[SP-F5] A Grand Discovery?

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

So...story be told, there have been many stories out there now about the mysterious man named Nero. I would know many of these stories thanks to friends that have fortunately survived the encounters with the devious man named Vile. One unfortunate incident involved Nero having to fight Vile, but with no results, both of them vanished out of the blue. When asking questions they said something about him using two weapons, which was impossible, ive looked through all of my skills several hundred times and noticed nothing of the sort being possible. I always wondered if their eyes have been deceiving them. I was going to find out no matter what it took in order to find this out.

There is no possibility of this skill existing Dmitri, you are a fool to believe it i turned to face the man who sat next to me. An old guild informant from an area unknown to me he kept his hood up the entire time but continued to gather info for me without even asking a question.

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

What do you propose we do then Ryu? Are we going to sit by and watch as someone else finds out that this skill exists just because you are too stubborn to believe it? he asked me these questions sternly and seriously

You're right Dmitri, I am going to get to the bottom of this whether it be the death of me or not. i said standing up suddenly and looking to him Try to get as much information from everyone else you can and report back to me...this Nero guy couldnt have gotten very far, if anything, he knows more about it than i do.

I turned away from Dmitri and thanked him as i began to walk out into the desert heat. There was no way this was really happening, there was no way this was anything but rumor. I walked right out of the city knowing that characters like that wouldnt just linger around towns, they would most likely be out here honing their skills. I decided that i would go about it the same exact way.

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

Out in the desert, sometimes you cant remember your name considering there is no one out her to give you any pain. Though it felt good to be out of the rain, it didnt mean much seeing as there are no horses for to give any names. I wandered the desert for a good couple of hours just wondering what it was going to take to find something like this. I hadnt found any players, nor any other informants to be gathering questions. I wasnt about to give up but i certainly had no other leads on what was about to go down. I began to walk up another dune and heard the clashing of steel and other materials. As i crossed over the dune i sword i had seen the dual spear wielding man named Nero fighting off a few players with orange cursors.

Am i seeing this correctly i asked myself, realizing i was a little far away to see if he was wielding one spear or two. At this distance it would be impossible to tell.

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

There was truly no way to even look in that direction. I slid down the dune very carefully hoping not t startle someone or something. I watched carefully as this fight proceeded beyond comprehension. Nero was thrusting his spear so fast and between knocking enemies back and knocking them to the ground there was in no way possible, to see if he was actually using two spears. I wanted to believe the stories but i cant see them as being true until i see him do it all together. He was so skilled that i had no time to get a look at his hands. From what i was seeing, was that he was just way too fast for the human eyes to comprehend and everyone was just mistaken. I heard a noise from behind me and turned to look but saw nothing. When i faced forward again, the fight had completely vanished so i ran out and felt the sand. It was hot but had absolutely no sign that the fight had even taken place. It was just an illusion, of course it was, i had only seen what i wanted to see.

There is NO way that it was really happening. Maybe ive been out here in the desert way too much i spoke to myself as i heard the sands shift and saw something arise from the depths of the dunes. A gigantic scorpion named the Death Stalker appeared in front of me and screeched in my direction.

Rats...this just absolutely BUGS me i said to myself as i drew my katana and braced myself for the giant to begin its assault.

Ryu 54/54

Death Stalker 40/40

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

The Death Stalkers screech was to be an intimidation factor but i wasnt afraid of whatever it was about to throw at me. I took the katana in my hands and closed my eyes momentarily. When i opened my eyes i was ready to face the bug filled with the poisonous stinger. I ran at the creature shouting with the katana poised to strike.

Roll 2 (even with +2 accuracy i miss)

The katana collided with the sand and kicked up some dust. I luckily wasnt even close to a level where i would worry about my own health. But the Death Stalker swung its tail around for a smack in my chest. It threw me back a couple of feet and did some damage. It wasnt much but it still hit, even with my mitigation bonus.

Ryu 52/54

DS 40/40

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

I shot up from the ground and poised myself. There was nothing better than a fight for your life but it was ruining my investigation. I raised my katana and ran at the beast again. I needed to get faster, speed was key and i knew i was not going to get any better by being slow.

Roll 5 + 2 = 7, 9 damage

I dodge the left claw of the scorpion like creature and was able to cut into the meat of the beast. It screeched out in pain as i ripped into its shell. I took a couple of steps back knowing it was not going to repeat its mistake about standing there again.

Ryu 52/54

DS 31/40

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

It screeched again, trying to intimidate me as its prey, but it was no use. I wasnt about to let myself be taken down by some oversized arachnid. It charged at me this time and i was going to be ready for it. I lifted my katana to my chest and prepared for anything that would come my way.

Roll 7 + 2 = 9 (no crit its not natural) 9 damage.

I sidestepped allowing the big baddy to run right by me and as it did i slashed down cutting the right claw off the beast. It screamed at me in pain slamming its tail into the ground creating a dust cloud of smoke and sand but after so long it passed by and the scorpion was set and ready to attack again...minus one claw.

Ryu 52/54

DS 22/40

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

I turned to the scorpion and looked it dead in the....well it has six eyes so im only lying to you (the reader) and myself. It only having one claw meant that i saw it as weaker, but that didnt mean much. The thing was as strong as ever but it was definitely not as powerful as it was first made out to be. It screeched at me once more at me and we charged at each other ready to impale the other.

Roll 6 Hit

The claw and the sword collided but the sword itself was in the absolute correct space cutting the claw itself in half. Leaving the scorpion with such damage would have been cruel and inhumane. I twirled my katana a bit and pointed at the scorpion.

