(PP-F5) Watch out for Land Sharks! <Blood in the Sand> (Calrex).

[Greg Baxen 0]

Greg, after checking his friend list, saw that Shizuka was beginning to outpace him by an alarming amount. She was a full four levels higher than him. If he wanted to get Shizuka's attention, he'd have to grow stronger, hence why he'd come to floor 5. However, he knew he needed help, based on the quest's information, so he searched for a powerful player to help him complete the quest <Blood in the Sand>. He thought about someone he mentioned to a young girl called Dora earlier- Calrex, if he recalled. He opts to search for the Ultramarine Knight to see if they'll help him, after hearing him out. 

[Calrex 0]

"Hm?"

It wasn't long since Calrex last helped Shizuka complete yet another quest that he suddenly got a message from a player he had only met once before, "Greg huh? The last time I saw him was when Zelrius and I helped him and Ayumu on the lower floors. Guess he's in need of some assistance as well?"

Heading to the nearest teleportation circle the bluenette appeared on the fifth floor in the Armadillo settlement. Activating his <<Reveal>> skill he simultaneously turned on his tracker, following it to the lower level player's location.

Upon seeing the boy come into sight he gave a friendly wave, "Hey Greg, needed a hand with something?"

[Greg Baxen 0]

Greg was looking around when Calrex showed up. Calrex asked if Greg needed help, and he responded quickly. "Yes, actually. You see, I accepted the quest <Blood in the Sand> and need help with it, because I'm far too low-levelled to go it alone." Greg then looks around before continuing. "As for why? Well, I need to grow stronger. You see... I... uh... kinda have feelings for a girl named Shizuka. She's been outpacing me recently and that's no good if I want to get her attention so... you get the idea." he says. "Also, before we start, I just need to ask. What I just told you, about my feelings for Shizuka, can you not tell anyone, especially not the girl herself?" he finishes, with emphasis on his request to not tell anyone.

Edited November 11, 2015 by Greg Baxen

[Calrex 0]

Upon hearing Greg's request Calrex couldn't help but give a laugh. The boy's story reminded him a lot of how he and Teayre were when they were first starting out in the game, although in this case there wasn't any hiding feelings for each other, at least not for long. Giving a nod he put on a friendly smile, "Heh, sure thing. Don't worry I'll be sure to keep this little thing secret. In any case, let's get moving. Better get this done while there's still daylight out."

Giving a nod the bluenette made sure he had all of his gear equipped before heading out, "Oh by the way, don't forget to add me to your party. If we forget then all of this will be for nothing."

Activating his <<Reveal>> skill the Ultramarine Knight began to scan around the area. They were still a decent distance away from the <<Sand Shark>>'s territory, so there was still time before they encountered the field boss.

[Greg Baxen 0]

Greg does as Calrex instructs, and sends him the party invite. "Thanks, I appreciate it." he says, in response to his agreeing to hide the fact that he has feelings for Shizuka, before equipping his gear. His <Coat of the Azure Wind> and <Anneal Blade> appeared, ready for use. "My Gear's not the best at the moment, as I've had trouble finding someone to make me a good sword and trinket. I mean, my <Anneal Blade> is pretty good and all, but I need something better if I'm going to get anywhere in this game, and protect Shizuka."

[Calrex 0]

"Heh, don't worry that will come with time. When I was first starting out there were more than enough blacksmiths to order items from, but it seems a good handful of them are either busy or currently closed up shop. You can always put an order in, but you might want to look into the Essence of Steel quest later on. The item you get from that can rank up one item by a level, so if the blacksmiths are too busy you can always upgrade your gear that way."

Adjusting his shoulder pauldrons the deep-sea blue shoulder and kneeguards of the Grand Dragoon fit over the casual combat clothing he had worn since Teayre first picked them out for him back when they were lower in level, "In any case, don't worry about any attacks coming at you. I'm not a full tank build, but I have a Hate generating skill to keep enemies off of you. Plus if things play out right I can actually take the field boss out in one hit."

[Greg Baxen 0]

"Good to hear!" Greg quips. "That being said, my armor is actually enhanced for evasion, so even if the boss DOES target me, unless it scores a crit it won't hit me. That being said, if it DOES score a Crit, I'm going to be left on very low hp. It can't one-shot me though, thankfully." he continues. "That being said, it does help that you can one-shot the Land Shark. That definitely takes a lot of pressure off." he finishes. "As for <Essence of Steel>? Yeah, i'll look into it. When I'm a higher level, that is. I don't think i could do it right now." he says

Edited November 12, 2015 by Greg Baxen

[Calrex 0]

"Definitely. I wouldn't rush though. One of the things that tends to get lower level players killed is trying to take on too much at once. I actually almost died a few times when I was first starting out. It's definitely best to proceed with caution when you're still getting your skills up."

