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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2016 20:50:12 GMT -6
The announcement by Kayaba still sat fresh in Ruler's mind. Even so, he had decided he would not let it weigh on his mind as much. It hadn't taken the boy long to recover, just after Farmsalot had steered them away from the town square.
It was a blessing of youth, to be able to take such news and still make the best of it.
Before, Ruler hadn't put much thought into career plans within the game. He hadn't intended to be in for the long haul, but now that he was, it was important to think harder about it.
Combat sounded a lot more frightful now than before, so Ruler discarded that idea. Staying within the confines of the Town of Beginning felt like the safer option; he assumed there'd be some players who wanted to tackle the 100 floors.
"What should we do to help everyone?" Ruler said suddenly, staring up at Farmsalot. He realised he was still holding Farmsalot's arm, but as long as the other didn't protest, the boy didn't want to suddenly let go.
"I mean... if we're going to be stuck here, we'll need to clear the dungeon floors, right?" Ruler continued. "So, um, I was thinking I wanted to help everyone clear the game." |
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LV 3
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HP: 485
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STR: 0 (+30)
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DEX: 2 (+23)
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CON: 5 (+72)
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Mint IS
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Post by Farmsalot on Nov 9, 2016 22:35:37 GMT -6
On the outside Farms looked like a man on a mission, stern faced and eyes focused dead ahead. On the inside he was a raging mess of emotion. This entire thing, this beautiful world of hope and potential for thousands turned into nothing but a death trap. The game preyed on those innocent souls looking for an adventure they couldn't find in their own world, people who needed a world like this to feel free. He could only imagine how his family would react when they learned that he was one of them. Fists were clenched tightly as he walked, one arm locked in place so that Ruler could hold on. Seeing him like this only validated his anger, something which he appreciated in an odd way.
He stopped walking as the younger man spoke, silent for a moment before looking over at him. Farms let him finish his thought before responding, but not before taking a deep calming breath. "That's good. We're all going to have to do our part if we're going to survive." He thought back to the time he spent before the announcement, lips curving into a deep frown. Fighting just felt so against his nature... But it was starting to feel like there was going to be no choice. "First things first, people need to be prepared. I would guess most of the other players are going to be spending their time fighting to get stronger. But they'll need to be properly equipped to do that." Thinking back to when he was on that mountain with Comic and the difference a good sword and armor made. Hopefully people would realize that before charging in with their rusted blades.
"I don't know how games like this work, but I'm going to figure it out. First, I'll learn to make armor for everyone I can. If our top priority is survival, that will be the most important thing." He started walking again after making this point, returning his attention to the path ahead. "And then...I'm going to fight." It was hard to say, but he knew it had to be done. He wasn't about to let everyone else risk their lives while he sat on the sidelines. "I'm going to learn everything I can about the game and I'm going to fight."
He still remembered back at the creek Ruler mentioning how he found combat to be scary. He could only imagine how he felt about it now that his life was on the line. "Of course...I don't expect you to do the same. You don't have to fight if you don't want to. There's always other ways to be of use. This is just mine." Eyes glanced back to him as he continued walking at the same pace. "So, what will you do?"
| I DON'T need THE WHOLE PIE, I JUST WANT MY LITTLE SLICE
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MADE BY VEL OF GS
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2016 8:42:05 GMT -6
Ruler listened quietly, his brows furrowed in deep thought. There was a certain calming cadence to Farmsalot's speech. The way he knew exactly how to move forawrd cleared away what doubt Ruler had.
They were going to take on the game. With thousands of them there, there would definitely be some who could clear it.
"E...quipment...?" Ruler repeated in a mumble. He opened his menu and navigated to the inventory. Equipment had to refer to the weapons and armour, right? It was pitifully empty for Ruler, who had not yet undertaken much of the game.
The boy nodded along, seeing the sense in Farmsalot's words. Equipment would make them stronger, thus raising odds of victory. No, that wasn't right─their odds of survival.
"Mmhm."
