Zenshu 0 Posted June 8, 2022 #1 Report Share Posted June 8, 2022 Zenshu sighed as he laid on the bed, the sun filtering in through the window to awaken him long before his alarm had been set to go off. He’d not had the most restful night of sleep, and he wondered if he shouldn’t try to get some more rest before considering rising for the day. He knew there was much to do – today he intended to finally follow up with the third portion of the introductory quests and get that completed – but that required getting out of bed, something that he wasn’t entirely inclined to do at this point. “Well, I’m not going to get any more rested laying here thinking about sleeping. Nor will I get any further along with my quests. The best thing to do would be to accept the lesser evil. At least that will be productive!” He sighed again before rolling off the side of the bed, springing to his feet in an lacking way. Rolling his shoulders, he made his way to the washroom to complete the unnecessary, but habit formed morning routine, before heading out of the room for breakfast. Sitting alone in the small breakfast nook of the inn he had been staying at, Zenshu reviewed the few details of the quest that the synopsis provided. It was limited, really only guiding him on the path towards starting the quest – and telling him that he would need to bring along some sort of consumable item, although he wasn’t entirely sure why. “I’ll learn soon enough, once I’ve made my way to this…Pete Larkin? Such an odd name, but I guess that’s games for you. I should probably head down to the docks soon and get this all started – who knows how long it’s going to take if I have to run all over the place collecting materials again!” Quickly cleaning up his eatery area – the old habits of leaving nothing a mess, and making it easier for the staff of the place you’re eating at forcing him to maintain the unconscious actions – Zenshu collected himself and made his way out of the inn, and down the roads of the Town of Beginnings. ----- Word Count: 360 ----- Spoiler Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 140/140 | EN: 32/32 | DMG: 7 | LD: 1 | MIT: 13 | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Tier 1 Equipped Items Ninjato [Tier 1; One-Handed Straight Sword; Uncommon] A simple black, single edged ninjato. Enhancement: Damage [1 Slot] | Effect: +(1 * Tier) base damage per slot. White Tunic [Tier 1; Cloth Armour; Uncommon] A simple white overcoat with blue and yellow embellishments. Enhancement: Light Momentum [1 Slot] | Effect: After an unsuccessful attack, gain +(1 per slot) to the BD until your next successful attack, at which point this bonus is removed. Another unsuccessful attack will reactivate this enhancement. Cannot be used to cause a critical hit. [For Area of Effect attacks: This effect only activates if you miss all enemies targeted by the attack.] Royal Blue T-Shirt [Tier 1 Clothing; Uncommon] A simple dark blue t-shirt, well crafted and form fitting. Enhancement: Loot Die [1 Slot] | Effect: Gain +(1 per slot) to the LD. Fox Head Necklace [Vanity] Battle-Ready Inventory Starter Healing Potions {5} | Heals 50 HP T1 Uncommon Health Potion {1} | HP Recovery I T1 Uncommon Damage Potion {1} | Damage I T1 Uncommon Overhealth Potions {1} | Overhealth I T1 Rare Health Potion | HP Recovery II Inventory Arrowhead Brooch Boar Jerky {1} | DMG II | MIT I Sword Arts [x8] ST-I (8 EN) | A single-target sword art. [x11] ST-II (11 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn. [x3] AOE-I (1 + 2 * targets EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. [x4] TECH-A (5 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy. Weapon Skills Straight Sword Rank 3 Passive Effect: +5 DMG Armour Skills Cloth Armour Rank 2 Passive Effect: +13 MIT Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 17, 2022 Author #2 Report Share Posted June 17, 2022 Zenshu left behind the inn that he had been staying at, his hands in the pocket of his robe as he smiled at the world. Letting his eyes roam across the street, he nodded a greeting to the few players that he passed, giving a soft wave to a couple that he recognised from passing previously. He wasn’t friendly with most of them, beyond being able to wave and give a verbal greeting once in a while, but it was more than enough for Zenshu. “It’s not like I can be friends with everyone. Sometimes just being friendly is enough. At least I don’t need to worry about them turning around and being aggressive or unwelcoming…” He didn’t let the thought impact his mood as he continued down the roadway. He glanced up, letting the artificial sunlight run across his face as he continued past an open courtyard. “At least it’s a lovely day today. Nice and warm, and great for being outside!” As he made his way along the main walkways, Zenshu wondered what sort of activities would be required with this quest. The details had specifically stated to ensure that he had some sort of consumable on him, so he assumed that it would provide a tutorial on how to use them. ‘Which leads me to believe that perhaps there’s some sort of combat involved…but isn’t this taking me to the docks? What am I going to be fighting, fish?’ He felt himself giggling at the thought, imagining a giant fish leaping from the water and flopping around on the ground trying to attack him. He doubted that Cardinal would do something so absurd as that, but he couldn’t picture any other options – unless he was required to fight pirates. “Pirates at the docks would be more logical than fighting a fish…but that does seem a bit over the top for a tutorial quest.” He pondered the possibility, before shrugging to himself. “I guess I’ll just have to wait and see! There’s no real way to guess what you’ve never experienced, at least not properly! But isn’t that part of the fun? The surprise!” He picked up his pace, suddenly interested in finding out exactly what was waiting for him, and hoping that he wouldn’t be disappointed with what he came across. ------ Word Count: 384 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 17, 2022 Author #3 Report Share Posted June 17, 2022 The docks were not what Zenshu had expected. There were no large ships, no signs of a busy port, nothing that would indicate that this was a main thoroughfare for goods and trade. Instead, what he did find was an older looking man with a white beard, and a small dingy tied to the docks. The marker led him to the man, but Zenshu had stopped short, considering everything that he saw here. He was trying to figure out what the quest could possible expect of this. “I guess there’s nothing I can do but go speak to him…maybe if I consume a potion correctly or something, then they’ll consider it all done and over with? Or maybe they’ll send me to fight the boars again. That seems to be a consistent theme.” He wavered as he guessed, his feet refusing to move. Scoffing, he forced himself forward, heading directly to the man standing on the docks, before bowing deeply and introducing himself. “Good morning, my name is Zenshu. I was sent by the mayor to collect some loaned money from you. If you would be so kind as to return it, I would be highly appreciated.” Zenshu listened patiently as the NPC launched into an aggressive response, but was cut off halfway. It took Zenshu a second to realise the NPC had stopped speaking, and that the attention of it had been pulled to the water. Almost as shocking was the next words that it spoke. “There she is! You take that, 'n' I'll grab my harpoon. I can't believe Big Bertha's finally reared her beautiful head! You got any of those potion things? We'll need all the help we can get to bring Bertha down.” Zenshu could do nothing more than stare with an open mouth as a pole was thrust towards him, nodding in answer to the question. The NPC wasted no time, jumping into the small dingy and untying it, leaving Zenshu no choice but to follow. As the pair began rowing out, Zenshu glanced back to shore, suddenly wondering what he was doing – and remembering that he hated water. ----- Word Count: 354 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 17, 2022 Author #4 Report Share Posted June 17, 2022 (edited) As the boat slowly left the edge of land behind, Zenshu felt his unease growing. The last thing he wanted was to end up in the water, falling to a slow, painful end. He felt his grip on the side of the boat tightening as he considered the implications of that, the imagery growing larger and larger in his mind’s eye. Shaking his head, he forced it away, trying to return his focus to the here and now. He was a on quest, and from the looks of it he would have to fight a fish – but not on land like he had expected, instead he’d be going to the fish’s territory, the water. He couldn’t help the irony of it, the quest’s details had made it a possibility in his mind, but he hadn’t expected it to be real. He suddenly froze in place as he remembered on of the other requirements. The consumable. Hand pulling from the edge of the boat, he opened his menu and glanced through it. There was only one immediate item that stood out, received from the previous quest. Quickly obtaining it, he began chewing on it, trying to fight the queasiness from the rocking boat. “Not the best start to the quest…I hope that this does something for sea sickness.” He mumbled to himself between bites, trying to steady his swaying eyes. He wasn’t sure if food could be regurgitated in this world, but he didn’t want to find out. “Either way, this is happening now. So there’s only one path forward – defeat the fish. That should be…easy…enough. I hope. I hope.” He glanced at the other man in the boat, whose eyes were focused on the fish in the distance – everything else lost to him. Zenshu wasn’t even entirely sure if the NPC was aware of his presence at this time, as he gripped the boat with fear. Not that it mattered, Zenshu was along for the ride now, with no means of escape. ----- Consuming: Boar Jerky [DMG II | MIT I] Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 140/140 | EN: 