[SP] [F01] Icy Fish Fencer <<The Fourth Lesson, Is Actually Free>>

[Tsurei 0]

Charging up the Art again, Rei readied his swing, timing for when the wolf would leap at him, this time as well, his blade crashed into the wolf’s torso, leaving a bright red digital gash and throwing the wolf several meters away, tumbling to the side in the snow.

“Tch, so it takes 5 direct hits to kill these things,” Rei frowned, he was far too weak, he desperately needed to make up his mind, did he still want to go down the katana path that he was used to? Or just settle for the Curve Swords he had available to him now?

After this quest, he needed to head back to town, pick up his armour and figure out a way to obtain a katana, they needed to prepare before heading to the 2^nd floor and dealing with that Venomous Warg quest. He glanced around at his friends to see how they were doing,

 

ID# 133328
BD: 5 +3 = Hit [Rage Blow]
MD: 8 = Hit

Damage Dealt = 3 x 2 = 6

Damage Received = 9 - 8 = 1

Rei: HP: 238/240 | EN: 21 (-2+1) /24 | 3 DMG | 8 MIT | 0 EVA| 3 ACC| 1 BLD

Wolf: HP: 18/30 | 9 DMG 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

Yuta was doing just fine, he was sticking to Rank 1 Dagger for later unarmed, he was making good use to normal techniques that he knew he could use against wild animals like wolves, but there weren’t all that large of a variety, it was as simple as going for the neck or underbelly with these things and the usual things he needed to do was wait for the wolves to make a mistake, such as leap at him, leaving them helpless in the air and that’s when he can preform a number of take downs, a duck and slash to the stomach, a grapple and pin to the ground before a slash and so on.

Every now and then he would use Round Accel, becoming a flash of grey light, dashing past and around the wolf, coming back to where he started, from up top, the curved movement created a oval like shape as he slashed out at them during the speedy movement the Art gave him.

ID# 133329
BD: 5 +3 = Hit [Rage Blow]
MD: 9 = Crit +1

Damage Dealt = 3 x 2 = 6

Damage Received = 9 + 1 - 8 = 2

Rei: HP: 236/240 | EN: 20 (-2+1) /24 | 3 DMG | 8 MIT | 0 EVA| 3 ACC| 1 BLD

Wolf: HP: 12/30 | 9 DMG 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

Takumi didn’t try out anything fancy or new, a simple raise shield up to block, charge spear for Pierce, let the wolf bounce off the shield and stab when they are still stunned, a easy, simple and repetitive technique. Though before the fight ends the wolf usually changes tactics by then and surprises him, these surprises usually lead to a bout of panicking leading to a rough and dirty fight were Takumi forces his spear into the throat to kill the wolf, panting heavily afterwards.

Kenji was getting the hang of it, if by charging his art and launching an attack blindly when the wolf wasn’t busy knocking him over with body tackles and leaps, he seems to be constantly using Snake Bite and nothing else, so far, Rei has not seen him use his Rank 2 Arts at all. For Kenji, he didn’t think much about what Art to use and he didn’t really care so long as the wolf was dead, so he just lashed out with the Art he was used to as much as possible. Though his accuracy wasn’t great, the Art was 3 quick strikes, so most of the time, at least 1 landed.

ID# 133330
BD: 6 +3 = Hit [Rage Blow]
MD: 5 = Miss

Damage Dealt = 3 x 2 = 6

Rei: HP: 236/240 | EN: 19(-2+1) /24 | 3 DMG | 8 MIT | 0 EVA| 3 ACC| 1 BLD

Wolf: HP: 6/30 | 9 DMG 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

They were nearly wrapped up here, the Lake wasn’t too far off, a few more minutes and they’ll reach it. Rei draw back his cutlass and charged up his Art, this would be the killing blow. When the wolf leapt at Rei, he jumped to the side, slashing as he went with a large horizontal sweep, throwing him that extra distance making it seem like he was out of range, slashing the wolf as he went by, he could see the bright blue arc crash into the wolf with a huge crack of force, it was a Crit.