Scanning around Calrex continued forward. By this time the settlement was out of sight as the two were surrounded by the endless sands. Out in the distance the bluenette could see some traces of the sharks swimming around, their dorsal fins occasionally breaking the surface before going back down below, "It's smart to invest in Evasion until you start focusing on armor. One of the worst things is taking a strong hit, especially when you haven't started upping your mitigation. Besides, better to avoid the hit and not take any damage at all than have to endure a hit right?"

[Greg Baxen 0]

Greg nods in response to this. "Yeah, it's better to not take hits at all." he quips. Taking note of the Sand Sharks ahead, Greg begins to speak. "We just need to find the biggest of these guys, right?" he asks, unsheathing his <Anneal Blade> to prepare for combat. He couldn't get Shizuka's attention if he were caught unaware and killed, after all, so it pays to be ready. 'I can do this. Calrex (a really high-levelled player) is helping me, he can kill the boss in one hit possibly, and it's unlikely that I'll get hit.' he thinks to himself.

[Calrex 0]

"Yep, the biggest one will likely be the one we need to focus on. The last time I came out here on my own I actually defeated the creature a bit too early and accidentally triggered some kind of larger shark field boss battle. I think with you in the party this won't happen again, but always best to be prepared."

Scanning around further with his <<Reveal>> skill Calrex gave a calming breath as he was able to discern the creature they were looking for. As before, the shark was large enough that it could easily snap either of them up in its jaws, but not so big that it could swallow them whole. Drawing his sword the bluenette gave a nod to his teammate, "Alright, I've got it spotted. Let me know when you're ready and I'll start combat with it."

[Greg Baxen 0]

"One step ahead of you- I'm already good to go!" Greg says immediately after Calrex asks for confirmation, with a thumbs-up given for good measure. He'd already prepared before Calrex asked, anyway. "Let's get rid of this shark so that it doesn't eat anything... or anyone." Greg says. Determination was evident on his face. He needed to level fast, and this was the best way to do it.

[Calrex 0]

ID: 38372
Battle Dice: 2 (Accuracy +3 / Disguise +1) = 6
Mob Dice: 10 (Evasion +4) = 6 (+2 Damage)
Sword Art <<Nova Ascension>> Activated / <<Disguise>> Activated (12 Energy Used / 36 Remaining)

Calrex gave a nod as Greg readied himself, but before he was able to start combat he saw the creature emerge from the sand right in front of him. It's mouth opened as it chomped down on his arm as the Ultramarine Knight gritted his teeth, forcing the creature off with a flick of his arm. Giving a calming breath he immediately activated <<Nova Ascension>> as he flew forward, also activating <<Disguise>> to ensure his attack hit.

His form shifted as his hair turned blonde, with his armor shifting to a white cloak and uniform beneath. The Grand Blade shifted to what of a blood red rapier as the illusion of his old friend, Oikawa, took form. Unleashing his barrage of slashes the illusion turned and slammed the pommel of his sword into the shark's head before leaping back.

It wasn't long before Calrex saw his illusion fading around him with a sigh, giving a nod to Greg, "Go ahead and take a stab at it. I'll finish it off with my next strike."

HP List
Calrex: 198/197 (30+2 DMG - 40 MIT = 1 Minimum DMG)
   Energy: 36/48 (-12)
   Disguise Cooldown: 12/12 Turns
Greg: 32/32
   Energy: 8/8

Enemies:
Hate: (C 1 / G 0) Sand Shark: 35/125 (10+1 DMG * 9 Art = 90 DMG / Stunned Until Next Turn)

 

Edited November 12, 2015 by Calrex

[Greg Baxen 0]

Greg sees the Sand Shark charge and Calrex lunges at it... and Greg's jaw drops at what he sees. The Sand Shark's max HP was about 125, he gathered. Calrex just took a good two thirds of its hp down, if not more. "Remind me not to get on your bad side." He quips, before lunging and using <Snake Bite> in an attempt to attack the Sand Shark!

ID: 38374

BD 8: Hit!

Greg brings one slash through the right side of its face before shifting grips and whirling around for a second blow, taking off more of the Sand Shark's HP. Greg thought that it could take about 5 more of those.

 

Calrex: 197/198 HP, 36/48 EN.

Greg: 32/32 HP, 6/8 EN.

Sand Shark: 29/125 (2x3=6 damage)

[Calrex 0]

ID: 38377
Battle Dice: 6 (Accuracy +3) = 9
Mob Dice: 8 (Evasion +4) = 4
Loot Dice: 18 (Search and Detect +2 / Item +1) = 21 (Materials Found)
Sword Art <<Sonic Leap>> Activated (3 Energy Used / 1 Recovered / 34 Remaining)

Calrex gave a small laugh at Greg's comment as he brought the Grand Blade over his shoulder, "I wouldn't worry too badly about that. I can think of only maybe one or two things that would probably do that, and you're far from accomplishing either."

"Harming or hurting Teayre...or going after one of my friends or comrades. Those are the only two thing I can think of that have ever triggered the cold persona or that new fiercer personality I seemed to have developed. In any case, let's bring this thing down."