32/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] ----- Word Count: 332 Edited June 17, 2022 by Zenshu Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 17, 2022 Author #5 Report Share Posted June 17, 2022 The fish was larger than he’d imagined. It was the first thing going through Zenshu’s mind as it broke the surface and the health bar appeared above its head. He wondered how he was expected to fight a fish from a small dingy, especially when it was easily larger than the craft they were on. “I’ll just have to find a way, I guess. If nothing else this will definitely be a story to tell again and again! How I took on the big fish from the boat, and hopefully survived!” He grinned to himself as he pulled up his sword in his menu, equipping it before grasping it as it appeared in midair. A quick twirl as he drew it, before it was held calmly in his now typical reverse grip. “I have this bad feeling that I’m going to get a bit wet doing this, though. Which I’m not looking forward to…” Pushing aside the discomforting knowledge of what was about to occur, Zenshu watched as the fish broke the surface, the face of it rushing towards him as it tried to spear him from above. He waited until it was closer, his muscles tense as he fought the urge to dodge aside. As the fish came close enough to lay a hand on, Zenshu ducked and lashed out with the blade. The soft blue highlight of the sword art shimmering on the air as the blade tried to connect with the fish’s flank. Zenshu closed his eyes, spinning on the spot in an attempt to avoid any sort of retaliation from the creature, not knowing immediately if his attack had connected or not. ------ Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 128/140 | EN: 30/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 84/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round One ID209627 | BD: 3 | <<ST-I vs. Big Bertha>> | Miss [-2 EN; Light Momentum] ID209627 | MOB: 8 | <<Big Bertha vs. Zenshu>> | Hit: 30-18 = 12 DMG ----- Word Count: 276 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 17, 2022 Author #6 Report Share Posted June 17, 2022 The slicing across his shoulder caught Zenshu by surprise, and he opened his eyes just in time to watch the large fish twirl in midair over top of him. His own strike had completely missed – the twirling of the fish causing it to leap up and over the blade, and leaving only Zenshu with a memory of the momentary connection. “That was a nasty trick! I’m going to remember that going forward, you won’t be able to pull that off on me again!” He gave a slight smile towards the water, waiting for the fish to reappear. He’d let his guard down – something that he wouldn’t do again, even if he felt like he was going to provide the sea water with everything he’d had for breakfast. “Come on back, you giant lump of steaming sushi….I’m going to enjoy eating you later on….once I’m back on land safely.” He was just considering trying to bait the creature back out of the water when a shift in shadows caught his eye. He could see the general outline of something circling below the boat, quickly coming closer and closer to the surface. He had just begun to peer harder, trying to decipher the form, when it suddenly broke the water’s top, leaping upwards and over the boat again. Right as the creature was over top of him, Zenshu slashed outwards with the blade, raking it across the sky above him in the hopes of catching the creature’s underside as it went over. He could feel the drops of water raining down on him, and the sudden slowness of the world as time seemed to almost come to a pause. ----- Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 128/140 | EN: 29/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 84/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round Two ID209628 | BD: 4+1=5 | <<ST-I vs. Big Bertha>> | Miss [-2 EN; Light Momentum] ID209628 | MOB: 2 | <<Big Bertha vs. Zenshu>> | Miss. ----- Word Count: 277 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 17, 2022 Author #7 Report Share Posted June 17, 2022 The world suddenly sped up, as if there had been no hold on time at all. Carrying the large fish up and over, Zenshu watched as he once again missed his connection with the creature – unable to land a single hit on it as it flowed and beyond his reach. He cursed slightly to himself as he fumbled backwards, catching the edge of the boat and keeping himself from falling into the water. “This is proving to be a lot harder than I had expected! Who’d have known that a damned fish could be so difficult! Don’t you fishers normally catch these things with a simple fishing rod?” The last comment was aimed at the NPC, but Zenshu didn’t wait around for an answer. His attention turned back to the water, he searched for a sign of the fish getting ready to surface once more. It didn’t take long. The shadow, signifying its return towards the surface. Tensing himself, he lowered his body as much as he could below the edge of the boat, trying to draw the fish in as low as possible. He knew it was a long shot, but