[SP-F1&3] <<Worn out Welcome>> (Complete)

[Azide 0]

"Long time no see Azide!" called the innkeeper as the familiar face entered the Sleep Inn. She shrugged, albeit while wearing a wide smile on her face. "Same situation as last time I'm afraid. But hey, a bench isn't too bad, right?"

Azide waved upon walking in, and hearing the news, sighed but nodded reluctantly. "Beggars can't be choosers," he remarked. "Osenkowski still here by any chance?" he asked, thinking of his old friend that had helped him the last time he'd come here. "If it weren't for him, I might still be looking for some of those materials I needed for this rapier."

She shook her head. "Afraid not. The old man left a few days ago on another one of his crazy expeditions! Set off with some kind players who were willing to bring him along for the ride- but I can leave a message for when he gets back!"

Azide considered it, but shook his head as well. "I can wait until the next time I see him, but I appreciate it. I never got your name, by the way. Mind if I ask what it might be?"

The girl laughed. "Well it might be Catherine, but it might not be."

"A bit too pedantic there for my tastes, but I'm willing to accept that, Catherine," said Azide with a chuckle. He walked over and laid himself out on the makeshift bench, lying in a way so that he faced the wall, then closed his eyes. After a while, he spoke for the last time that night. "Thanks again, Catherine."

"No problem at all Azide- good night."

He fell asleep to thoughts of what lay ahead, wondering if his abilities could ever live up to his ambitions in this world.

[Azide 0]

Azide looked through the window, watching as small birds landed on the street in the adjacent alley. They hopped around the grey roads in search of worms, no doubt. That would be a strange place of worms under the average day-to-day circumstances of Aincrad, but it had rained during the night, bringing worms from out of the soil and into the streets. They would likely wither and die either way, so he reasoned this to be making the best of their deaths. "Now am I a worm, or am I a bird?" he mused. He turned and looked over at the front desk and saw it to be vacant. "Catherine must have gone to her room at some point," he thought, stepping off of the bench. He did so quietly, realizing that most of the inn's occupants likely hadn't yet woken at this hour. "The early bird gets the worm..." he reminded himself. He creaked open the door and stepped out, peering inside for a moment before closing it gently behind him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the cool morning air, which still carried the slight scent of fresh rain. He released it slowly, opening his eyes again to look around. Spirits high, he set off to find more boar while the day was still young.

[Azide 0]

Azide set his eyes on a lone Oversized Boar he'd spotted from across the meadow, then snuck up on it while managing to both stay safely out of view and come within sprinting distance of it. He released Atom Slicer from its leather sheath, then made a running dash for the creature as it turned its head, embedding his blade so deep that only his guard kept the metal from slipping any deeper. Unfortunately, this had the effect of making his rapier more difficult to withdraw as well, leading the boar to simply charge into him- blade stuck through it or not. The boar pressed onwards, impaling him on its tusks and carrying him for long enough to deal a fair amount of damage before he was finally able to slip both himself and his sword away. He stopped for a moment to take his breath, then readied his sword for a second strike.

ID: 7491

BD: 10 (Crit +2)

MD: 10 (Crit + 2)

Damage taken (Azide) = 1 (base) + 2 (Crit +2) = 3

Damage taken (Boar) = 1 (base) + 1 (rapier) + 1 (sp's) + 2 (Crit + 2) = 5

Azide HP: 10/13 (-3)

Boar HP: 2/7 (-5)

[Azide 0]

Azide darted forward, dodging the boar's assault with ease before felling the beast with a second strike. He watched as the beast lashed about with its final death throes before shattering into shards of data, leaving behind nothing but it's hide. Azide transferred the material to his inventory, noting it to be the third of his required total of four. "It'd be nice to actually obtain something else from these boar, but anything else would just be icing on the cake. It's these skins I'm after, first and foremost." He noticed both his level and health had increased- to six and fifteen, respectively. "Just keep piling those levels on, mister Akihiko. Then I'll come gunning for your best soon enough." He sheathed Atom Slicer for the time being, then headed off to find (and slay) his final target (and victim).

ID: 7492

BD: 6 (Hit)

MD: 1 (Miss)

LD: 7 (nothing found)

Damage taken (Azide) = 0 (miss)

Damage taken (Boar) = 1 (base) + 1 (rapier) + 1 (sp's) = 3

Azide HP: 10/13 (-0)

Boar HP: -1/7 (-3) [dead]

*1 material gained

[Azide 0]

Soon enough, Azide spotted another one of the creatures in a nearby location. In one smooth motion, he bolted forward and unleashed Atom Slicer upon the unsuspecting Oversized Boar. He swung his rapier at the boar's head, clashing with its tusk. From there, they went blow for blow, with both combatant trading successful hits on the other. Breaking the pattern, Azide managed to avoid a fourth hit from the creature, then reached out and struck a glancing blow to seal the deal. They were now both roughly around half of their health, true. "But then again, my current health almost equals his maximum." Azide raised his blade, ready to put an end to the creature, then came running at it once more.

ID: 7495

BD: 9 (Crit +1)

MD: 10 (Crit +2)

Damage taken (Azide) = 1 (base) + 2 (crit +2) = 3

Damage taken (Boar) = 1 (base) + 1 (rapier) + 1 (sp's) + 1 (crit +1) = 4

Azide HP: 7/15 (-3)

Boar HP: 4/8 (-4)

[Azide 0]

Azide ran forward, dashing by roughly an arm's-length distance away for the boar, missing his slash as he passed it. It wasn't all bad- he hadn't been harmed either, after all. But he couldn't help but shudder at the thought of another long and drawn out showdown. The last two boar had gone down with ease- would his luck run out with this final one? He shook his head. "No, it won't- because I won't permit it to just yet." He shifted his grip on Atom Slicer and turned around, setting his sights on his beastly opponent.

