Episode 87 - Bajutsu
Front Line - Floor 65
July 12 - Year 2
Bladescape had the day off. The furniture was all received, most of the bedrooms had theirs as well, the shrine was in place, and Bladescape’s bedroom was furnished. The new Wondercolts were almost done with their training as well. Bladescape had spent her fair share in the bars, mostly overnights, and gained multiple levels from it. They had her taking a break early so the other counselors could rotate out.
Boots had sought her out the other day to go riding, and because things were going as well as they were, the Council decided to give her the first day off, ahead of schedule. It would allow for them to rotate into their breaks faster and lift everyone's spirits.
Along with her break, a team of Wondercolts were setting up to hit the field boss that had been scoped out the evening before. Astro was heading that up, with Backbreaker, Thunderborne, Kiefer, Joltron, and AFCK. They wouldn't be missed for training and it wouldn't take them long to defeat the field boss.
Bladescape wasn’t needed, which was the unsettling thing. She had gotten used to being needed. These new changes brought their challenges, and made her rethink them, but, whenever she did, all she could see was the good, and nothing that was making her hesitate. She just had to find her new groove with the guild.
Bladescape almost tripped over the box that was in front of her door. Diemond was back, off the front lines, doing work on their armor. She had no idea Diemond was going to leave something there, or had been doing anything except her real work, but it obviously was her by the bow. Bladescape brought the box inside and opened it.
It did not surprise her that the box had clothes. It was a complete outfit for horse riding. It was designed more like a traditional show outfit, rather than western cowgirl. Despite the difference, it was hardy clothing with decent defense stats.
The black leather riding boots were knee height, with spurs built in. The light yellow riding breeches had subtle reinforcement on the inside of the knee and thigh where most of the rubbing contact with the saddle was. The black belt for them was simple, but still had their horse head buckle. The yellow shirt was a high collar, long sleeve top that was comfortable, despite its design to hug her body. It also came with an outer jacket in dark maroon and black riding gloves. It was a relaxed suit jacket, with two buttons rather than the three button style Boots wore.
The defensive properties of it all were impressive. Diemond had certainly come a long way since March. Rendil had taught her a lot and she had grabbed it and not just held on, but expanded her knowledge of the materials. Now that she knew them, she could make anything.
Bladescape changed into the riding outfit and headed down to breakfast. Since almost everyone was out in the field, the dining hall was empty. A plate with some breakfast muffins were left on the head table for her. It was a good, but simple breakfast that got Bladescape out to meet Boots quickly.
Boots had Plaudit and Wind Rush saddled up and ready. But it wasn't the same saddle Bladescape had made for her and rode with. It was a cowboy saddle, with a horn on it.
Boots explained the day’s plan. “I figured you and I could go after Marengo. I spotted him the other day and I know he won’t have strayed too far, yet. Besides, it will be a fun ride out that far.”
“Alright,” Bladescape grinned. “What do I need to know?”
Boots handed Bladescape a coil of rope. “That is a lasso. In Aincrad, they are really easy to use. I never did anything with lassos in the real world, but it came easily. The system assist is solid. Then it requires you to throw accurately. That is the hardest part, but I quickly picked it up and half of my horses were feral before I lassoed them and broke them. Wind Rush was one of them. Just get it over the neck and the system does the rest. Oh, and hold on."
Bladescape had seen AJ use a lasso. She uncoiled it and like Boots had said, the system kept it simple. As she aimed for Tenderhoof, who was sticking his head over the corral wall in a vain attempt at getting their attention, the system also recognized Bladescape’s blade throwing. The throw was true as Bladescape used both her long hours practicing releases and the Sword Skill to easily lasso Tenderhoof. He just stood there, shocked and wondering why he suddenly had a rope around his neck.
Boots laughed at Tenderhoof’s expression and walked over to him. She pulled the lasso off and pet him. “I guess you have that down. Was that glow Blade Throwing?”
“Yes,” Bladescape replied. “Although, it is only supposed to throw something with a registered blade or edge. The throwing picks are designed to sail straight, with their point as the blade, but this is new. I'm sure I just figured out a way to combine the skills. My own OSS."
“I wouldn’t know,” Boots shrugged. “But let’s use it to our advantage.”
They mounted up and headed out. Bajutsu easily connected to the saddle and Bladescape also had quick access to a few lassos. Boots had her sword on her saddle as well as a few lassos. If they missed and lost grip, they would not need to worry about retrieving it or struggling with their menus to get a new one.
“I assume your friend Diemond made that outfit?” Boots asked. “It looks great. It compliments you well.”