perhaps he could bring it down, then jump up at the last second. “It’s certainly better than trying to catch it midair when it jumps completely over the boat…besides, it seems to be focused on me – otherwise it would start tearing the boat apart!” He hoped that his estimation was correct, and that he hadn’t simply caused more problems for himself – or brought the attention of the creature towards the boat itself. “I swear if I have to swim out of here…” The break of water caught Zenshu’s attention, tearing his thoughts away from the idea of having to swim to shore. Almost reactionary, Zenshu rose from his crouch, bringing the blade up and wide in another attempt to strike the fish. --------- Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 128/140 | EN: 22/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 12/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round Three ID209629 | BD: 8+1=9 | <<ST-I vs. Big Bertha>> | Hit: 9x8 = 72 DMG ID209629 | MOB: 1 | <<Big Bertha vs. Zenshu>> | Miss. ----- Word Count: 314 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #8 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 This time he felt it – the impact of blade on flesh, dragging across the fish’s hide with an almost slick feeling movement. The blade had been pushed back against his arm, forced roughly away from the hide of the creature before Zenshu threw his weight into it – causing it only to dig deeper into the fish’s body. He knew he’d struck a strong blow against the creature, but before he could see just how well he’d done the thing was under the water again. He could hear – almost as if in the distance – the NPC mention something, but Zenshu was too focused on his success to properly understand the words. Twisting, he waited on the edge of the boat for the familiar shape to return, hoping that he could quickly finish this fight. “If I’m lucky, one more hit should finish this all off. I’m so close, I can almost feel it…and aside from a little bit of splash, I haven’t even gotten too wet! This is going well, I would say!” He smiled as he spoke, giving the ninjato a slight shake to remove the water that had built up on it. He could feel his muscles holding the tension, ready to spring into action the moment the creature reappeared. Glancing over the side of the boat, he saw the shadow rising to greet him once more, pushing almost straight upwards. From the angle, Zenshu figured it would breach and carry directly upwards, possibly landing in the boat itself if it angled slightly towards the end. He waited, knowing he would only get one good chance. Just as the creature broke the water, he began his swing, bringing the blade wide. The creature’s eyes passed his own, the speed and weight, the momentum of its drive, pushing it high into the air. Zenshu’s blade had carried forward, the momentum of his action bringing it towards the creature as the two moved to try and best the other. ----- Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 128/140 | EN: 21/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 12/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round Four ID209630 | BD: 4 | <<ST-II vs. Big Bertha>> | Miss [-2 EN; Light Momentum] ID209630 | MOB: 4 | <<Big Bertha vs. Zenshu>> | Miss. Posted under wrong account, roller connected post hidden. ----- Word Count: 328 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #9 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 A strong flick of the tail caught Zenshu’s forearm – not hard enough to cause actual damage, but enough to force his strike away. He spun around, partially from the force of the counter attack, partially from his own generated momentum. The fish had flopped uncontrollably in the air, slamming into the water at the edge of the boat – catching the gunnel and causing the boat to rock slightly in response. As Zenshu glanced over the edge, he found the fish laying unmoving – the health bar signifying that it was still alive, but likely the force of hitting the boat having stunned it momentarily. He paused only long enough to consider the situation, before leaping into action. “I won’t let any opportunity go to waste, for no fight is entirely fair or equal. Only the advantageous can best those whom are against them.” He quoted his sensei’s words, something that had been taught to him a time ago. Although he’d been taught about honour, and the necessity of acting appropriate towards your opponent – he was also taught the reality of not passing up an opportunity to take the win in a fight. It didn’t matter how you won, so long as you won – and so long as you didn’t break the code of honour to do so. Moving to the edge of the boat, Zenshu brought his own blade back for his strike. The soft blue glow lit the air as he slashed downwards, hoping to catch the fish and finish the conflict with one final attempt – and also hoping that he hadn’t fallen for a feint by the creature, which would somehow pull him down with it. ------ Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 116/140 | EN: 20/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 12/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round Five ID209651 | BD: 2+1=3 | <<ST-II vs. Big Bertha>> | Miss [-2 EN; Light Momentum] ID209651 | MOB: 6 | <<Big Bertha vs. Zenshu>> | Hit: 30-18 = 12 DMG ----- Word Count: 277 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #10 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 The movement caught his attention as the blade swung down, and as Zenshu realised what had occurred, he also realised that there was nothing he could do about it. He’d managed to walk straight into the big fish’s trap, and now he simply had to suffer the consequences. Closing his eyes as he continued his forward motion, he waited for the strike to catch him. The tail of the fish had suddenly snapped up, slamming into Zenshu’s chest and throwing him back across the boat. His eyes flicked open in time to see the health bar drop slightly – the damage of the attack draining his health even further. He was still in the green area – if only barely – but he was beginning to wonder if he hadn’t overdone it with this quest. “Some tutorial. This is definitely harder than the boar’s I had fought before. It doesn’t help that I’m trying to fight a fish, which is in the water, from a boat. As if that would be easy for anyone…well, maybe for a spear wielder…” He knew his grumbling wouldn’t help him to win the fight in any way – nor would it help his general demeanour and behaviour. Sighing, he forced himself to his feet, swinging the ninjato around in a circle before returning it to the comfortable reverse grip in his hand. “A single good strike and I can be done with this fish. That’s all I need!” He moved to the edge of the boat, keeping low as he went. He knew that his best option was to force the fish out of its own safe zone – out of the water where it held the advantage of him. He waited patiently, knowing it would return. He knew it would be easier to look over the edge – to look for that shadow that would tell of its coming – but something held him back. He was just considering whether it was fear that held him back, or intuition, the sound of something breaking the surface of the water touched Zenshu’s ears. Moving without looking, he stood and spun at the same time, slashing across the area above the gunnel with his blade. ------ Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 104/140 | EN: 19/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 12/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round Six ID209652 | BD: 3+1=4 | <<ST-II vs. Big Bertha>> | Miss [-2 EN; Light Momentum] ID209652 | MOB: 7 | <<Big Bertha vs. Zenshu>> | Hit: 30-18 = 12 DMG ----- Word Count: 363 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #11 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 His strike hit nothing. His eyes followed only a moment after, and he realised there was nothing but open air where he had expected there to be fish. He spun, looking behind him just in time to see the large fish slam back into the water on the other side of the vessel. Zenshu quickly crossed, glancing down just in time to see the fish disappearing from sight into the depths of the water beneath them. “Okay, so attacking blindly isn’t very effective. I need to keep my eyes on where it’s going to surface, otherwise I’ll never hit it. That being said, I also need to keep low enough that it can’t hit me back.” He glanced down, looking for any sign of the approaching shadow, but nothing was visible yet. “I just need to be patient. So long as I can avoid its attacks, I can outlast this thing…I just need to plan my attacks well.” He settled against the side of the craft again, glancing over the edge and looking for the dark spot that would signify the form of the fish. It didn’t take long before it began to return – the shadow form quickly pushing towards the surface of the water in an attempt to burst free and possibly slam into Zenshu once more. Zenshu pulled himself down against the gunnel, trying to keep most of his form behind the wall of the small dingy. It wasn’t much, but it could protect him from the brunt of the fish’s strikes. He waited, patiently, until the fish’s body broke the surface. Lashing out with the blade once more, he aimed for the area where the main form should be once it broke fully past the surface, trying hard to strike the fish and end the fight. ------ Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 68/140 | EN: 19/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 12/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round Seven ID209653 | BD: 2+1=3 | <<ST-II vs. Big Bertha>> | Miss [-2 EN; Light Momentum] ID209653 | MOB: 1 | <<Big Bertha vs. Zenshu>> | Miss. ----- Word Count: 300 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #12 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 Another Miss. His blade passed through the air, and was just about to connect with the creature when the tail once again snapped outwards, forcing his arm away. Zenshu