[F3-PP] Hunting Minotaurs (Search for the Hoya)

[Rebekah 0]

Rebekah had returned to the third floor for the first time since she was looking for an adventure. It had been a long time that she had entered a labyrinth, or perhaps she has never entered one officially in Aincrad. Today, that was going to change, she knew that there was a quest here on the 3rd floor which allowed was known to have two Minotaurs with a reward. This was going to be a relatively safe quest, as she should easily overpower the monsters on this floor. She had heard all about it but she has never set foot anywhere near this labyrinth. As she exited the teleportation gate onto the 3rd floor, she was greeted by a NPC in the settlement of Aruyt. She was told she was looking for a large man, by the name of Larbrook. Rebekah walked over to the large NPC who stood out among this floor, it was the battle axe. She did not recall the last time she saw a NPC openly carrying such a large weapon in the middle of the town.

Spoiler

Rebekah
Level 32 | HP 640/640 | EN 82/82 | DMG: 22 | MIT:  48 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | LD: 3
Battle Heal 5% | Survival +10% | Anti-freeze | EN -2

Equipment:
Laevateinn II (T4 RAPIER) 3 [DMG]
 Silver Necklace (T4 Trinket) 3 [ACC]
Unbroken (T4 Shield) 2 [MIT] [Anti-freeze]

Skills:
Weapon Skill (R5) | 7 [DMG]
Battle Healing (R5) | 5% (32 HP)
Searching (R3) | 3 [LD] 3 [SD]

Combat Masteries:
Evasion (R1) | 1 [EVA]

Add-ons:
Ferocity | 2 [DMG]
Stamina | 2 [EN]
Precision | 1 [ACC]

Extra:
Survival
Disguise

 

[Morningstar 0]

Aruyt.

Morningstar was by no means a master explorer, but he'd been around the third floor quite a few times. Aruyt was at the bottom of his list of settlements. The rabbit people, as he thought of them, were friendly but the town itself was... sketchy, for lack of a better term. After all, it was built in the trees and if you weren't careful, you could fall out of trees.

The last time he'd visited Aruyt, he and a friend had been chasing a tip they'd received from some broker about a rare item—he didn't remember what anymore. The lead turned out to be false and after nearly killing themselves multiple times, they'd vowed never to return to the third floor.

But here he was, breaking his vows.

"Sorry Katar," Morningstar sighed, stepping into the green city.

If not for the bad memories, he'd have found the town to be peaceful. In that moment, it was quiet. There weren't the bustling crowds of people that he was used to in the Town of Beginnings. It was a nice change, he thought. As he passed, he smiled at a rabbit girl selling an assortment of fruits he'd never seen before.

Unfortunately, he wasn't there for the fruits. Morningstar had teleported to Aruyt for a quest that he'd put off for a long time: Search for the Hoya. He approached the woman at the stand.

"You don't happen to know where I could find a man named Larbrook, do you?" He glanced down at the fruits, finding it hard to stay on task.

The NPC looked puzzled, as if deciding whether to tell the truth or not. "I do. He's not someone I'm particularly fond of, though."

The merchant shifted uneasily. Morningstar had been told that the Faune didn't know what to think of Larbrook. He had the look of a marauder and the personality of a beast—or so he'd heard.

"I'll take one of these," he winked, pointing at a viridian fruit that resembled an abnormally large cherry.

"Ah," a smile crossed her face and she quoted a price.

He obliged and paid accordingly. "And Larbrook? Where can I find him?"

"Head to the center of the town. You won't miss him, trust me," she handed him the fruit.

"Thank you. Take care," he reached out to shake the NPC's hand, before heading in the direction she'd pointed out.

She was right; a blind man would have seen Larbrook. A giant of a man with an axe over half his size stood in the middle of town. He reminded Morningstar of a bodybuilder fellow that he'd once acted with. Larbrook was more than six feet tall in stature and was built like the statue of Laocoön. Morningstar noticed a rosy-haired girl approaching the NPC. He did the same, addressing her as he got near.

"Are you planning to take the quest from Larbrook?"

@Rebekah

Spoiler

Morningstar | Lv. 6 | HP: 120/120 | EN: 30/30 | DMG: 9 | ACC: 3 | MIT: 9

Gear:

• Beginner's Straight Sword | Uncommon
  +1 DMG
• Beginner's Light Armor | Uncommon
  +9 MIT
• Lexa's Light | Perfect
  +3 ACC

Skills:

• Two-Handed Straight Sword | Rank 5
  +7 DMG

 

[Rebekah 0]

Just as she was about to accept the quest, Rebekah turned around. She heard someone talking to her, and she could see the blond hair male with a green jacket heading towards her. The guy towered over her shorter 164 cm frame.

