Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 #1 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 “Floor two!†Urbus wasn't his favourite town in all of Aincrad, but he didn't mind it very much. The mountainous region was an excellent location to farm materials and resources for blacksmith related crafts, the hills were filled to the brim with deposits of ore. Of course, it wasn't all that easy, because the hills were also crawling with mimics that looked exactly like normal deposits of ore. They also had a tendency to attack on narrow ledges; but that was just Takao's experience so far. Per the usual, Takao's intel came from accidentally walking by a pair of players in a town talking about something that caught his attention. This time, it was bees. Well, wasps to be exact. A lot of players had been farming them, so he was curious about what all the hype was about. Were they dropping good items? Lots of experience? Either way, he was interested, so there he was. Takao didn't linger in the town, as soon as the transportation from floor six was completed he'd already started making his way to the fields in the mountains. Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #2 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 “Uh..?†Takao glanced around at the empty field and scratched his head. Empty? Wasn't there meant to be masses of people here farming away at the wasps? The wasps that weren't there. He continued walking around the field, his sword held tightly in hand and ready to strike at the first thing that jumped out at him, but nothing every did. The field seemed entirely empty, devoid of player and monster alike. It was eerily quiet too, which left a very bad taste in his mouth. His boots padded against the soft grass without much of a sound. The dry, thin mountain air and faint sounds of blowing wind behind him felt like something straight out of a horror movie. “Where in the world is everybody? Did I get off on the wrong floor or something?†Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #3 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 A faint buzzing in the distance had caught his attention. Takao approached it with caution, his sword raised and poised over his shoulder and behind his head, ready to strike at anything that might be unfortunate enough to jump in front of him. He placed his back firmly against the trunk of a tree and turned his body, eyeing the source of the buzzing. It was a wasp, that was sure. A yellow and black body, glowing red eyes made it clear it was an aggressive monster, and the buzzing came from the wings on its back that kept it afloat. It was large, perhaps the largest beast he'd seen so far in all his time in Aincrad. It also had not one, but two health bars. Green eyes narrowed and he turned to place his back against the tree again. “No other players in sight... No smaller monsters with regular health bars either. This must be a field boss.†A smile slowly worked its way onto his face. A field boss on the second floor couldn't be terribly strong, but he wagered it would give him plenty of experience. Plus, he was the only person around. That would make things difficult, but the rewards would be his alone to reap. Takao was more interested in the challenge. Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #4 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen “Alright, let's do this!†With his confidence boosted by a motivational inner dialogue. He turned to look around the tree again and noted the Wasp Queen's back was now turned to him, which gave him the perfect opportunity to strike. Takao posed the blade behind his back and listened to the low hum the blade emitted as a pale green glow formed. With his sword art charged, he leapt out from his cover behind the tree and sprinted toward the Wasp Queen. Each step he took wasn't terribly quiet, but the wasp's buzzing wings must have muted the background noise to some extent. When Takao was finally within range, he whistled sharply. The field boss snapped its attention in his direction, but he had already dropped into a straight-legged slide underneath. His left leg stopped his momentum abruptly when he was behind the boss, allowing his right foot to slam into the ground. He tensed the muscles and leapt into the air, slicing into the exposed back of the field boss. Takao landed with a soft thud a few meters away after his successful slash, his eyes narrowing at the lower health bar as it was lowered ever so slightly. “Well, this might take a while.†»ID: [23964] »BD: [9] (+1 critical damage) »MD: [4 - 3 = 1] «Takao» » [[HP : 23/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 26/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #5 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen Takao's best bet, he'd decided, was to evade rather than attempt to block. His current skill set was built more for avoiding damage in its entirety rather than taking the blunt force. If he had a shield, things might be different, or even some better armour; but he only had what he was wearing, and it would have to do. The Wasp evaded his next strike, though it was halfhearted. He was more interested in learning patterns than blasting right through the fight. He noted that the Wasp Queen stayed low to the ground. Perhaps its wings weren't strong enough to carry it higher in the thin mountain air? Or perhaps it was just programmed to stay within striking range of players. Its evasive tactics were slow due to its size, but still impressive none the less. It employed diving attacks with its stinger, and threw in a few attempts at body slams when the opportunity presented itself, but otherwise it was a very standard attack pattern that he had already memorized. “Must be that it's a low floor field boss. I shouldn't have too hard of a time with this, I don't think.