“Now of all times?” Rei rolled his eyes, it would have been far more useful if it had come earlier, he would’ve finished this fight a good half minute ago.

Random chance grievances aside, they finished up their fight, each time quicker than the last. Letting out a sigh of relief, the four of them gathered up and began to head for the lake.

ID# 133331
BD: 10 +3 = Crit + 2[Rage Blow]
MD: 3 = Miss

Damage Dealt = (3 + 2) x 2 = 10

Rei: HP: 236/240 | EN: 18(-2+1) /24 | 3 DMG | 8 MIT | 0 EVA| 3 ACC| 1 BLD

Wolf: HP: 6/30 | 9 DMG 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

“It looks like we’re getting better,” Yuta noted, looking over Takumi and Kenji’s tired expressions before looking at Rei for confirmation,

“Yeah, somewhat,” he nodded back, “Takumi needs to try and experiment a bit more, though maybe he just needs to fight different types of enemies, Kenji’s getting there, I suppose swinging blindly is better than not swinging at all,” he jokes,

“Y-yeah…” Kenji scratches his cheek embarrassed,

“I mean, my tactic is the safest and most effective, I don’t see a problem with it,” Takumi shrugs with a small frown,

“For now that is, it’s best to get some experience do other tactics whilst things are still easy,” Rei informs, “The next floor’s going to be rough,”

“Right…” Takumi sighs, he looked at the numbers, he knows that the difficulty is a good bit higher quite well.

“Hey, I see someone in the lake there,” Yuta points out, a vague figure of a man standing in the middle of the lake, seated on a small stool, bucket to his side and a fishing rod in his hand, facing a small, cut out hole in the lake.

[Tsurei 0]

When they got closer, they found a old man wearing a thick padded jacket, along with a fluffy black hat with flaps to cover his ears, he wore thin black gloves so they wouldn’t interfere with his fishing but still provide a modicum of warmth. Glancing over he narrows his eyes at them, “What do you youngsters want with me?”

“Oh, we’re just here to send a package from Hannah,” Rei answered, glancing at his friends, the four of them materialised the `package` and handed it over,

“Oh, from Hannah? Then at last…” he breathes, taking all four packages and putting them behind him, when he takes his hand back out, a rather thick and sturdy fishing rod was now in his hands, he looks it over, awed, “Ooh…. This will do nicely…” he looks up at the four of them, “Hey, you’re strapping young strong fellas, adventurers right? Why don’t you help me catch this beast of a fish and I’ll give a little reward to you?”

[Tsurei 0]

“I mean, what’s the reward?” Yuta shrugged, “You’re not going to just give us fish, right?”

The man scowled, “You young’un’s are never interested in helping people, always about the reward!” he frowns over, “I’m afraid I’ve only got fish here, but I promise it’s the best damn fish you’ll ever have!”

“We’ll help,” Rei sighed, it was part of the quest chain after all, the fish snacks were hardly a good incentive, but the bonus exp was.

“Excellent,” the man nodded, “You can call me Ol’ Pete, before we get fishing, we’re going to need to cut a few more holes, and larger ones at that,” he muses, looking at the frozen over lake, “I’ll go get some tools,” he explains, running over back to his small log cabin.

“… Just so we’re clear, I’ve never fished before,” Takumi declares,

“Neither have I…” Kenji timidly adds,

“I know, I know!” Rei sighs, “None of us have, I have no idea who the game will decide to do it, but it should as simple as turning the reel and heaving the fish of water, right?”

[Tsurei 0]

Ol’ Pete later came out with a number of tools, large, heavy crude tools to smash open a hole, that is to say something akin to a pickaxe. He handed the four of them one and set them off on smashing open a large enough hole to fish something big, all the while he sat there watching them toil away.