"Yes, are you also here to search for the Hoyas? I was originally planning on doing this myself, but do you want to join my party? It is a lot safer to challenge the quest in a party." Rebekah said.

She believed the quest was not difficult but she has always believed a quest is a lot easier in a group since the last thing she wanted to be was trapped all by herself in the middle of a maze. This was specifically true since she did not have time to grab any consumables this morning as she was in a rush this morning since she overslept and wanted to finish the quest before it got dark. She had always made sure to finish her quests within a day if possible and to avoid camping outside at night away from the safety of the settlements.

She then began to look for her menu settings and send a party invite request to the guy. When she sent that invite, she did not know his name but took the time to introduce herself, "By the name, my name is Rebekah."

[Morningstar 0]

The question didn't surprise him—players always seemed like they were willing to work together in this world. He adjusted his cloak, which blended in quite well with their surroundings. A partner didn't sound bad at all.

"I am here for the Hoyas and if it's not too big of an ask, I'd love to join you. Honestly, I was a little worried this quest would be too much for me to handle on my own," he ran a hand through his messy undercut, blonde locks enveloping his fingers.

A popup appeared before him, indicating a party invite. Star pressed the accept button and it disappeared, leaving him to face the girl once again.

"Rebekah, huh?" Morningstar offered a handshake.

He took a short second to look at the girl. After her hair, the most noticeable thing about her was her height. Rebekah was quite a bit shorter than he was. He gave her a smile before introducing himself.

"Morningstar. You can call me Star, though."

@Rebekah

[Rebekah 0]

Rebekah accepted Star's handshake and responded, "Star, it is nice to meet you. Shall we get start heading out?"

She turned and accepted the quest from Larbook for the party. She then spoke to the NPC, "If you do not mind, can you lead us the way to the Labyrinth?"

The NPC accepted her request, and began to lead them out of the settlement of Aruyt towards the Forest of Wavering Mist. She knew that visibility was low on this floor especially with the mist, therefore, she knew it never hurts to bring a guide along such as a NPC. She knew this forest was not a safe place to be in for an extended period of time, even for a player already at the current level cap in the game.

As the group began their first step into the forest, Rebekah had made the right decision in bring along Larbook to lead them into the forest. She could see the wolves watching the group but did not dare to step forward to attack the party. She always had her rapier with her just in case any monsters come out of nowhere. Rebekah then turned her attention to Star and noticed his weapon of choice for the first time. She asked him, "Why did you choose to specialize with a two-handed sword?"

@Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar agreed with the decision to bring the guide along. Getting lost in the forest, let alone the maze, sounded like a nightmare. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Rebekah peering into the woods. It seemed they'd both seen the wolves hiding behind the trees. Despite this, he felt safe in the group. Rebekah's stats were intimidatingly high and Larbrook... well, he was just scary looking.

She questioned his weapon choice. His brow raised and he look down at his blade. He hadn't thought about it before, but maybe it was an uncommon pick. He didn't know anyone else who used a two-handed straight sword.

"It just felt right to hold, honestly. Other swords felt too light to me and I'm not a big axe guy," Star unsheathed his blade just enough to show the bottom of the blade, before dropping it back into place, "I did consider a staff, though."

He switched his gaze to the girl's weapon: a rapier. "I knew someone who used a rapier. Good choice."

Old memories of the girl he loved flooded back but rather than thinking too deeply about them, he focused on the mission at hand. What one would call avoidance, he decided was efficient. Besides, he didn't like the thought of Larbrook being his therapist. 

"Your axe is also cool," he added, not wanting the behemoth of a man to feel left out.

Larbrook gave a grunt and grinned.

"So," Morningstar pulled up the hood of his cloak, "are you a solo player?"

@Rebekah

[Rebekah 0]

As Star responded to her question, Rebekah hoped he was not offended by her question about his longsword. She could not help but notice how different the sword is. Since she had only used rapiers and sabers the entire time in Aincrad, she has never paid attention to another weapon in detail. She knew if she had a longsword, it would have been too heavy for her to equip. Rebekah had personally chosen use a rapier since it allowed her to have one free hand and move quickly since it was not as heavy.