†»ID: [23965] »BD: [1] »MD: [8 - 3 = 5] «Takao» » [[HP : 23/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 26/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #6 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen Takao slid to a stop after employing an almost perfectly executed backward hand spring to avoid the Wasp Queen as it slammed its stinger into the ground. The earth cracked and splintered where she landed, showing just how powerful it was. A mental note was made to avoid the stinger at all costs. With his reaffirmed grasp on his balance he ran at the Wasp Queen again. He leapt off the ground and sliced into its body as he passed, the blade leaving a red wound filled with geometric shapes in its wake. It was a good shot, and the Wasp Queen's health dropped a bit more, but he still had a long way to go. “Man, you're a stubborn one, aren'tcha?†»ID: [23966] »BD: [9] (+1 critical damage) »MD: [4 - 3 = 1] «Takao» » [[HP : 23/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 22/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #7 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen Takao raised his sword and placed it behind his head, over his shoulders. The blade emitted a low toned hum and began to glow a bright green, a clear indication of his intention to use a sword art. The Wasp was distracted with trying to free itself from the ground after another failed attempt at dive bombing him with its stinger, which left it open for an attack. This sword art rarely failed, so he figured he'd give it a try against the boss. He'd learn very quickly that this was a bad decision. As he leapt into the air, the Wasp Queen suddenly freed itself. Takao spun his left leg over as the Wasp Queen swiftly evaded. His eyes widened as he observed the field boss preform some excellent evasive acrobatics and flipped itself around. It slammed itself into Takao which threw him to the ground, dealing a hefty chunk of damage to his health. He exhaled a wheeze of pain as the air was forced from his lungs, and laid stomach up on the ground. »ID: [23967] »BD: [2] »MD: [10 - 3 = 7] (+2 critical damage) «Takao» » [[HP : 19/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 22/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #8 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen He needed to recover, and he needed to do it quickly. The boss had no sympathy for him, it was nothing more than a program designed to do one thing – put his head on a spike. Or, in this case, it'd be a stinger. His expression contorted into a wince as he moved, his green eyes widening when he noticed the incoming stinger. Adrenaline coursed through him and his body took over, moving on its own. He hoisted himself off the ground with one arm and swung his legs around, then pushed off the ground with his arms and sprung his body onto his feet in a well preformed kick-up. The system was excellent in simulating acrobatic prowess, especially now that he'd acquired the related skill. The Wasp landed with a loud crash behind him, kicking up dust and tossing debris around. Takao spun on his heel, quickly rooted his stance, and grasped the pommel of his one handed sword with his other hand. It'd offer no additional damage, he knew that much, but it helped provide him with balance and leverage. The blade sliced deep into the wasp's body, taking a large chunk of its health with it. The lower bar was hovering dangerously close to empty, which made Takao wonder if the beast would be switching up its tactics soon. »ID: [23968] »BD: [10] (+2 critical damage) »MD: [4 - 3 = 1] «Takao» » [[HP : 19/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 17/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #9 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen With the assumption that the Wasp Queen may end up switching its tactics on him after depleting the first health bar entirely, he planned on dealing the last bit of damage and retreating to a safe distance. He was confident in his ability to evade if he was given ample time to react. But he'd been wrong before, so he had nothing more to do than place his faith in his own abilities of self preservation. One slash was all it took to bring the first health bar down. The Wasp Queen reacted accordingly as its eyes flashed red. A sliver of the second health bar went down with the strike. Takao immediately leapt back and put considerable distance between them. He spun his blade in his hand a few times, staying limber in a fight that would require his attention and evasiveness to be at the top of their game. »ID: [23976] »BD: [6] »MD: [1 - 3 = -2] «Takao» » [[HP : 19/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 14/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #10 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen His assumptions proved to be right. Unfortunately. The Wasp's moves became erratic and seemingly without pattern, but Takao knew better. The movements it made were flashy and made to throw off opponents with lesser skills in observation. It was a fair tactic that had nearly thrown him off, but Takao knew better than that. Everything had a pattern. It was just a matter of finding where that pattern looped back onto itself. The Wasp Queen closed the distance between them in an alarmingly short amount of time. Before he knew it the beast was upon him, poised to strike. He raised his blade, knowing full well he hadn't the time to evade the unpredicted movement, and slashed forward. The blade struck and dealt damage, but so did the Wasp Queen's stinger. It dug into his side and cut deep, depleting a fair amount of health. He yelped in pain and rolled to the side after sustaining the damage. »ID: [23977] »BD: [9] (+1 critical damage) »MD: [10 - 3 = 7] (+2 critical damage) «Takao» » [[HP : 