felt himself hiss in response, annoyance more than anything causing the gush of air through his teeth. He was beginning to wonder if he would be forever locked into conflict with this being, if this was some sort of cruel joke created by Cardinal. He knew it was absurd, it was well outside of what Cardinal should do, but a part of him wanted to curse the system. “Not that it will do any good. It’s not like Cardinal will care at all if I sit here cursing it all day. The only thing that is going to help is by standing up and facing that fish head on. I just need to…hit it. Should be easy, if I keep trying. Or at least…I should eventually have some success…it’s almost dead. I can do this!” A quick twist of the sword tip, and Zenshu was up again, standing at the gunnel of the boat and looking into the water. The shadow of the fish had already begun to rise towards the surface once more. He waited patiently, ready to strike out the moment that the body full breached, knowing that he would continue to have to play this waiting game until one or the other of them was finished off. “I don’t plan on falling to a fish. I’ll keep going until I win – and I will beat this fish.” There was a determination in his voice as he waited for the creature to return. The tension in his form had relaxed slightly as he readied himself, knowing that he was here until the end. ------ Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 90/140 | EN: 19/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 12/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round Eight ID209654 | BD: 4+1=5 | <<ST-II vs. Big Bertha>> | Miss [-2 EN; Light Momentum] ID209654 | MOB: 10 | <<Big Bertha vs. Zenshu>> | Major Critical Hit: 30+2 = 32-18 = 14 DMG ----- Word Count: 294 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #13 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 Zenshu felt the tail slam into him once more, causing him to stumble into the other side of the vessel. He felt his back impact against the gunnel on the opposite side – throwing his hands against it in order to catch himself and halt his momentum. He could feel a tingling in his arms as his hands slammed into the gunnel – no pain, but a sensation that let him know he had made contact. “One of the few benefits of the Cardinal system’s pain blocking…imagine if I had felt all of this…I doubt I’d still be able to fight!” He glanced up at his health bar, seeing the colour change. “Well, that’s only slightly concerning…I really should start trying to avoid the strikes of this fish…” He giggled to himself, aware that he had already been trying to dodge the majority of the attacks. It hadn’t exactly proven effective for him, yet. “Once I get through this, I’m definitely going to have to consider some options around evasiveness. Or…maybe something for accuracy? Or both. Both would be good…” The sudden breach of water caught Zenshu’s attention, and he spun around to view the area behind him. Almost as if an extension of his body, the ninjato in his hand slashed outwards in an attempt to catch the large fish as it rushed through the air. He could feel the spray of water on his skin as the breach reached him, and Zenshu wondered if he would again miss his mark – or if the system would finally be on his side. ------ Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 77/140 | EN: 18/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 12/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round Nine ID209655 | BD: 3+1=4 | <<ST-II vs. Big Bertha>> | Miss [-2 EN; Light Momentum] ID209655 | MOB: 9 | <<Big Bertha vs. Zenshu>> | Minor Critical Hit: 30+1 = 31-18 = 13 DMG ----- Word Count: 260 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #14 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 The spray of water on his face, the sudden shift of the boat, and his own hesitation and questioning caused Zenshu’s strike to miss – instead allowing a minor opening for the fish to lash out with its tail once more. Thrown across the boat again, he felt the gunnel impact his back, and heard the splash as the fish once more disappeared into the water beneath them. “I am truly getting tired of this fish. I swear I will hold a grudge against fish – all fish – for the rest of eternity. Maybe I’ll become a fisher, just to catch all the fish in retaliation! And I can blame this…this Big Bertha! It’ll all be Big Bertha’s fault!” He forced himself back up, getting to his feet and shaking off the small amount of water that had collected on his face. He glanced at the water with narrowed eyes, looking for the shadow that he knew would appear shortly. “I am never doing this quest again, if I can help it…” He knew it was a pointless curse – there’d likely be no reason for him to ever retake this quest, unless he was stuck helping someone else with it. Although that seemed less than likely, as far as he was concerned. He heard the shift in the boat beneath him, and as he glanced over the edge he saw the shadow that signified the approach of the fish. Lowering