Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 #1 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Yesterday's monster hunting trip had been fruitful, not only in numerical experience. His armour was put to the test and passed with high marks, which only added to Takao's growing enthusiasm and excitement. When his cloak was finished being tailored, his evasiveness would be back up to where it was before, and when Lessa finished his sword he'd be much more likely to hit his targets. To top it all off, he would have other enhancements in addition to those. Equipment alone wouldn't put him on par with other frontliners who were much more battle hardened than he, but it was definitely setting him on the right path. Such lack of experience is precisely what brought him to the sixth floor from the third. With the knowledge that his ability to mitigate damage efficiently in mind, grinding experience on monsters from higher floors was a much more viable option. He'd estimated that the sixth floor was the best place to start, as their damage was reaching the upper limit of what he could effectively mitigate. He hoped that wandering mindlessly through the jungle would have results. Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #2 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Distinguishing monster from plant in the jungle was a difficult task. Everything looked the same, sounded the same, even smelled the same. It was an assault on the senses for somebody less accustomed to the environment, such as Takao. Still he enjoyed the scenery, blissfully unaware of the massive, hulking plant that lurked behind him. A vine slithered along the jungle floor, brushing past identical plant life that camouflaged it virtually without flaw. He noticed it much too late, as the vine wrapped itself around his leg. A yelp of surprise escaped with his breath as he was lifted into the air. He instinctively reached for and drew his sword in a swift motion, then set about assessing the situation. From his upside down perspective, he saw a peculiar, vine-shaped tendril closing in on him fast. His eyes widened in realization a second too late as the monster's second vine collided with his stomach, which sent him tumbling along the ground. - - « Battle Sequence » Jungle Nepent » Takao » ID : [[ 25065 ]] » BD : [[ 1 ]] » MD : [[ *9* - 2 = 7 ]] (+1 critical damage) « Takao » [[ 42/43 HP ]] (3(DMG) + 1 critical - 4(MIT) = -1 HP) « Jungle Nepent » [[ 24/24 HP ]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #3 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Takao shook the daze from his vision and hopped up onto his feet to right himself. As his balance returned to him, he noticed just a moment too late that the massive plant-like creature had already launched a second attack. The first vine was avoided, but he wasn't as fortunate with the second. It smashed into his torso again, enough force behind the attack to have shattered a few ribs if the game had been more cruel in its realism. Takao winced by instinct but caught himself before he succumbed to the pseudo-pain, and instead grabbed the vine tendril with one arm. His other arm swiped his sword upward, cleaving clean through the thin appendage and leaving it in a pile of shimmering polygons that faded shortly thereafter. - - « Battle Sequence » Jungle Nepent » Takao » ID : [[ 25068 ]] » BD : [[ 7 ]] » MD : [[ *9* - 2 = 7 ]] (+1 critical damage) « Takao » [[ 41/43 HP ]] (3(DMG) + 1 critical - 4(MIT) = -1 HP) « Jungle Nepent » [[ 16/24 HP ]] (8(DMG) = -8 HP) Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #4 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Clearly enraged by its sudden loss of extremity, the animated flora thrashed violently. Its remaining vines, a total of one, swiped back and forth in desperate throws, each of which Takao avoided with a variety of acrobatic feats. He jumped, flipped, and tumbled around each of the vines on his journey to the body. When he'd finally slipped past the beast's defenses, his sword was poised and positioned for the activation of a sword art. The low and quiet hum of the metal was accompanied by a bright glowing hue as the system recognized the placement of the sword. He shot forward after releasing the sword art and gravely wounded the plant, which howled and thrashed in pain and displeasure. It's health bar dropped and dropped, stopping well below the orange threshold. - - « Battle Sequence » Jungle Nepent » Takao » ID : [[ 25069 ]] » BD : [[ 9 ]] (+1 critical damage) » MD : [[ *2* - 2 = 0 ]] « Takao » [[ 41/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 7/24 HP ]] (8(DMG) + 1 critical = -9 HP) Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #5 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 The Jungle Nepent was very unhappy with the outcome of its ambush, if Takao's assumptions were right. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but the howling, thrashing about, and general signs of complete and utter frustration that the animated plant gave off just seemed to give him the idea that it was upset! Lucky for the Nepent, Takao had the perfect, sharp, sword-shaped cure for misplaced frustration following a failed attempt at an ambush. The vine whipped at his neck in a last ditch effort to win the battle on his assailant's side. Takao swiped the vine out of the air with his blade and severed it from the body, then turned to finish the job. He placed his blade across his shoulders and listened for the telltale hum. When he heard it, he released the sword art, and sliced straight up the beast's body. When he landed a second later and turned back toward it, the beast had already dissolved into nothingness. - - « Battle Sequence » Jungle Nepent » Takao » ID : [[ 25070 ]] » BD : [[ 7 ]] » MD : [[ *7* - 2 = 5 ]] » LD : [[ 15 ]] « Takao » [[ 41/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 0/24 HP ]] (8(DMG) = -8 HP) * REWARD * 120 col +1 Material Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #6 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 The jungle was turning out to be quite the nuisance. Not even ten meters in any given direction did he move before he spotted another. Approaching it with the element of surprise seemed unlikely, but not impossible. However, whatever intentions he had in the way of stealth were almost instantaneously fumbled, and the Nepent's "big, gross, nasty head", as Takao would describe it, snapped around in his direction. Well beyond the point of no return, Takao decided to engage the beast. He prepared to move and strike, but a flurry of vines whipping at him prevented him from doing so. He ducked and tumbled to evade them all, mostly with the intention of not getting caught and lifted off the ground though any kind of damage that could be avoided was good. One of the vines whipped him across the face and left a glowing red mark, which prompted a pained yelp from his throat, despite the fact that no actual pain coursed through his body. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25074 ]] » BD : [[ 5 ]] » MD : [[ *8* - 2 = 6 ]] « Takao » [[ 40/43 HP ]] (3(DMG) - 4(MIT) = -1 HP) « Jungle Nepent » [[ 25/25 HP ]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #7 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 The large tendril-like vines continued their torrential and incessant whipping, each of the leafed extremities coming uncomfortably close striking him with every aggressive movement. Takao's focus was on evading them until an opening presented itself. The Nepent had swung one of its vines low to the ground, parallel with the jungle floor in its advance toward Takao. A smile bedecked his face as he leapt into the air and swung his legs over his head. His sword arm snapped forward like a whip and sliced the limb clean off as the vine completed its motion. The severed section fell to the ground and shattered, which elicited a pained howl from the flora's jowls. Takao landed on his right foot with grace and righted his balance, ready for whatever retaliation the beast had in mind. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25075 ]] » BD : [[ 10 ]] » MD : [[ *6* - 2 = 4 ]] « Takao » [[ 40/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 15/25 HP ]] (8(DMG) + 2 critical = -10 HP) Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #8 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 The Nepent reacted as Takao had expected it to. It thrashed around, sending its vines - the ones it still had, anyways - whipping in every which direction. Takao had an easier time dodging with one less vine to worry about. His body moved precisely how he intended it to, twisting and turning when necessary, jumping and tumbling when he needed. The game's augmented acrobatics and athletics were impressive. Incredible. Perhaps even a little addicting. Just because he knew the difference between a hyper-realistic game of death and real life didn't necessarily mean he couldn't find addictive enjoyment in the former. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25076 ]] » BD : [[ 2 ]] » MD : [[ *3* - 2 = 1 ]] « Takao » [[ 40/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 15/25 HP ]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #9 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 The Nepent's enraged state made it impossible to get close to without taking damage. The vines were much too fast and erratic in their movements to safely and efficiently predict, so he was forced to stay at a range, using their slowed momentum at a distance to his advantage when dodging. He could predict the movements further from the base using the first few meters where the limb-like vines connected to the body, although not with amazing accuracy, yet he hadn't managed to be struck again yet. There were a few close calls that vibrated the air centimeters from his face and sent shivers down his spine, but nothing had made true contact. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25077 ]] » BD : [[ 4 ]] » MD : [[ *7* - 2 = 5 ]] « Takao » [[ 40/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 15/25 HP ]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #10 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 An opportunity finally presented itself to Takao, an opening amidst the field of whipping vines that could be used to close in the distance between them. He reacted as quickly as possible, charging through the vines while still dodging and evading. Five meters of distance separated the two, which also meant five meters of risky dodging. None of the vines had managed to graze him as he approached the body, allowing him to strike it freely. While in movement, his right arm held the sword at his side, the tip pointed away. It began to glow a pale green and hum and whir a low tone. Takao ran past the body of the Nepent on the left side, then came to a sudden, screeching halt. He slammed his right foot into the ground to slide to a stop, then released the sword art, slicing straight through the Nepent's body before landing on the other side. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25079 ]] » BD : [[ 9 ]] » MD : [[ *6* - 2 = 4 ]] « Takao » [[ 40/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 6/25 HP ]] (8(DMG) + 1 critical = -9 HP) Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #11 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 "Alright, one more hit an-" Takao's thoughts were interrupted by a yelp of surprise forcing its way out of his throat. A vine slammed into his side as he turned to face the nepent, his sword raised and poised to end the battle, only to be hit into the trunk of a nearby tree. He wheezed out a breath and grunted as he struggled free of the vine's grasp, immediately putting distance between from himself and the limb by approaching the body again. The Nepent's health teetered ever close to the point of complete depletion, and Takao was eager to give it that final push. The vines were growing much less aggressive in their whipping and much more protective of the body, whipping at Takao every time he tried to get close. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25080 ]] » BD : [[ 2 ]] » MD : [[ *10* - 2 = 8 ]] « Takao » [[ 39/43 HP ]] (3(DMG) + 2 critical - 4(MIT) = -1 HP) « Jungle Nepent » [[ 6/25 HP ]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #12 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 No opening seemed to be presenting itself to Takao, so he decided to make one instead. Takao backed off from the nepent and enticed it to returning to whipping like mad at him. As the vines pulled away from their host's body, Takao raised his sword and placed it across his shoulders. Similar to the sword art he'd used just moments before, the blade began to hum and whir, then hissed as a bright green glow encased the blade. He ran forward and evaded the torrential downpour of vines that had been unleashed upon him. When he reached the base, the vines blocked his path forward, but that didn't matter. Takao wasn't going through the Nepent, he was going up and over. He jumped and shifted his weight by throwing his legs upward. His body, now upside down, began to spin like a top while his sword snapped forward and cleaved through the beast on the way down. Tiger-striped wounds appeared along the body as the blade carved the animated flora, reducing it to a pile of disappearing polygons seconds after. - - « Battle Sequence »Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25081 ]]» BD : [[ 7 ]]» MD : [[ *1* - 2 = -1 ]]» LD : [[ 20 ]] « Takao »[[ 39/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent »[[ 0/25 HP ]] (8(DMG)) = -8 HP) * REWARD * 125 col +2 Material Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #13 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 For the amount of life teeming in the jungle, it was certainly lacking in originality. He stood before another jungle nepent, nearly identical to the others he'd fought with the exception of a red flow budding on top of its head. It was already exhibiting the same mannerisms, and he suspected their attack patterns would be similarly unchanged. Takao had managed to get the first strike in before the nepent could react. He cleaved through the animated flora's body and dealt a nice chunk of damage before retreating to a safe distance to assess its reaction. As he'd expected, there were a lot of vines, a lot of whipping and thrashing, and a particularly familiar howl of pain. "Well," he thought. "It is grinding. I guess I can't expect too much variety." - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25091 ]] » BD : [[ 7 ]] » MD : [[ *2* - 2 = 0 ]] « Takao » [[ 39/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 17/25 HP ]] (8(DMG)) = -8 HP) Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #14 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Takao mused that he'd already started committing the jungle nepent's behaviour to memory. Each of its haphazard and broad attacks missed entirely or were swiftly evaded, leaving Takao untouched save for the damage he'd received prior to the engagement. A swift dodge afforded him the opportunity to strike again, this time at one of the vines swinging at him. He threw his arm up and snapped the blade forward, slicing through the digital plant matter with ease. It fell to the ground and exploded into harmless crystalline shapes, leaving the beast to thrash about in simulated pain and anger. Takao held his ground and simply evaded whatever else it decided to throw at him, which was proving to be a relatively easy task. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25092 ]] » BD : [[ 7 ]] » MD : [[ *5* - 2 = 3 ]] « Takao » [[ 39/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 9/25 HP ]] (8(DMG)) = -8 HP) Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #15 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Takao was much more invested in taking down the Nepent as quickly as he could in comparison to the last two engagements. He continued to cut through the vines that dared to come near, dicing them until only the monster's base remained. He wasn't a cruel person, so letting it suffer - as much as a program compiled of ones and zeros could suffer, anyways - was not something he had any interested in doing. He pulled his arm back as he approached the base and broke into a sprint. The edge caught the side of the nepent and tore a massive