“That she did,” Bladescape replied. “I don’t know how she knows this style of clothing, but she does. And since we are cut off and no one rides horses in Aincrad, she had to know the style from before. And it is highly protective. The defense stats are probably better than your combat armor.”
“I could use some more protection in my normal riding clothes,” Boots absentmindedly stated.
She kicked Wind Rush into a faster pace and Bladescape couldn’t reply. Plaudit knew who to follow and enjoyed being able to stretch his legs into a good run. A low fence came up and he took the jump with ease, without losing pace. Wind Rush was the same way as Boots laughed, enjoying the jump.
It was a good, long ride out to the area Boots had spotted Marengo. They had to cut down a few bandits along the way, but it was nothing to stop at, or even slow down. Marengo was a grey Arabian and he led a herd of about 25 horses. Once they located the herd, they just had to find him in it. He was smaller than many of the horses he led, just above 14 hands by Boots' estimate.
They stopped a decent distance away, to observe and plan. They would not get to Marengo without first separating him from the others. Then Bladescape could hit him with a throwing pick to paralyze him, and they could rope him and bring him back to the corral to break in.
“We both have solid war horses,” Boots said. “Our best bet is to use them to physically force him out of the group. The wild horses will not like being cut off, while Plaudit and Wind Rush will have no problem doing it. They won’t even hesitate.”
“I think we will end up relying on your skill more than mine,” Bladescape replied. “But as soon as we get him singled out, I will be right there to hit him with the paralyzer.”
“Eh,” Boots shrugged. “Good enough. We can make a go at it and see how he reacts and how we do.”
Bladescape nodded and Boots kicked Wind Rush into gear. She was going to go at them from the far side. Bladescape began to move Plaudit forward a bit, picking her entry point. She started moving him in faster as the herd began to shift from their presence.
Out of nowhere an aggressive whinny sounded and the herd bolted. Plaudit quickly matched their group speed. Bladescape glanced over and saw Boots was in a similar spot. Plaudit didn’t flinch as Bladescape transitioned them from outside the herd to inside it. The cut in forced several horses to stop and break away in fear, but Plaudit stayed true, enjoying the chase. Boots did the same and shaved off another group.
They could see Marengo, but getting to him wasn’t going to be easy. He was ahead of them and surrounded by a few larger horses. Boots made the next move. It removed a few more horses, but most of them shifted. Plaudit bumped shoulders with a mare as she refused to move. It freaked the mare out and she slid to a stop, taking a few others with her.
Plaudit took over, cutting in behind the last few horses and then charging forward, slicing them off. Bladescape grabbed a pick as Plaudit kept the charge up. She threw it and it landed in Marengo's flank as planned.
Marengo kept going. Boots got rid of the other horses and it was just the five of them as Marengo began to bolt with a new speed.
“Why isn’t he stopping!” Boots called out over the thunder of their hooves.
“The paralyzer failed,” Bladescape yelled back. "He's immune."
Boots responded by holding up a lasso. Bladescape grabbed one and held it up as well before she shifted Plaudit further away so that he didn’t get roped accidentally. Boots let the lasso go. It struck Marengo in the face. He didn’t flinch or slow down.
Bladescape threw hers. It was just behind him, going over his shoulders. Bladescape pulled the rope back in as Plaudit thundered on. Boots threw again, and Marengo dodged left to avoid it. It put him almost directly behind Plaudit. Bladescape didn’t let the opportunity of such an easy throw go to waste. The rope went over his head and the system locked it in place. Bladescape wrapped the rope around her glove to better anchor it in her grip.
The fight wasn’t over as Marengo pulled away. Plaudit couldn’t adjust to the direction change and Bladescape wasn’t going to let go. She was pulled off the saddle by the deceptively strong stallion and hit the ground. She held on as she was dragged along the ground.
That didn’t last long as Bladescape rolled into a position to get her heels dug in. She was too strong for Marengo as she braced against his surging body. He was forced to slow down and Boots threw a second lasso onto him to better secure him.
Outflanked, he calmed down. Boots tied her rope onto her saddle’s horn. Plaudit seemed to have a laugh in his whinny as he calmly stepped over to Bladescape. She petted him as a reward.
“I put some sugar cubes in the saddle bags,” Boots said as she gave one to Wind Rush.
Bladescape nodded, out of breath, and pulled one out and fed it to a happy Plaudit. She mounted the gelding, anchored the rope on the saddle horn, and patted him on the neck while she caught her breath.
“At least Aincrad doesn’t exactly give grass stains,” Boots grinned.