his weight, Zenshu pulled his arm back, holding the ninjato in a ready position. He waited patiently, knowing the sound of the breach would inform of when to strike. He didn’t have to wait long. As he heard the breach, he rushed forwards across the boat, leaping into the air and slashing with his blade. The movement of the arm causing his body to spin, and forcing his vision away from where the fish was supposed to be. ------ Zenshu | Lv. 7 | HP: 77/140 | EN: 11/32 | DMG: 9 [7+2] | LD: 1 | MIT: 18 [13+5] | Light Momentum [+1 BD] Big Bertha | HP: 0/84 | DMG: 30 En Garde! | Gains +2 Accuracy against a target that hit it within the same rotation. <<Big Bertha>> is the sporting catch and always attacks last in the rotation. Round Ten ID209656 | BD: 3+1=4 | <<ST-I vs. Big Bertha>> | Hit: 9x8 = 72 DMG | Big Bertha is defeated! Looting Big Bertha ID209657 | LD: 16 | CD: 1 | Loot Big Bertha Results: 420 col (252+168), 2 materials, T1 Rare Consumable (1), T1 Rare Weapon (1) ----- Word Count: 316 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #15 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 He let the blade fall to his side as he let out a breath. The shimmering of the shards from the fish’s final moments rained down on Zenshu, the reflection of the sunlight throwing light all around him. He felt the tension leave his body as he realised that the fight was finally over. He felt a smile cross his face as the reality came over him. He’d managed to best the fish, through sheer determination. “I told you I’d beat the fish! It was definitely a challenging fight, but I bested it!” He beamed his smile towards the NPC who had – up until this point – remained relatively motionless in the craft. Or at least Zenshu hadn’t seen much movement from the man. The man seemed to smile back at Zenshu, before mumbling something about his success. His mind running with excitement, Zenshu settled himself back into the seat of the boat to relax for the return trip. His eyes lowered slightly, noticing for the first time the small notification box that had appeared at his lower right torso area. He glanced over it, taking note of the items that he had collected, before closing the box and his eyes. “That’s over with now…now I just need to get back and get the mayor all squared away!” He could feel the end of the quest coming closer and closer, just barely out of reach for him. ----- Word Count: 236 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #16 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 As the dingy reached the docks, Zenshu leapt from the seat of the craft onto the more stable docks – relishing in the safety and stability of the solid ground beneath his feet. He gave a sigh of relief as his feet touched the wood of the docks, turning as he heard creaking behind him. “Ah, that was a good load of fun!” Zenshu’s eyes narrowed at the man’s words, and he was just about to argue the man’s definition of the word fun, when the NPC continued speaking. “Big Bertha’s bill, It's gotta be worth some col, and should repay my debt. T'was me who borrowed the good mayor's money. It let me buy this fishing pole, actually! Always intended to pay it back. Now I can!” Zenshu’s mouth snapped closed as he held back the words he’d been about to say. Instead, he bowed low before the individual, wanting nothing more than to simply be done with the fisherman. He accepted the fish’s piece, before turning and leaving the docks behind – swearing that he’d never return to this area of the town if he could help it. ------ Word Count: 188 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #17 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 He’d made it a few blocks before his frustration died away. He wondered if he’d been too rude to the NPC – sure, the NPC likely didn’t have any emotional response to the behaviour of Zenshu, but it was still outside of how he normally acted. He considered for a few steps turning around and returning to apologise for his abrupt departure. He only refrained from doing so through the knowledge that the NPC likely wouldn’t even recognise him now that he had completed that portion of the quest. “Still, I shouldn’t let that become a habit. Even if these are just computer generated people, and not real people with real feelings, I shouldn’t let my behaviour change because of that. It’s important to maintain a proper posture – even if this is just a game. Habits are forming, and I can’t let myself become someone else just because it’s not a real world.” He looked up into the sky, placing his hands behind his head to support himself as he continued walking. The smile on his face had dimmed slightly – not entirely disappearing – as he considered the actions here, and in the real world. “I know a lot of people change in games, but I can’t let that happen to me. I shouldn’t let a game change who I am, or how I behave towards other people. Even if this isn’t a real world, it’s important to keep myself…well, myself.” He’d not put much consideration into it previously. He’d