As Star asked the question, Rebekah thought it was strange that he was looking at her for a response. Then it hit her, it did not make sense for another player to ask a NPC if they were a solo player.

"I have been a solo player since my last guild disbanded when all of the members died or disappeared." Rebekah said. Their disappearances have been very hard on her. At the time, the guild was once one of the top guilds leading the way in the frontlines.

The fog was beginning to disappear, and she could make out the tall walls in the distant. She knew they were almost at the labyrinth. She turned back to Star, "What attracted you to play Sword Art Online?"

@Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

"Sorry to hear about your guild."

Morningstar wasn't the only one who'd lost people and he knew that. Still, it always shocked him when people confessed that the people they'd known and fought beside had perished, whether in battle or due to other reasons. It was never easy to hear.

She asked him about his reason for joining Sword Art Online. He took a moment to respond, pondering the question. Why had he enrolled in the death game? Could he even remember?

Of course he could; how could he not? "I had an argument with my parents. Something stupid, I'm sure. I booted up the game hoping to destress and suddenly I was stuck."

Morningstar didn't think about that day much. He reminisced about his family and the busy life he'd had before Aincrad, of course, but not of the fated argument. He wondered what they were doing. Did they know how he was doing? He was sure they were visiting way more than necessary. They'd always had a good relationship, despite their differences. He loved them and vice versa. 

"What about you? What brought you to the wonderful world of Aincrad?"

[Rebekah 0]

"I choose to play this game because I bought a second nerve gear to play this game with my older brother. I was suppose to play with him. However, he was studying for an exam when the game was released. So I believe he never logged in before we were trapped here." Rebekah said. She was thinking back to the memory of how she entered this game. At first she had hope that he was here somewhere, but as time went on, she gave up hope, and knew it was unlikely he had logged in already.

"I used to search for him, hoping he took a break from studying to join me. After a while, I know if he was around, he would have shown up already." Rebekah said. While it had been a while since she checked, she knew he was good at video games, so he would have easily risen to the frontlines already.

As they approach the entrance of the labyrinth, Rebekah turned to Larbook. "Do you know where the Minotaur are?"

Larbook nodded and began to take his first step in the Labyrinth. Rebekah held her rapier in one hand and took out her shield. She turned to Star, "Be careful, we do not know if anything dangerous is hiding in the labyrinth."

She then proceeded to take her follow Larbook.

Post: 0/5 Searching for Minotaur #1

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar heeded the girl's advice, withdrawing his two-handed sword. His eyes were drawn by the blade. He glanced back and forth between his weapon and Rebekah's. His was dull in comparison; a simple blade he'd come into the game with. It needed an upgrade.

They walked for some time without saying a word to each other. Larbrook led them through the labyrinth, confidently turning corners as if he knew the exact locations. Star wasn't sure what they'd do without the goliath there to guide them. When they'd arrived at the maze, for some reason he'd expected unkempt hedges that weren't exactly short, but also not overwhelmingly tall. He thought he'd be maneuvering over branches, but the paths were clean. He gazed up at the somber stone walls. They towered over the party, emotionless and uninviting, just as Daedalus' labyrinth had to Theseus. It was unnerving.

Morningstar broke the silence. "What's your brother like?"

He didn't have any siblings. He barely even had time for friends. The child actor's life was hectic and it was impossible to coordinate things. He often wondered what life would have been like with a brother or sister.

Maybe it would have been easier.

Post 1/5 Searching for Minotaur #1

@Rebekah

Edited February 15, 2022 by Morningstar

[Rebekah 0]

As the group walked in complete silence, Rebekah knew that they did not want to draw the attention of any other monsters that may be hiding just around the corner. She kept glancing back every few minutes just to ensure that Star had not gotten lost behind her or there were nothing chasing them from behind.

He was the first person to ask about how her missing brother. She tired to remember what he had looked like. It had been years since she last saw him. They had been stuck in the game for the last two years. "He was my best friend growing up. We were born a year apart, so we got along like regular siblings, always fighting but we knew that we were always there for each other. It was hard. Being apart from him for the first time in my life." She replied.

Thinking about this topic made her feel sad. She could not help but notice that the stone walls in the maze also gave her a gloomy feeling. She was not liking this place at all it was just too grey. Rebekah turned back to Star, "Were you planning on playing this game with a friend as well?"