glowing wound in its side, steadily decreasing its health until it had whittled down to nothing. The beast disappeared in a fantastic explosion of shapes and colours, leaving Takao alone in the jungle again; though not for long, he suspected. - - « Battle Sequence »Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25093 ]]» BD : [[ 9 ]] (+1 critical damage)» MD : [[ *10* - 2 = 8 ]] (+2 critical damage)» LD : [[ 5 ]] « Takao »[[ 39/43 HP ]] (damage negated by turn order) « Jungle Nepent »[[ 0/25 HP ]] (8(DMG)) + 1 critical = -9 HP) * REWARD * +1 Material Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #16 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 A surprising moment of peace had fallen over the jungle. Takao had been searching, but to his amazement, no other nepents appeared to be lurking among the shadows. The serendipitous moment was welcomed with open arms, however, as a bit of serenity was always something he could use to his advantage. The sounds of the jungle, although a little unsettling in their unfamiliarity, were strangely calming. His guard wasn't dropped, not even in the slightest, but he was still able to enjoy the moment of calm as he strolled through the jungle in idle search of more monsters to slay. Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #17 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 As with all good things, they must come to an end. The peace Takao experienced in the jungle after a surprising lack of monsters had left him alone was brought to an abrupt end by the jungle nepent that stood before him. He almost wanted to audibly groan, but managed to suppress the mild display of annoyance. They really couldn't throw something else in there? Some variety? Why not a few fantasized panthers, or giant insects, or... wait, was he really complaining about the lack of variety in a death game? Takao shook the thoughts from his head as he habitually evaded one of the nepent's incoming vines - the action was basically instinct by now. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25094 ]] » BD : [[ 4 ]] » MD : [[ *3* - 2 = 1 ]] « Takao » [[ 39/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 25/25 HP ]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #18 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Takao lunged forward with his sword pointed for the Nepent. It caught in the beast's flesh and tore open a digital themed tiger stripe wound as he passed the blade through, cleaving away its health in large chunks. Nearly half of it's health was gone in a single strike by the time Takao's blade emerged from the other side. Being close to the beast came with its own risks to counteract the rewards, however, as Takao felt a powerful blow connect with his chest. The damage done to his own health gauge was absolutely minimal, which brought a wide smile to his face. To these beasts, he was practically invincible. The damage they could deal was so minuscule that it would take an unimaginable sequence of misfortune for him to succumb to their wrath. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25095 ]] » BD : [[ 10 ]] (+2 critical damage) » MD : [[ *8* - 2 = 6 ]] « Takao » [[ 38/43 HP ]] (3(DMG) - 4(MIT) = -1 HP) « Jungle Nepent » [[ 15/25 HP ]] (8(DMG)) + 2 critical = -10 HP) Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #19 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Despite his self-proclaimed "invincibility" to the animated plant monster, Takao still wasn't a reckless risk taker. At least, not on purpose anyways. When the Nepent coiled its vines around itself and began to lash out at him from the safety it had created for itself, he'd decided that backing off and waiting for an opportunity. The rich didn't get richer by spending their wealth, and the fortunate didn't sustain their luck by taking needless risks. The tendrils of vine were avoided with relative ease, the motions and attack patterns all playing out like a movie he'd seen a hundred times before. He leapt over some, tumbled around others, but mostly just used skillful footwork to twist and turn his body away from the incoming extremities. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25096 ]] » BD : [[ 5 ]] » MD : [[ *5* - 2 = 3 ]] « Takao » [[ 38/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 15/25 HP ]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
Takao 0 Posted July 19, 2015 Author #20 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 The two had very quickly entered a stalemate whether neither was interested in presenting an opening for the other. Takao was able to dodge the vines no matter what the Nepent tried. His endurance, speed, acrobatic skill, and general evasiveness made him an incredibly slippery target for the lower leveled monster. Takao, on the other hand, wasn't interested in taking the risk of charging the body and hacking away at the vines that shielded it from harm. He was managing to keep himself from sustaining too much damage, even if the chunk he was missing now was fairly noticeable. He didn't have any interest in furthering the distance between his health bar and the gauge's limit, so he waited and bided his time while his focus stayed on evading the vines. - - « Battle Sequence » Takao » Jungle Nepent » ID : [[ 25097 ]] » BD : [[ 1 ]] » MD : [[ *1* - 2 = -1 ]] « Takao » [[ 38/43 HP ]] « Jungle Nepent » [[ 15/25 HP ]] Quote Report Link to post Share on other sites
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