Sweat dripping on their brow even in the cold winter, the constant sounds of tinging as the metal pickaxes smashed into the thick ice of the lake, gradually creating a small pit and eventually a hole they would then work carefully and gradually expand these holes until they were nearly meters in radius.

“Why isn’t that damn old man helping us out?” Yuta cursed, wiping the sweat off his forehead,

“I’m an old man! You’re strapping young adventurers, sometimes it’s best to leave things to the young!” Ol’ Pete cackled,

It looked like this quest was going to take a lot longer than expected…

[Tsurei 0]

Well, the sun was not yet down, but it seemed like long by the time they were each handed large fishing poles, given a seat and told to fish.

“What’s this?” Yuta pointed to the strangely fat, wriggling thing at the end of their hooks, it was sure as hell no normal worm,

“It’s a special bait for this particular beast, a favourite of its,” Ol’ Pete winked, avoiding giving them a straight answer.

With a uncertain glance at each other at their four separate fishing holes, they sighed, “Well, let’s get started,” Rei declared, lobbing the line into the hole, the others doing the same.

ID# 133486 

CD: 4 =Fail

At first, they were attentive, feeling for even the slightest tug on their lines, but soon enough, it became clear that nothing was going to happen anytime soon. Ol Pete helped them sit up a contraption to hold the reels in place and handed out hot chocolate, which was extremely delightful for them all.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

Sipping hot chocolate whilst fishing in winter, huddled up in their thick jackets over a frozen lake, surrounded by vast plains of nature, a dead forest nearby and the city not too far off, all atop a floating chunk of land that is the base of a huge steel fortress in the sky.

Yeah, it’s safe to say that none of them expected such a moment in their lives. For Rei, it was in this moment of peaceful relaxation that he was keenly reminded of his reason for beginning this journey, he waned to make more moments like this and share them with his friends.

Travelling in the real world took a lot of time and money, and nothing was ever going to go perfectly, where would they stay, what would they eat, what would they do. Sure, they were concerns here as well, but since it was just a game per say, they could enjoy it.

ID# 133487

CD: 5

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

Of course, they now had the added complication of actual real death, and the worries about food and money never really left, but you can bet that fishing like this was not going to be something they would ever dream of doing.

“So hey, Old man, why are you hanging out here anyway?” Yuta asked, glancing over at Ol’ Pete,

“How rude,” he scoffed, “I live here, some peace and quiet from all the business of the city, fishing is what I’m good at and this place has some good fish,”

“Do you sell them at the market?” Takumi wonders,

“Sometimes, not really my thing, if I catch something real special like what I’m hoping for today with you lot, I might take it over,”

“Why is there a Sword Fish in there anyway?” Kenji wondered,

At that moment, all four of the rods suddenly cracked with strain, something was tugging on them. The five of them exchanged shocked glances,

“Go!” Ol’ Pete cried out and all 4 of them ran over to their poles, lifting them up and trying to pull the fish out.

ID# 133488

CD: 6

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

Taking hold of the fishing rods, they began to pull as hard as they could, but it was like a tug of war against a small bull or something, it was stupidly tough and perhaps because it was in the water, it could move in any direction, it was insanely exerting to try and adjust the direction of their pull, the fishing pole was bending and straining to the point it felt like it was going to snap straight in half.

“What the hell is with this… fish!?” Rei grit his teeth and heaved as hard as he could,

“AHHH!” Kenji screamed as in no time at all, he along with the fishing pole was pulled into the lake,

“Kenji!?” Yuta cried out, he was going to go over and help but the pull of the fishing rod made him stand his ground.

Distracted for a moment was all that was needed for Takumi to follow soon, even though Rei couldn’t see them, the screams and splashes sounded out, eventually, he too was pulled under.

A pitch black darkness, an explosion of icy waters drowned every inch of his body, he realised he was squeezing his eyes shut and when he reopened, he was under a icy lake, surrounded by cold, dark blue waters, a large shape moving through them. Around he could see his friends, struggling to stay calm, but his eyes caught sudden movement, dark shapes were headed their way.