You are terrifying i spoke to it sarcastically

Ryu 52/54

DS 13/40

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

The scorpions low health was clearly shown by the lack of body parts. The arachnid was on its last legs but it still stood strong against me.I raised my katana as it raised as its tail to fight me. I ran at it and it ran at me.

Roll 10 (11 damage)

My sword cut off the rest of the scorpion's claw putting the last legs of the beast its tail. If it didnt do something very soon it would have nothing left. It hissed and screeched at me.

Ryu 52/54

DS 2/40

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

The scorpions energy began to fade as i lifted my katana one last time.

This just isnt your day now is it? i asked the scorpion as it screeched at me. and we charged at each other.

Roll 5 + 2 ACC = 7, 9 damage

I cut through the scorpions body and it exploded into a million diamond shards.

After the sudden explosion i received a PM from Dmitri.

Get back to the city as fast as possible, i have some information that you may find useful in your quest. Dont worry about replying, just meet me at the warp gate on the fifth floor.

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

I turned away from the scorpions resting place and head back in the direction of town....i think. After all the wondering around , i had gotten myself lost in the world that is floor 5 of Aincrad. How stupid of me...and if anyone else found out about it, i would never live it down. For almost three hours, the only thing i could see was sand, sand, and more sand...it was absolutely dreadful. I saw something that resembled a building and as i approached it turned into the city, finally i had made it back to my starting point. As i found my way over to Dmitri he looked at me a little shocked but not as much as i imagined he might.

Took ya long enough he joked at me

You try fighting a giant scorpion... i joked back So what do you have for me?

As i asked him the question i could see his face light up with a smile Well... he began

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

He rattled off a few names i didnt recognize but it seems after these other players have tried to uncover this rumor, they suddenly vanished into thin air, almost completely off the grid map. Im not even sure how one has the ability to do that but then Dmitri explained it in more blunt terms.

They died!? i exclaimed

Yes im afraid he nodded with his reply. They were challenged to a duel and were killed as the result of losing.

That does seem very likely seeing as if this skill exists, only one player in the entire game would ever be able to use it. i gave some thought about this but not enough to convince myself not to do it anymore

Are you going to still go after it...knowing whats at stake now? Dmitri asked me

...Compared to whats at stake...i think im willing to go through with everything to figure this all out i said confidently as i could

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

Dmitri looked at me with a slightly disappointed look on his face. Clearly he didnt like the thought of a friend risking their life over something so simple as a sword skill that might not even exist. He looked up at me clearly holding back his tears as best he could.

Then i wish you the best of luck buddy...just dont let him or her kill you...remember to stand up and fight, even if you feel you cant...just do it he said as a little bit of the waterwork leaked from his face.

Dmitri... i looked towards him ...i cant promise ill make it out alive from all of this, but i can sure as heck promise you i wont die without a fight i said with a smile at the end

He stood up suddenly and turned away from me.

Just remember....this man or woman wields two swords....so beating them isnt going to be easy... he said as he walked away from our meeting spot Just dont die were his last words to me before he disappeared into the townspeople.

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

Continuing to roam the streets of the hot desert floor i was still trying to unravel the mystery of the two handed swordsmen. Would i stand a chance against him in a fight, would there even be a fight? As i asked myself these questions i was going around talking to every player and non player informant that there was trying to get eve a brief history of this guy. The only things people seemed to be able to say were;

Dude you are crazy, dual wielding is impossible and others said things more like

Challenging that man, is like digging your own grave

None of it made sense but there was a woman, who heard of my curiosity approached me strangely. She wore a black robe and golden earrings with light pink hair.

Listen...i hear you have been curious about this brute with the two swords...i have almost detected where he rests, but be warned this is only the beginning of the danger you could be in she spoke with a slightly raspy voice

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

I looked to her with astonishment, but it soon faded away from my face. I was eager to continue my mission but i was going to have to be cautious about what i did from here on out.

Can you give me the whereabouts? i asked opening my map and throwing it over to her.

She looked at my map and touched a small area in the middle of the desert near an oasis. The spot began to glow a bright blue in color as she threw back the map. I wanted to say thank you but she turned and began to walk away.

So you are just going to give me this information for nothing? i asked her

Its your funeral if you go out there...the information is worth nothing to me... she said suddenly disappearing into the crowd of people nearby.

I was on my own once again and this means that i have to wander the deserts once more and this time, my search would be successful, even if that means death...i wanted to find this man and see for myself just how he learned to get his skill.

[RyujinSeaLord 0]

With the new found information i set off to the desert like area that this character may, or may not have called home. I equipped my sword once again and trekked onward. In the desert there not much else to look at, its just sand among endless sand. The location was slow on the approach but there was nothing special about it, at least on the outside. On the outside it looked like a house. (OOC: Imagine a house on Tatooine from Star Wars)

On the inside though, it was much bigger, the house itself was a lie. The interior it was almost temple like. I had no idea such things like this even existed in the game. I heard rumors about underground dungeons, but i waved them off like they were nothing. No way was i willing to believe in underground worlds. This was unlike anything i had ever seen. I wondered what was going to be found inside something so simple, as i could hear noises of clanging steel, but it echoed through the entire place. I crept along searching for a room with a man. The man seemed so difficult to find but i wanted nothing more than to discover this. Alas i had entered an empty room filled with, books and recording crystals. Memos or the last wills of people he has killed perhaps? It was all still a mystery, when suddenly i heard things from behind me, but i was too afraid to turn around. Could this be the end of me?