seen many people who had changed here – although he’d not known them in the real world, he’d seen the changes in behaviour when the reality of the game hit many. There’d been some that he had started the game with who had changed entirely – their entire beings thrown into chaos in a matter of moments. Zenshu had fought hard to resist that urge, to stay himself. He knew it wasn’t easy – the appeal of online games included the ability to be someone other than you, but that wasn’t something Zenshu was interested in. He’d sworn to stay himself, as long as he possibly could – and he would fight to maintain that identity. ----- Word Count: 360 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #18 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 His musing had carried him through the streets of the Town of Beginnings, his feet carrying him back towards the main court where he’d first spotted the mayor a few days earlier. Cocking his head, he glanced around the area looking for the mayor. He could see a few other players in the main court, but no sign of the NPC that he required to complete the quest itself. Shrugging to himself, Zenshu began wandering through the side alleys in an attempt to find the NPC to finish the quest. He found himself moving through areas filled with a collection of NPC-run shops, as well as collections of homes that could be purchased by players. Zenshu found himself glancing over some of the houses, taking an interest in the idea of having a place to call home away from home. He knew that he likely couldn’t afford one yet, but it was a goal to look forward to for the future – something that he could eventually buy to celebrate his success in the game, and their push towards freedom. “Maybe something to buy once I eventually begin to carve my path towards the frontlines, towards helping to escape. If I work hard enough, and save up enough col…perhaps I can buy a nice place here, or on one of the higher floors!” The idea gave him a flutter of excitement, and he found his steps carrying him forward with a small skip, a bit more energy in his movements than the moments before. ----- Word Count: 253 Link to post Share on other sites
Zenshu 0 Posted June 20, 2022 Author #19 Report Share Posted June 20, 2022 Turning a corner, Zenshu found the NPC he was looking for. The man appeared to be looking around the area, as if searching for another player to grasp on to and drag into the tutorial quest. Ready to be done with the whole quest, he moved towards the mayor, raising his hand and calling out as he approached in order to gain the man’s attention. “Hey there, Mr. Mayor! I’ve managed to obtain the money – the col – that you had asked me to collect for you! It turns out the fisher man…uhm…some guy named Pete Larkin, I think?...had borrowed the money! He…well, he gave me this piece of a fish we caught in order to repay you for what had been loaned. I hope this will more than cover any costs!” Zenshu pulled forth the bill that Pete had provided him to hand over to the mayor. The man seemed taken aback for a moment, before taking the piece hesitantly. “Well, yes, I suppose that's a fair trade. Truth be told, I don't quite remember how much we loaned him, anyway.” Delicately, with two fingers, Dorian accepts the unusual item. “Uh, alright, that's all, then. Thank you for your help. If you ever need anything in this town, do not hesitate to drop my name. I'm sure that's far more valuable than any monetary reward I could offer you, anyway.” Zenshu nodded as the mayor took the piece and walked off, leaving him alone in the side street with the notification that the quest had been completed. He shook his head, wondering at the oddness of the finality – but glad that it was completed now. He smiled as he thought back to the entire experience, including his anger at the whole situation. It all seemed miniscule and unimportant as he looked back, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit of shame at it all. Sighing, he turned away and began making his way back towards the inn he had been staying at. He wondered what would likely be available to the meal tonight, and began calculating what he could afford – he figured he could at least enjoy something more than the basic meal. It was enough to leave a broad smile on his face in excitement, and he found himself once more skipping along the street in anticipation. He’d managed to complete yet another quest, and although there was still a long way to go, he was another step closer to joining the frontlines – and the true fight for freedom from this world. ----- Word Count: 424 Thread Summary Word Count: 5,896 / 10 = 589 EXP 900 col | 400 col [Thread Progression] + 500 col [Quest] + 420 col [ID209657] 2 materials [ID209657] T1 Rare Consumables (1) [ID209657] T1 Rare Weapon (1) [ID209657] Big Bertha Barnicle | Unique Consumable (Meal) | A fishy entree that restores +2 additional EN each turn in combat for one thread. Link to post Share on other sites
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