[SP-F01] Earning A Living

[Saix 0]

This time he had a better idea of what to expect when his opponent suddenly darted forward. Doing his best to keep the long blade of the sword pointed at the creature, he tried again to let it spear itself. And again he was too slow. Not only that, but the Kobold was able to get around the blade, and close enough to score an attack against his shoulder. [censored], his crappy luck might get him killed at this rate.

Vandal 8/9

Kobold Scout: 7/8

[Saix 0]

Stepping forward before his nimble opponent could recover, Vandal barreled into his opponent slashing upward and trying to open it from hip to shoulder in one big upward diagonal slash. The blade met resistance as it sliced into leather and flesh, eliciting a squeal from his rat like opponent. It was good to get another hit in, but dammit this was going to take forever at this rate. He could barely hit this thing for some reason.

Vandal: 8/9

Kobold Scout: 6/8

[Saix 0]

Pressing forward Vandal decided that he needed to make up for lost ground, and brought the sword back down in a mirror arc of the upward slash he had just landed, hoping to retrace the same path and score a successful downward slash. Again his blade bit into flesh, eliciting a squeal and thrashing from his unfortunate enemy. It seemed that this attack had inflicted some critical damage. About damned time.

Vandal: 8/9

Kobold Scout: 4/8

[Saix 0]

As tempted as he was to just keep swinging, he needed to play this smart and back off. At close range that dagger was much faster than his big bulky sword, and could cut him to pieces. So he stepped back, thrusting his sword out to fend off any quick strike that his opponent might make. This time he got lucky, because his wounded opponent attacked in a flash, impaling itself directly upon his sword with an ear splitting squeal.

Vandal: 8/9

Kobold Scout: 2/8

[Saix 0]

Kicking the creature off with his blade, Vandal studied it's health bar. It was in the red, which meant he could win this fight soon if he was careful. But that also meant he had to be patient, in the redzone there was no telling what it might do. That last attack had been launched with almost no warning, and the AI was going to drive the Kobold into attacking furiously to keep from being destroyed.

[Saix 0]

Cocking his sword back, and staying in a ready half crouch, Vandal stepped closer, carefully preparing to attack. Doing his best to judge the distance, he attacked, twisting at the waist to bring the heavy sword around in a wide horizontal arc that tore into the creature's belly and dropped it's HP even further. Oh hell yes, this was what he was talking about. Come on, just one more hit!

Vandal: 8/9

Kobold Scout: 1/8

[Saix 0]

Victory was close enough that he could taste it. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, he pressed his advantage, drawing the big heavy sword back and thrusting forward, hoping to end the battle here and now. Unfortunately, his opponent had other ideas, and twisted aside. It seemed it didn't want to die, leaving the two at cross purposes. But Vandal wasn't going to let that stop him, he had enough HP left to make the risk of pursuing the creature at close range worthwhile, even if it got in a few lucky strikes with that dagger.

Vandal: 8/9

Kobold Scout: 1/8

[Saix 0]

It was in close now, no doubt trying to cut him to ribbons with that dagger, but he wasn't going to stop now; and he lashed out with the hilt of his sword, hoping to brain the little [censored] with the heavy handle of the two handed sword. Unfortunately, his attack proved to be another miss, as the Kobold suddenly darted in low and sank it's dagger blade into his side. [censored], that didn't hurt, but it did feel weird...

Vandal: 7/9

Kobold Scout: 1/8

[Saix 0]

Muttering a curse he pulled himself free and placed his sword out between the two of them in a ready position. This thing was just too damned fast. Maybe fighting a dagger user had been a mistake after all. That dagger might have been small, but damn was it quick, and most of the attacks were fast charges that suddenly darted in, it was throwing his aim all to [censored]. But it was almost dead, he just needed one more lucky hit.

[Saix 0]

Lifting the sword again, Vandal rushed his attack, slamming the blade downward in a mighty overhand slash. He didn't just want to hit the little [censored], he wanted to drive it into the ground like a nail. And yet again he missed. By this point he couldn't even be disappointed, he was just numb. He needed better gear, something that would help him hit the goddamned thing. Or do more damage so it would have already been dead by now. And for the counter attack, it was going to just dash in and cut him up again, he knew it.

[Saix 0]

In came the Kobold, leading low and fast with that damned dagger, aiming to stab in him the gut no doubt. And down came the hilt of Vandal's sword, hoping the brain the little bastard right in the head. With a hollow clonk, vaguely similar to a coconut being thrown into a brick wall, the Kobold shuddered under the weight of the blow, before suddenly bursting like a busted pane of glass. Finally! He had finally killed it! After missing it twice as many times as hitting it. Good lord, this game was going to be awful if every fight went like that.

Vandal 7/9

Kobold Scout: 0/8

[Saix 0]

Picking up his four pieces of scrap iron, and grimacing at the awful experience he looked around. He still needed to kill two more of these things before he could go back. [censored].

***Several Hours later***

Annoyed, tired, and sore; Vandal trudged back into Starter City; having fulfilled his goal and killed the 3 Kobolds. At least it had gotten a little better. The speedy little dagger users had been so fast that it made trying to hit them an exercise in frustration. But he was done, finally. Heading back to the little NPC smith, he turned in the quest, and was awarded the Blacksmith profession. Now he could start crafting, and judging by how everything else had annoyed him today,the crafting was probably going to awful as well.