Post 2/5 Searching for Minotaur #1

@Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar shook his head. "I didn't have anyone to play with. I've met a few people here that have been with me since basically the start, though."

His friends stuck with him, those that survived until this point. They were all a lot stronger than he was, but he never felt like a burden to them. He hoped the girl's brother was okay back home. Periodically, the swordsman peaked behind him. He wasn't too worried, but wanted to make sure they weren't being stalked.

"Thanks for letting me join you, by the way. I don't know many people within the game so I'm normally soloing these quests. It's nice to have someone else around for a change," with his empty hand, he fiddled with the angel wing pendant around his neck.

Besides, he thought, this quest was beyond him in terms of skill. He knew he couldn't solo it, not this time.

Post 3/5 Searching for Minotaur #1

@Rebekah

[Rebekah 0]

"No worries. I am always open to helping out another player looking for assistance. It might be hard to believe, but even I was at a low level a long time ago." Rebekah replied.

She knew that it even at her level, she could attempt to solo a lot of quests with the right consumables. However, there was something different when she joined a party to finish the quest with another player. Perhaps, it was the feeling at the end when she was celebrating the success with another player. She enjoyed that feeling a lot more than finishing quests by herself.

They continued to walk in the maze. With Larbook leading the way, they were walking quickly through the maze towards their ultimate destination. Not once had the group hit a dead end and had to backtrack to get closer to the location. She also knew that it would not be too long until the group reached the first Minotaur. She was glad that Larbook was helping out, without him, she would have given up on the quest a long time ago, since she would have been too frustrated after hitting several dead ends.

Post 4/5 Searching for Minotaur #1

@Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

The deeper into the maze they moved, the colder it seemed to get. The air was stale and breezeless. Larbrook seemed tense. Star's grip tightened around his blade as their guide abruptly stopped. They had arrived. Their path changed from a dreary corridor to an open room, dimly light by flaming braziers.

A terrifying beast faced them from ahead. In one hand was a sword the size of Star's two-handed blade. In the other was a shield. It's eyes were dark and rageful. The minotaur was even bigger in stature than Larbrook and was covered from head to toe in silver armor. Larbrook raised his axe, awaiting the players' next moves.

Morningstar wondered if he seemed afraid. He was, at least a bit. Deep down, he knew they'd be okay. He didn't know her well, but he trusted Rebekah. She was strong enough to keep them both alive.

He looked to the girl. "What's the plan?"

@Rebekah

Spoiler

Rebekah | Level 32 | HP 640/640 | EN 82/82 | DMG: 22 | MIT:  48 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | LD: 3
Morningstar | Lv. 6 | HP: 120/120 | EN: 30/30 | DMG: 9 | ACC: 3 | MIT: 9

Kantaras, the Eastern Hoya Minotaur | HP: 150/150 | DMG: 45 | ACC: 1

 

[Rebekah 0]

It had taken them a while to arrive to the eastern side of the maze where Kantaras was waiting for them. When they arrived, she noticed the first thing she notice was how much bigger Kantaras was compared to Larbook, who was tall. She looked at Star wondering if he was going to make the first move. However, as he had asked her the question, she was thinking, did she have a clear plan.

Rebekah said, "I will attack first so I can get its attention. Then you can attack while it is focusing on me."

She knew that she was not saying much but she knew that with her level, it should not be too difficult for them assuming she was able to land her first strike. She was going to move first. Rebekah moved her rapier into an attacking position and began to run towards Kantaras. She wanted to attack it before the Minotaur was able to retaliate.

Rebekah attacked with her a simple sword art with her rapier. She was able to catch Kantaras before it was able to react. It had died instantly. She turned back to their group, "I guess that works as well."

Spoiler

Post Action: [x12] ST-I (12 EN) | A single-target sword art.

Rebekah | Level 32 | HP 640/640 | EN 72/82 (82 - 12 + 2) | DMG: 22 | MIT:  48 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | LD: 3
Morningstar | Lv. 6 | HP: 120/120 | EN: 30/30 | DMG: 9 | ACC: 3 | MIT: 9

ID 203796 | BD = 4 + 4 = 8 (hit)
DMG = 12 x 22 = 264

Kantaras, the Eastern Hoya Minotaur | HP: 0/150 (150 - 264) | DMG: 45 | ACC: 1

@Morningstar

Edited February 19, 2022 by Rebekah

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar nodded, readying his sword. He waited, watching Rebekah run towards their opponent. Kantaras didn't even notice the girl; he had no opportunity to even look in her direction. The tip of her rapier stabbed through the beast and it exploded into a flurry of blue pixels.

