black hilt.

"Have it your way, then." She replied. Her charge skill was activated and she leapt forward, swinging downward at Takao, who promptly lifted his sword to meet her's.

---

INITIATIVE RESULTS

Takao
ID: 78724
LD: 25 (20 + 5(S&D)

Vryce
ID: 78725
LD: 20

[Takao 0]

Takao and Anna caught each other's blades in a bind, the edges of their swords biting into one another. She seemed to struggle against his hold, and understandably so; Takao had consumed an impressive amount of buffs prior to his engagement with the Lions. From the speed of her movements, he could tell there was a bit of a level difference as well, working further into his favour.

This did pose a new problem however, and that was gauging exactly how much damage she could withstand without being killed. He wasn't a murderer, and even in self defense he was certain he wouldn't bring himself to that point.

Takao lifted his foot and slammed it into her midsection in a single pair of motions, knocking her back from the bind. He closed the distance and swung a vertical, overhead cut which Anna caught with the flat of her sword, deflecting it to the side. As she lifted her katana to strike again, Takao slammed his foot down and used the momentum to carry his blade around. Anna was forced to reroute her strike and braced her katana against her left arm, which Ragnarok promptly slammed into. The force of the strike was enough to knock her off her feet and tumbling across the ground, kicking up dust as she rolled.

Anna recovered with grace as Takao leapt the short distance with his sword raised above his head. As he landed, he carried the sword down with power, causing it to crash into the grass. A plume of dirt and grass exploded where his sword had made impact, and Anna tumbled out of the dust once more. This time, she had a large red gash stretching from her left shoulder to the bottom of her midsection. As Takao emerged from the dust cloud, he glanced down at his own person and noted two distinct slash markings. His health hadn't moved a considerable amount, compared to Anna who had a little less than half remaining.

"I don't 'spose you'll reconsider now and shove off, will ya'?" He said, resting the sword on his shoulder again.

---

COMBAT RESULTS

TAKAO

ID: 78756
BD: 6 (3 + 3(ACC))

HP: 1186/1415 ( 224(Raw Damage) - 30 = 194 - 40(Battle Healing) = -154HP )
Energy: 53/140 (+1/-13)
Sword Art: «Galaxy Destroyer»
Damage: 15(base) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 6(Vodka) + 5(Charge) = 32 * 13 = 416

 

VRYCE

ID: 78757
BD: 9 (9 + 3(ACC))

HP: 328/885 ( -416 HP )
Energy: 74/88 (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «San Ge»
Damage: 15(base) + 1(Critical) = 16 * 14 = 224

[Takao 0]

Anna clenched her jaw shut tight and ground her teeth. It was painfully apparent by their difference in damage output that she was vastly outgunned, but she remembered his words; The kid wouldn't kill her. It seemed as though such a claim was true. She had witnessed Takao using the martial arts skill to take down the Lioness', and that particular set of sword skills outmatched the two handed sword's, yet he still used something with a lower damage output. In addition to that, he wasn't immediately attacking her again. She could run-- it would certainly have been the smart thing to do, but doing so would not go without punishment. She had to fight.

"Getting a little ahead of yourself there, aren't you? You haven't killed me yet!" She shouted out, lunging forward with unexpected speed. Aria watched in the background and flinched as her blade sank into Takao's chest, tearing through his midsection and gouging out a portion of his health. Takao, on the other hand, seemed wholly unimpressed.

"I gave you an out, man." He said, placing his hand on her shoulder to push her off. His nonchalant demeanor in the face of being stabbed caught her off guard, and she was thrown from her feet, hands releasing their grip on the blade. Takao lifted his off-hand and grasped the katana's handle, slowly pulling it from his midsection before tossing it to the ground.

"Why ain't none of you cartoon villains ever take the out?" Takao said, slowly moving toward her. "Whatever. Have it your way." He dismissed her poor choice of actions and raised Ragnarok over his head, the blade shining a bright green.

Anna lifted her hand and covered her face as the blade swung down, but to both their surprise, no metal to flesh contact was made. Instead, the shrill screech of steel hitting steel echoed out, followed by the hollow sound of a foot slamming into a chest.

"Ghk-!" Takao's breathing caught in his chest as he was kicked back with impressive and unexpected force. His back made contact with the ground and threatened to send him into a roll, had his hand not stretched out and caught himself with a single-handed handstand. The momentum proved a little harder to manage however, and he still toppled over.

He grit his teeth and immediately clambered back to his feet, only to feel the tip of a blade pressing to his throat mid-stand.

---

COMBAT RESULTS

TAKAO

ID: 78756
BD: 10 (3 + 3(ACC))

HP: 1018/1415 ( 238(Raw Damage) - 30 = 208 - 40(Battle Healing) = -168HP )
Energy: 47/140 (+1/-9)
Sword Art: «Fight Blade»
Damage: 15(base) + 6(Damage Crystal) + 6(Vodka) + 5(Charge) = 29 * 6 = 174

 

VRYCE

ID: 78757
BD: 9 (9 + 3(ACC))

HP: 328/885
Energy: 61/88 (+1/-14)
Sword Art: «San Ge»
Damage: 15(base) + 2(Critical) = 17 * 14 = 238