Ruler looked up to Farms when he began to discuss armourcrafting. Certainly, that sounded safe enough. But the boy's brows creased when Farms mentioned he was going to fight afterwards. That wasn't comfortable a thought.
"I think..." Ruler began slowly, "I think I'm going to craft weapons, then." If Farmsalot was going to dedicate himself to armour, then it stood to reason someone had to create weapons. Not even the best armour in the game would kill a monster, right?
"Yeah, I'll become a blacksmith," Ruler nodded, mostly to himself than to anyone. "Forge the best weapons, so everyone else will be the best they can be."
He didn't know that later on, he'd enter the fight himself. He didn't think someone'd persuade him later on.
Staring at Farmsalot with a quizzical expression, the boy asked, "How do we craft?" |
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LV 3
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HP: 485
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STR: 0 (+30)
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DEX: 2 (+23)
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CON: 5 (+72)
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Mint IS
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Post by Farmsalot on Nov 10, 2016 12:53:35 GMT -6
Eyes turned back to the path when Ruler gave his answer, nodding in agreement with his decision. "That's a good idea." Weapons were going to be just as crucial as armor, probably even considered more so to some players. It wasn't much of a surprise that he didn't mention fighting. Personally he understood his fear of it, and he was sure that there would be others who felt the same way. But he couldn't help but worry that there would be players who didn't feel the same way. Hopefully his contribution of weapons will keep people from looking down on him for his decision.
Shoulders drooped as the question of crafting came up. How did you craft in this game? "I have no idea." There was no way the game didn't explain something so simple as crafting. He remembered Prince saying something about crafting before they were teleported away, but never where to go or how to do it. "We'll have to find out. There's got to be information somewhere. Maybe if we ask some of those...computer people. NPCs, I think they're called?" They had proven to be pretty intelligent so far, so it would make sense that they would have the answers they needed.
"I'm going to be at this for a while, Ruler. If you're exhausted I don't mind if you go to the Inn and rest. I can tell you everything I've found tomorrow." He really didn't want to drag the guy around if he felt like he needed some time to process things. In Farms case, walking and working were the only way he was going to make his way through it. But Ruler, well he might need some time to relax if he didn't want to be overwhelmed.
| I DON'T need THE WHOLE PIE, I JUST WANT MY LITTLE SLICE
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MADE BY VEL OF GS
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LV 1
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HP: 100
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STR: 0
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DEX: 0
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CON: 0
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ginseng IS
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Post by SUZAKU on Nov 10, 2016 16:09:29 GMT -6
[attr="class","pricklebear"] | 100/100 HP | STR 0 | DEX 0 | CON 0 |
She was in a slight daze while walking down the cobblestone roads. It had only been a day or so since the announcement had been given and the death game began. Suzaku wasn't entirely sure what to do and where she wanted to go. Spending the night going over the information compiled and the following day observing the other players. In the real world, people watching and learning gave her insight into what she needed to know. It helped with sales and especially with coming up with new merchandise. But she wasn't too sure with the people in Aincrad. They were constantly changing. Evolving right in front of her eyes. She already resolved to open up a shop but she'd have to figure out what to sell. What most people needed was equipment that would keep them alive. And she wasn't interested in the fighting aspect of the game unless she absolutely had to defend herself. It didn't bother her that she was going to be on the sidelines. Even the sideline characters held the biggest impact on a story. But whether or not she'd be effective was the question. In all of her musings, Suzaku didn't notice that she was drifting dangerously close to another pair of players. That was until she collided into the back of one of them. Staggering backwards, she shook her head and frowned a little. " Oh," she said. " I'm sorry."
Farmsalot @ruler [newclass=.pricklebear]background-color:#fff;height:auto;width:450px;margin: 0 auto;box-shadow: 1px 1px 2px 1px #c0c0c0;border: 10px solid #f9f9f9;font-family:Arial;font-size:11px;padding:24px;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2016 19:12:26 GMT -6
Ruler's shoulders slumped in turn at Farmsalot's confession. Since neither of them were game-savvy, it meant that whatever they'd try to do would come at a cost.