ID: 7497

BD: 4 (miss)

MD: 2 (miss)

Damage taken (Both) = 0 (misses)

Azide HP: 7/15 (-0)

Boar HP: 4/8 (-0)

[Azide 0]

Azide rallied his spirits and came charging at the boar with a certain vigor, narrowly shifting himself out of the way just in time to avoid a literal close shave as the boar's tusks grazed against the side of his head. He quickly regained his footing upon landing, pivoting himself to face the boar while its back was still turned, then stepped forward and stabbed at it a total of three times with his rapier. It stumbled back, clinging desperately to its final point of health. A thin red line was all that separate Azide from finishing his task. "The last health point of the day, Azide. Finish strong, alright?" He twirled his rapier a few times before tightening his grip, then darted ahead to finish up.

ID: 7498

BD: 8 (Hit)

MD: 5 (Miss)

Damage taken (Azide) = 0 (miss)

Damage taken (Boar) = 1 (base) + 1 (rapier) + 1 (sp's) = 3

Azide HP: 7/15 (-0)

Boar HP: 1/8 (-3)

[Azide 0]

Azide ran at the creature at with relentless speed, leaping into the air before finally ending the battle with a quick downward slice. The boar's tusks had not been permitted to hit him a final time, and soon shattered along with the rest of the boar. Azide walked over to examine the loot, not expecting much. This proved to be a good idea, as the boar had left behind its hide- which though useful, could have been spiced up with the presence of another item or even some col. "The drop rates around here are either insanely high or I'm just a tad unlucky," he concluded. He sent the material to his inventory and sheathed his rapier, satisfied with its performance outside of the initial nightmare with the first boar. Azide couldn't help but smile, glad to finally be rid of the task. He took a moment to fully recollect himself, then headed off to make his way back to Griswold and Hanna's forge.

ID: 7499

BD: 6 (Hit)

MD: 2 (Miss)

LD: 5 (nothing found)

Damage taken (Azide) = 0 (miss)

Damage taken (Boar) = 1 (base) + 1 (rapier) + 1 (sp's) = 3

Azide HP: 7/15 (-0)

Boar HP: -2/8 (-3) [dead]

*1 material acquired

[Azide 0]

"Just make yourself at home why don't ya!" grumbled Griswold. He was busy hammering away at something in the shop's back room and wasn't particularly in the mood to be interrupted by another snot-nosed kid while in the middle of his work.

"Don't be ridiculous dear, it's that wonderful Azide boy we spoke to the other day!" chided Hanna. The old lady reminded Azide of the stereotypical southern belle, a stunning portrait of hospitality and kindness. "All that's missing is a pitcher of sweet tea," he thought, thinking back to those American movie's he'd seen. She walked over to the youth and smile warmly at him. "Back already, young man?"

Azide nodded, thankful that she was here as well. He made a few taps of his inventory and materialized the four Oversized Boar Hides on the counter in front of him. "I've got all four right here, just as you asked."

By now, Griswold came out from the back room to see what the ruckus was all about, muttering something under his breath. He eyed the stack of hides with suspicion, then finally nodded his head. "So you're finally back huh? Well I'll be damned, kid. Tell you what- we'll go ahead and make your little armor so I can get back to work. We square?"

Hanna shot her husband a look, seemingly displeased by his callousness and had been about to speak up, before Azide himself responded.

"Don't worry about it, miss. I'd be more than happy if you could do that for me. But I have a special request, if that's alright?"

"Spit it out," replied Griswold, crossing his trunk-like arms together.

"I'd like my jacket to be a dark green- if you can manage it, said Azide."

"Oh don't you worry about a thing young man, we'd be more than happy to dye your jacket for you." Hanna ruffled the player's hair in a rather motherly sort of way.

Azide nodded, then waited by the counter as the two went off to work.

Griswold and Hanna took the leather boar hides in their arms, then carried them into the back room. Using the game's highly automated crafting system, they quickly treated the leather, turning it from the raw material that it was into a much more workable material. Afterwards, they bleached the hides before letting them rest in a dark green dye. Finally, Griswold trimmed and straightened out the sheets of boar skin, before handing them off to Hanna to sew together.

After about ten or fifteen minutes, the elderly couple came back out- carrying a Green Leather Battle Jacket. "Well, here you are punk." said Griswold.

"Oh, you'll look so handsome in this dear!" Hanna bubbled.

Azide took the jacket and thanked them both profusely before finally leaving the shop as they waved goodbye (although he had a feeling Griswold did not do so by his own choice). He slipped off his cloth armor and tossed it in a nearby garbage bin, then slipped on his newly acquired piece of equipment and smiled before walking off to his next task.

[Azide 0]

=====Quest Complete=====

+400 col (1 fully completed page)

+2 SP (1 from Quest Reward + 1 from Completed Topic)

+ 0 Mats (+4 mats -4 mats)

Quest Reward Item:

» Name: Green Leather Battle Coat

Type: Light Armor

Quality: Uncommon

Attributes: +1 Evasion

Description: A dark green leather coat light enough to afford its wearer a high range of movement.