15/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 10/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #11 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen Not one to lay down and accept defeat so easily, Takao pushed off the ground and forced himself to stand. His hand grazed the wound on his side with a grimace. It hurt, certainly not in the way that it would if it was a real wound, but the pain was still present. It was interesting to him how a game that could inflict mental pain onto a customer could have been marketed as widespread as it was, even if there were only about ten thousand people playing. Then again, it was also interesting how they could all be trapped in a video game world with the overarching objective to “beat†the game by clearing all the floors. His mind snapped back to the fight at hand after the instant of thoughts ran through his head. Right, he still had a Wasp Queen to kill. The two exchanged attempts at blows, but neither hit their target. Takao swung a shallow strike at one of the legs but missed entirely, and the Wasp Queen thrust its stinger toward him but he shifted his weight and narrowly evaded. »ID: [24034] »BD: [3] »MD: [8 - 3 = 5] «Takao» » [[HP : 15/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 10/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #12 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen Frustration was a word rarely used in Takao's vocabulary. He didn't get frustrated over many things, especially if they were things like unseen forces working against him. Usually whatever would frustrate him, if he had a normal method of processing thoughts and emotions, would instead be turned into pure motivation. This battle was no exception. He put his weight behind the swing, determined to end the battle as quickly as he could, but missed entirely. That might've frustrated a normal person, and such a response was perfectly acceptable. But for Takao, it just fueled the fire burning inside him and fed the desire to succeed. He landed beside the Wasp Queen and immediately resumed moving. The monster swung at him and, thanks to his system-assisted talents in acrobatics, he evaded the strike entirely with both ease and grace. As Takao had learned earlier, keeping space between him and the Wasp Queen wasn't going to work in its frenzied state. Instead, he opted to staying close, a dangerous and reckless tactic but it was paying off so far. The advantage of speed it had over him was null and void when it had spent all the time it would normally be spending to attack him, to instead turn and follow his movements, and then attack. It gave him ample opportunity to avoid, which he was taking every advantage of. »ID: [24035] »BD: [4] »MD: [1 - 3 = -2] «Takao» » [[HP : 15/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 10/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #13 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen Takao spun his blade in his hand as he circled the Wasp Queen. Neither of the two were making their move right off the bat, despite the monster being in a frenzy and Takao being eager to end the battle. He knew better by now than to rush at a monster just because he wanted to finish it quickly, that was just plain reckless! So instead, he waited for an opening. When he found one, Takao raised his blade over his shoulder. The blade began to glow a magnificent green colour and emit a low hum as he prepared a sword art. When it was finished charging, he moved to hold the blade at his side and rushed at the Wasp Queen. In response, the monster lashed out at him, but missed by a small margin as he jumped. He threw his left leg around to shift his weight and spin once, his blade arm snapping forward and slicing deep into the Wasp Queen's torso. He landed behind the massive insect as its health continued to drop, his blade already poised and charging another sword art. »ID: [24036] »BD: [10] (+2 critical damage) »MD: [8- 3 = 5] «Takao» » [[HP : 15/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 5/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #14 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Wind Wasp Queen Upon landing on the soft grass following his successful sword art, Takao prepared another right away. He held the blade low as he shifted his position and placed his left leg behind him, tensing the limb and pushing off the grass to strike immediately after the last. His strike was true as it cleaved through the Wasp Queen, depleting its final health bar. Takao slowed his pace down to a slight jog as the Wasp Queen disappeared in a fantastic display of lights and colourful shards, and a smile grew on his face. His first field boss proved to be quite the interesting challenge, but nothing he couldn't handle. He twirled the blade in his hand and aligned it with the mouth of his scabbard, then slid it down to the hilt. He adjusted the scabbard to a more comfortable position and glanced down at the menu that appeared, eager to see just what kind of interesting rewards he'd be getting from the quarry. »ID: [24038] »BD: [10] (+2 critical damage) »MD: [5 - 3 = 2] «Takao» » [[HP : 15/23]] «Wind Wasp Queen» » [[HP : 0/30]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #15 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 "Huh... A temporary consumable called «The Matriarch's Stinger». It's a venom that increases damage for a duration... Looks to be about the length of a normal battle. That'll come in useful." His eyes wandered down the reward prompt and continued reading. Experience of a hefty amount, that much was a given. It had been a field boss he'd just killed, after all. In addition to that, he was rewarded with a few skill points to allocate as he saw fit. That part excited him, he was curious to see what advanced ranks of his weapon skill would allow him to