ID# 133524
BD: 5 +3 = Hit [Rage Blow]
MD: 3 = Miss

Damage Dealt = 3 x 2 = 6

Rei: HP: 240/240 | EN: 22 (-2) /24 | 3 DMG | 8 MIT | 0 EVA| 3 ACC| 1 BLD

Sword Fish: HP: 29/35| 50/5 DMG 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

Rei quickly drew his Icy Cutlass, raising it over his back and realigning his body, trying to hold his breath, he lashed out the moment the shapes got close enough, he nearly didn’t make it with the Sword Fish being so quick, it dashed through the waters and nearly impaled in if he wasn’t fast enough to twist away and lash down, the friction and resistance the water was giving him made it even harder to land a hit, even so, with a loud blue crack and a explosion of force, he seemed to have landed the hit.

A red digital gash appeared on the fish as it went by, coming in to charge for a second round, all around, Rei could hear the dull, thumping sounds of chaos as his friends were scrambling, either to fight or to get to the surface.

Could he drown in this game?

He really didn’t want to find out.

ID# 133525
BD: 10 +3 = Crit +2 [Rage Blow] [Bleed Inflicted]
MD: 1 = Miss

Damage Dealt = (3 + 2)x 2 = 10

Rei: HP: 240/240 | EN: 22 (-2) /24 | 3 DMG | 8 MIT | 0 EVA| 3 ACC| 1 BLD

Sword Fish [Bleeding 1/2] : HP: 7/35| 50/5 DMG 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

That… was a perfect hit! Rei was ecstatic that the next joust went perfectly, he readied his body, namely his feet to be prepared to kick away, at the same time, he planned for a upward diagonal swing as fast as he could, it was the trickiest of the angled strikes that could come from the Rage Blow stance, it was the direct opposite direction it was meant to be used after all, if he was too slow, the activation window for the Art would fade before he could strike. He couldn’t do it much above ground, but in panic mode, he seemed to have touched upon the inspiration to preform it.

Kicking off from the waters, he swung his blade, a beautiful neon blue arc under the water, crashing against the sword fish as it went by created a huge red gash that was dark red and spreading.

A critical means a Bleed!

He glanced at the fish’s health, it was done, he didn’t need to fight anymore.

ID# 133526
MD: 4 = Miss

Rei: HP: 240/240 | EN: 22 (-2) /24 | 3 DMG | 8 MIT | 0 EVA| 3 ACC| 1 BLD

Sword Fish [Bleeding 0/2] : HP: 7/35| 50/5 DMG 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Tsurei

[Tsurei 0]

He climbed to the top of the lake, managing to find the hole he fell in and burst from the surface, gasping for breath, his entire body had gone numb before he realised it and the moment he surfaced, Ol Pete grabbed his arm and hefted him up with surprising strength,

“I got you, boy!”

Rei was helped up by several hands, coughing up some water, looking around, he saw that pretty much everyone was up on the lake’s surface as well,

“Are you okay?” Yuta crouched closely, concern plain as day on his face,

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” Rei nodded, “I took down the Sword Fish,” he stated, looking over at the opening, everyone watched as the body of the Sword Fish floated up to the surface, dead.

“W-whoa!” Ol Pete cried out in shock and awe, “Oh…. My….” He finally got the beast he was hunting all this time, his overflowing joy was easy to see, “I didn’t give you enough credit, boy! This is amazing!”