Activating <<Sonic Leap>> the blue-haired swordsman flew forward as his sword light alight with a light blue hue. Quickly closing the distance he cleaved the creature in half as he soared across the length of the shark before it burst into crystals.

"Man, these field boss quests are really short-lived now. I really hope some stronger ones will come soon, because it's almost a joke for higher levels to be taking these on."

Turning back to face his teammate the Ultramarine Knight saw that the quest drop had appeared in his inventory. With a few swipes he sent the potion over with a nod, "Alright, looks like we're done here. Guess we should get started making our way back to Armadillo."

Loot List:
Sand Armor Potion (Gifted to Greg)
1 Material

HP List
Calrex: 198/197
   Energy: 36/48 (-12)
   Disguise Cooldown: 12/12 Turns
Greg: 32/32
   Energy: 6/8

Enemies:
Hate: (C 1 / G 0) Sand Shark: -1/125

Edited November 12, 2015 by Calrex

[Greg Baxen 0]

"That's a relief." Greg quipped upon learning that it was hard to anger Calrex. Calrex was definitely not someone he wanted to anger, based on what he did to the Sand Shark. He had a thought about what his triggers could be so he could avoid them at all cost. A thought popped into his head, as the two were walking about. "I'm going to assume that one of the things that would anger you is hurting the person you love, right?" Greg asked. He knew he would get angry if someone were to hurt Shizuka, so he assumed Calrex had someone precious to him too.

[Calrex 0]

Upon hearing Greg's inquiry Calrex gave a calming breath before giving a nod of his head, "Heh, well that one's pretty obvious huh? Yeah, if you ever see her wandering around her username is Teayre, and ti my knowledge is actually the strongest katana user in the game. We've actually been dating ever since we found each other in this game, and are actually going to be married soon. If thereis one person I would do whatever it takes to make sure they make it out of this game, it would be her."

Hearing the words leave his mouth the blunette felt a tinge of red come to his cheeks as he raised a fist to his face to give a fake cough, trying to disperse the facial reaction, "But yeah. The other would be if any harm were to come to my friends and comrades. Truly, I hope that eventually we can all work together, seeing aside any differences all of us have to move forward. To some extent I believe that to be true, but in the past there have been times that have made my think otherwise."

Edited November 12, 2015 by Calrex

[Greg Baxen 0]

Teayre... where did that name sound familiar? "I think I may have seen her once before..." and then he remembered. "And made a fool out of myself when I misinterpreted what she was saying. Yep, I remember her. I don't think I could handle an attitude like hers, though." he quipped. Seeing Calrex blush at that, and try to disguise it with a fake cough. "Don't worry man, you don't have to act like you can't blush or anything around me. After all, I'm currently kinda going through the same thing, except that I only have a crush on Shizuka that she is unaware of." Upon mentioning this, Greg felt his own cheeks heat up. "So as you can guess, much like you want to get Teayre out of the game, I want to get Shizuka out of the game." Greg says. He stops for a moment, before opening his menu and sending Calrex a friend request. "You know what? You seem like a nice enough person. Want to be friends?" he says as he does this.

[Calrex 0]

"Heh, thanks. I usually try to keep a calm personality because it seems to work best in most situations, but I think it's going to be a while before I can talk about her without going at least a little red in the face. She does have a bit of a fiery personality, but that's just part of what makes her amazing, well, to me at least."

Listening to Greg's story about his own emotions Calrex gave a friendly encouraging smile as he gave a nod, "Well, if there's any advice I can give you, it's that if you think that this crush might turn into something, don't keep it to yourself. You're only going to make it worse otherwise. Better to let her know and see what happens. If things don't work out, then it might hurt for a little while, but in the end it'll be better for the two of you to get your feelings out in the open."

Seeing the friend request appear Calrex gave a nod as he accepted it, "I'm glad you think that way. Sure thing Greg, if you're even in need of some help, feel free to contact me. In any case we'd best keep moving. We've got a little more ground to cover before we make it back to the settlement."

[Greg Baxen 0]

"I plan on doing so. Don't worry." Greg tells Calrex in response to his advice about Greg's feelings for Shizuka. As the two continued walking, Calrex accepted Greg's friend request, and told him to call if he needs help with anything. "Truth be told, there's actually another quest I want to do before taking a break, specifically, <Long Live the Queen>." he says. "This quest and that quest are both pretty good quests for levelling up from what I gathered, so i figured I'd do them, get some levels." he quips.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Greg Baxen

[Calrex 0]

Calrex gave a nod, "Actually I'm surprised you haven't done that already. To my knowledge Long Live the Queen is the lowest level field boss quest. That's actually a creature I can take down in one hit guaranteed, so if you want to do that next we can hop right on it."

Looking forward he saw that the gates of Armadillo were coming close as he gave a nod, "Well, in any case if you want to get started on it I'll be on the second floor by the gate. Feel free to take your time getting prepped. I'll see you there."

Making his way to the teleportation plaza Calrex swiped on his menu, selecting the second floor settlement of Urbus before vanishing in a flash of light.

OOC: Go ahead and wrap it up in your next post XD