He looked at Rebekah, his mouth wide. Larbook lowered his axe, disheartened. It seemed like the NPC was hoping for a fight, but Rebekah had taken care of Kantaras in a single strike. Morningstar's sword returned to its scabbard. 

"New plan," he chuckled, "do that again."

The crew turned back to the maze. Star's discomfort was gone after watching the rosy-haired girl's damage. He was sure they were safe. Larbrook took the lead again, moving in the direction of the next minotaur. The dungeon was long, but Star had expected that when he'd decided to do the quest. He slid his hands into his pant pockets.

0/5 searching for minotaur 2

@Rebekah

[Rebekah 0]

After the first minotaur had been defeated, Rebekah decided to inspect the reward for killing Kantaras. It was a small trinket that she could equip but she already had a silver necklace on already. It will be useful giving her additional options depending on which trinket she wanted to equip.

She followed the group out of the first area, making sure that she was the last person to walk in the party. This time, it may be better if she was in the rear walking instead of being in the middle. She turned to Star, "For the next one, do you want to attack first?"

Rebekah felt bad for Star having traversed this entire way to the labyrinth only to not get a chance to practice his skills in battle against a relatively safe monster. She knew that all along she the minotaurs would not survive if she was able to land a single clean strike in battle.

1/5 searching for minotaur 2
1/3 out of combat - Rebekah

Spoiler

Rebekah | Level 32 | HP 640/640 | EN 73/82 (72 + 1) | DMG: 22 | MIT:  48 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | LD: 3

@Morningstar

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar cocked his head to listen to Rebekah. He appreciated her offer to let him get an attack in, even if it wouldn't compare to her own damage. He'd been spending a lot of his time training recently and wouldn't mind the chance to test a new sword art.

"Sure," he gave her a thumbs up, "I'd love to. If you're sure, of course."

His eyes returned ahead, Larbrook's frame covering his view of what was in front of them. He wondered how far they were to the next minotaur and what the beast would be like. Kantaras, with his abnormally large blade and shield, appeared menacing. Would he even feel the same about the next enemy knowing how successful the previous fight had been?

Unlikely, he thought.

He rested his hand on the hilt of his blade. "I take it you're a frontliner?"

He felt like he'd been meeting more and more of them after ignoring the frontlines completely for so much time. He often considered joining them—when he was ready, of course.

2/5 searching for minotaur 2

@Rebekah
 

[Rebekah 0]

Frontliner. It was a very long time since someone had called her that. Rebekah had never considered herself a frontliner. After all, she had only shown up and participated four of the boss fights, and she did not participate in the last fourteen raids in a row. The were only on floor twenty seven right now, so that would have been four of twenty six or approximately 15% of the boss raids to date. "I was part of frontliner a long time ago. After my guild disbanded, everyone went their own separate ways." Rebekah said.

Since the boss raid on floor 12, Rebekah had taken a break from the frontlines until today. She did not know whether or not she wanted to return just yet, but what she did know was that she needed to get stronger and assist other players who may be interested in the frontlines. "Are you interested in being a part of the frontlines?" She asked.

She knew that Star will need to train very hard to reach the current level cap.

3/5 searching for minotaur 2
2/3 out of combat - Rebekah

Spoiler

Rebekah | Level 32 | HP 640/640 | EN 74/82 (73 + 1) | DMG: 22 | MIT:  48 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | LD: 3

@Morningstar

Edited February 19, 2022 by Rebekah

[Morningstar 0]

Morningstar was surprised but Rebekah's answer made sense. He thought about her question, unsure of how to respond. He was an explorer, not a fighter. He wasn't the hero that Aincrad needed to clear the floors and save everyone from the game. That being said, he had been putting himself through intense training. Maybe the frontlines were calling him after all. He looked to Rebekah.

"Honestly, I'm not sure what I want. I spent a long time behind the walls of the Town of Beginnings. Eventually, I found the courage to leave but I didn't start leveling until recently. I used to spend a lot of time figuring out what Aincrad has to offer—exploring the floors and whatnot. I haven't been doing that as much lately."

One step after another, they trekked through the endless labyrinth. They twisted around sharp corners, avoiding dead ends like the plague.

"If you ever decide to go back and need a hand, let me know," Morningstar smiled.

4/5 searching for minotaur 2

@Rebekah