Nonetheless, a cost that then had to be paid. It was possible that reading the manual would've prepared him for the perils that lay ahead, but Ruler doubted it. Maybe if he had played the game before, but that was impossible with a new release.
He didn't know yet about beta testers.
Ruler sighed deeply, for more reason than one.
"NPCs, yeah, and I'll come with you," he said. "I'd rather not sit still somewhere and..." think about events, he left unsaid.
Ruler's brain was already at capacity thinking about the announcement, but now he spared some of that attention to recall where he'd seen NPCs. There had been a rather dull one hanging around the square earlier, and there were a few quest NPCs.
"Isn't there a shopping area...? There might be blacksmiths 'n stuff there," Ruler recalled. "Maybe if we ask one of 'em, they'll give us a rundown of crafting."
Ruler wasn't hopeful, since quest NPCs were very poor conversationalists, but he felt it couldn't hurt to try.
Just as they were about to set off, he felt something hard colliding with him. Staggering one step forward, Ruler had to do his best not to fall unceremoniously on his face.
He turned with a huff, "Watch where you're going!"
The lady who'd bumped into him looked like a player. At least, he thought it was a player.
"Geez, it's already bad enough..."
Last Edit: Nov 10, 2016 19:12:50 GMT -6 by Deleted
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LV 3
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HP: 485
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STR: 0 (+30)
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DEX: 2 (+23)
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CON: 5 (+72)
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Mint IS
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Post by Farmsalot on Nov 10, 2016 19:54:07 GMT -6
So Ruler intended to come along. The company may have been appreciated, but he seriously wondered if it was really the best decision. If he only wanted it to serve as a distraction then he may have an even harder time processing everything in the future. But in the end he wasn't the boy's father and it wasn't as if he truly knew what was best, so he decided it best not to push the issue. Instead he simply nodded and gave his response.
"That would probably be the best place to start. I think I saw a market area when I was first exploring the city. Shouldn't be too hard to find." Though it may be crowded at the moment with all of the players stocking up on gear, surely they would still be able to find the answers they sought. If the answer couldn't be found there they would be back to square one.
Ruler's sudden stumble came as a surprise, barely managing to react in time to reach forward in case he started to fall forward. As he regained his balance Farms straightened his posture as well, relieved that he wasn't hurt in the collision. The young man's reaction to the accident prompted a stern frown and a disapproving glance from Farms, head shaking quickly before turning to the woman. She was clearly had a lot on her mind if she was so unaware of her surroundings. Especially with the recent announcement. For all he knew she could have already lost someone dear to her. And worst of all, she was alone.
Expression softened as he approached Suzaku, moving to rest a hand on her shoulder. "Is everything alright ma'am? I'm sorry for my friend's reaction, you just caught him off guard is all." There was no room for rudeness in this place, not between players who were going to need each other to survive.
| I DON'T need THE WHOLE PIE, I JUST WANT MY LITTLE SLICE
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MADE BY VEL OF GS
Last Edit: Nov 10, 2016 20:01:05 GMT -6 by Farmsalot
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2016 9:44:49 GMT -6
Ruler hadn't noticed Farmsalot's disapproving look, but when he apologised for Ruler's conduct the boy still felt admonished and a little ashamed.
He couldn't grasp at how the woman'd run into him, but...
"Yerright, sorry," the boy mumbled. He tugged at Farms's sleeve, pointing ahead of him. "Well, let's go to the markets, then."
Ruler wasn't sure where the markets were. He hadn't gotten so far as to explore the entire city before... it happened. The boy resolved to explore every nook and cranny of the city soon enough. He'd go for 100% map completion.
Say, um, Farmsalot... do you think... "there'll be players who even know what's ahead?" He wasn't an expert on games, but he knew a classmate who'd talked wildly about guides other players had written up.
If there were newbie guides by players, or even strategy guides with all the details on how to beat the bosses, victory needn't be too far off, right? |
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