do. His acrobatics had been acting as a supplement for pure weapon skill, but a combination of the two... now that would be deadly. He closed and turned, noticing a patch of flowers with interesting patterns nearby. Ever on the hunt for crafting materials he couldn't even use, Takao knelt down and collected the resource. Even if he didn't use the materials, he knew of others that could. »ID: [23467] »LD: [17] +1 Material Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #16 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 "Well, since I'm here already, I guess I can look for crafting materials." Takao glanced around at the empty field and felt a smile creep up on his face. There was a certain emphasis on empty in the back of his mind as he examined the area. No players. Which meant no players looking for crafting materials. He had the field all to himself, if only for a short while. He would definitely be taking advantage of this opportunity. He started off in a sprint, but quickly slowed down to a moderate jog. He didn't have to exert himself, but there wasn't much in his brain that was convincing him to have a leisurely stroll either. Takao located another source of resources, a patch of flowers, and picked the ones he knew to be crafting materials. He wasn't sure how many he had now in total, but he knew it was an impressive amount. By his standards, if nothing else. »ID: [24110] »LD: [16] +1 Material Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #17 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Large Wasp Worker It had suddenly dawned on him why exactly the field was empty. Even if he had killed the queen, there were still lesser mobs scattered around. "Right," he thought. "The field boss had to come from somewhere. Guess they were farming these guys too hard." He looked at the large wasp before him as it buzzed aggressively. He pulled the sword from his back and raised it over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing despite a smile being eternally plastered on his face. "I'll just have to take out the stragglers then. Could always use some more experience, after all!" The blade hummed and glowed, per the usual, and he sprinted forward. Takao sliced into the Wasp Worker with precision and power, cleaving through its side and removing a large chunk of its health. Just about a third, by his brief glance to the health bar. He evaded the stinger that it tried to pierce him with, and prepared himself for the battle. »ID: [24112] »BD: [10] (+2 critical damage) »MD: [7 - 3 = 4] «Takao» » [[HP : 15/23]] «Large Wasp Worker» » [[HP : 7/12]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #18 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Large Wasp Worker After his first cut went through, Takao immediately followed up with another. He pulled his sword back and slashed in the opposite direction, forming a large, glowing red X shaped wound on the torso of the wasp. It surely didn't like that, judging by the flurry of attacks it sent Takao's way. He didn't have any trouble with evading them, however, as he leapt back and out of the way entirely. The grin on his face was wide. Takao wasn't an innately violent person. Violence was never the first reaction on his mind, nor the second, nor the third. But there was something about Sword Art Online that just gave him a thrill with fighting. Maybe it was because he knew the creatures weren't real. They didn't feel emotion. They were there to either kill him or be killed, and Takao was a bit more partial to the latter being true than the former. »ID: [24116] »BD: [8] »MD: [5 - 3 = 2] «Takao» » [[HP : 15/23]] «Large Wasp Worker» » [[HP : 4/12]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 11, 2015 Author #19 Report Share Posted July 11, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Large Wasp Worker Takao and the large wasp locked eyes as they circled each other. His blade was poised, raised, and ready to strike. The wasp's stinger was similarly raised and ready to strike, they were simply waiting for the opening to do so without getting hit themselves. The wind shifted directions suddenly, and the two sprinted toward each other. Takao held his blade at his side and the wasp dived toward him, ready to pierce him with the stinger. The two moved in unison, Takao thrust his blade forward and the wasp mimicked his movements. When they collided, Takao's blade cut deep into the Wasp and left it with barely any health remaining. Takao sustained damage too, his health teetering uncomfortably below the halfway point. »ID: [24123] »BD: [6] »MD: [10 - 3 = 7] (+2 critical damage) «Takao» » [[HP : 12/23]] «Large Wasp Worker» » [[HP : 1/12]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 12, 2015 Author #20 Report Share Posted July 12, 2015 [Combat Sequence] Takao Large Wasp Worker The two broke apart and immediately took another jab the other. Takao missed first, his blade sailing half a meter above the Wasp as it moved around him. The Wasp attempted to slam its entire body into Takao, but missed when Takao jumped forward and tucked into a roll. He used his free hand to spring him back up into a standing position and narrowed his eyes toward the Wasp. The movements were eerily similar to the larger Wasp Queen, but were with several differences. They were slower and easier to move around, they lacked the power that the Wasp Queen had, and it was easier to confuse than the Wasp Queen. Takao began to circle the Wasp, his hand holding the spot on his stomach the stinger had damaged. The pain was just barely present, already fading, but the feeling of being struck was still present. »ID: [24154] »BD: [1] »MD: [8 - 3 = 5] «Takao» » [[HP : 12/23]] «Large Wasp Worker» » [[HP : 1/12]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
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