[Tsurei 0]

“You fought it under the water?” Takumi raised a brow and frowned, his face a mixture of pure shock and amazement,

“Yeah,” Rei nodded, standing up shakily from the cold, “Somehow, I procced a crit on the second hit with Art, Bleed procced and as you can see…”

“Holy hell…” Kenji gawped,

“I can’t believe you tried to fight it under the water,” Yuta sighed, “But still, you’ve done it,”

“Yeah… quest complete for me, and you guys?” Rei nodded, looking over,

“No, no, don’t expect me to have pulled that off,” Yuta backed off shaking his head feverently,

“We just headed for the surface as soon as we could,” Takumi nodded in answer,

“Well, this quest isn’t going to be finished unless you guys hunt down yours as well,” Rei shrugged,

“You can’t be serious…” Kenji sighed,

“Come on, I’ll help, let’s hunt them one by one together, alright?” Rei grinned,

[Tsurei 0]

It took some time, but one by one, by ganging up on their targets they were able to hunt down the Sword Fish without too much effort, old man Pete was ecstatic with their haul that night and was more than happy to cook some sword fish fillet for them that night, which was absolutely tasty, it was strange texture, it was all sea food, but it was like having crab, lobster or prawn compared to normal fish, it had that kind of odd, unique but delicious difference.

The sun was setting when Ol Pete sent them off with some souvenirs from the quest, if the quest reward turned out to be different seasoning on the Sword Fish fillet, they couldn’t really complain about the rewards after having a taste of it.

“I can’t believe our reward was some fish, that’s not useful at all,” Takumi sighed,

“Hey, don’t be such a downer, it tastes great and gives us a buff,” Rei laughed, nudging him, “Come on, lets run on back so we can get some curry for dinner,”

[Tsurei 0]

Now that their Quest Chain was finished, it was time to move on, first, to the second floor to hunt that Venomous Warg, but not before they scoured the town and procured the appropriate equipment, at this point, Rei was the only one without his final weapon or armour, the others all had theirs, so he was behind on the gear aspect. Considering how tough their coming fight would be, they needed him to be fully geared.

After the quest, Rei found that Secret Medicine of the Forest as well as the Familiar Search Quest was here, he realised it might be good to go do those as well as do Nature’s Treasure for some material gathering, he had a feeling that Materials at Ceres’ shop would be insanely popular after all, he wasn’t too sure about the stock she had left.

They trudged along through the snowy grasslands, trying to avoid the wolves that come from the Forest nearby, but fights were inevitable, with all the mobs wandering, it was impossible to not have to fight some.

[Tsurei 0]

Thanks to Ol Pete’s hospitality, they had some food and were able to dry themselves off with a towel and rest in front of a fire in his log cabin, it was a warm cozy period of rest for them, whilst they already had the cold and were sniffling whilst huddled in blankets, eating some deliciously fried fish, even though they were under the hospitality of a NPC, it really felt real, that feeling of wonder, warmth and simple happiness, it felt genuine.

It was hard to describe how impactful it was to feel warm in the heart, but Rei was certain, he was never going to forget it, and this feeling would push him onward to the other floors in search of more moments like these.

Since the Sword Fish fillet was in their inventory, it wasn’t going to go off anytime soon, so they could actually have it anytime they wanted in the future, but Rei looked over at his friends smiles and he knew that they probably won’t, and just leave it in there as a memory.

[Tsurei 0]

Arriving back at the Silver Horned Tavern, they were promptly greeted by Rossa, the tavern was busy as ever, filled with the usual unmotivated group, Rossa’s face brightened up the moment she saw them,

“You’re back! You’re nearly late you know?” she quickly shoved them into their seats with a sweet smile, her fiery ponytail swaying as she did so,

“Haha, sorry about that, hell of a day,” Rei smiled back,

“Sheesh, and here I was all worried about you all,” she smiled warmly seeing that their group was all strangely happy, “What happened?”

“Well, you see, we went down to Ol Pete and managed to help him fish up a Sword Fish!” Rei explained,

“What’s that? Never heard of it,”

“Well, it’s this huge fish,” Rei mimed with his hands, “With a really sharp nose, like a sword or rapier, it uses it to cut up and poke other fish to kill them and eat,”

“You managed to haul that up?” she looked at them sceptically,