Bladescape snorted a laugh. It was true. Her outfit was perfect despite the distance she had been dragged. That was something she would miss once they were free.
Before Bladescape could respond, a message popped up in her view. It was from Astro. It wasn’t an update that the field boss was beaten. It was a call to all Wondercolts to respond to the fight as reinforcements. Whatever they were fighting was causing a huge problem.
“Can you get him back alone?” Bladescape immediately asked Boots.
“Yes,” She nodded. “What's wrong?”
“The Field Boss fight on Floor 66 has gone terribly wrong. All I know is that they are calling for reinforcements.”
“I’ve got him,” Boots reaffirmed. “We still have to break him in, but the system separates that fight from the capture code. He is mine, just unbroken.”
Bladescape never replied as she tossed her lasso away and teleported to the town on the 66th Floor the troops were responding too. No one was expecting a horse and rider to appear on the plaza. Bladescape immediately began to use search to track Astro, which led her through the fastest way out of the city.
Bladescape yelled every warning she could to NPCs and players, who were forced out of the way by the big horse. She saw several parties of clearers and the Assault Team that were rushing out in a response to similar messages sent out by others in the raiding party. As she broke free of the city and Plaudit could open up, she passed a squad of DDA players and then two squads of KOB soldiers. They were making haste to the battle, but Plaudit was significantly faster than they could run.
It never occurred to Bladescape that she wasn’t in her armor. She was rushing to the aid of her guildmates, her friends, and the other clearers who needed her there as soon as possible. That was what was on her mind.
Floor 66 was mostly open, at least on this side of the Floor. The hills rolled a bit, but it was flatter. Bladescape saw the battle from a long way off. She wasn’t sure what the Field Boss was until Search finally gave her the details.
Fafnir the Lindwurm popped up, along with four health bars. One and a half were depleted, but that was poor progress judging from the simple fact that by lunch they were supposed to be done with the battle. The Lindworm was like a long dragon snake, but with no wings and only two front legs. It knew how to crawl and slither, and reared up on its legs, it stood a good 35 feet tall. The main body alone had to have a diameter of at least 8 feet. Bladescape saw its powerful tail throw several players back in a whipped attack.
Plaudit closed the distance as two of those players teleported out before they died. The group of tanks converged and set their line, trying to draw the aggro of the beast. They unknowingly assembled directly in Bladescape’s intended path. She was going to keep the Lindwurm on her right, slicing along it’s left in a regular charge. The tanks had no idea of her plan, but Plaudit wasn’t going to miss the opportunity as the tanks locked their shields together and bent down, bracing for the attack.
Bladescape drew Bajutsu and yelled. Plaudit jumped over the tanks and the Lindwurm hesitated as it swiped at the tanks with its clawed hand. It was its right claws, which was perfect for Bladescape to slash. Bajutsu glowed as Bladescape continued to yell. She slashed the claws with the blade and then held Bajutsu out. Plaudit kept true and straight, allowing the blade to slice along the side of the serpent without a Sword Skill being triggered. The sword left a long red line along the body of the beast.
Plaudit dodged left as the tail was whipped at them in response to the attack. Bladescape ducked and it safely passed over them with no room to spare. Bladescape couldn’t slash at it from her angle and speed.
Plaudit slowed a little to make the turn tighter. He charged back up to full speed as they came at the Lindwurm from behind. The beast punched the tanks with a fist. Only the Iron Bulwark at the center of their formation held, but she was forced to slide back a good 10 feet before she stopped the fist.
Right as it stopped, Bladescape cut at the body again. She saw the Lindwurm turn to address the real threat but it didn’t deter her from making several more downward slashes into it. They were too close to it for it to use its claws at that angle. Bladescape spurred Plaudit straight ahead.
As they got to its chest, Bladescape pulled Plaudit right, to move in front of it and keep them from getting a swipe from the claws. It worked and Bladescape also got a stab into the chest of the beast. They dodged left to avoid a whip from the tail. It was stopped by the Iron Bulwark and Bladescape blitzed right behind her friend.
Bladescape slowed Plaudit as they turned, to better survey the scene now that she had provided a solid distraction. Bladescape had been the only one to land an attack as the others reorganized. The second and most of the third health bars were gone, thanks to her. Being on Plaudit had to give a bonus to her attacks. Fighting on horseback was one thing, a cavalry charge was a different beast entirely.
Bladescape encouraged Plaudit forward and he happily began another charge. She was cutting a diagonal path from their left to their right. The Lindwurm saw the straight path and took the bait. It used its left claws for the swipe. At the same time Bladescape pulled Plaudit left, taking them out of the path and back in front of the chest. Its claws were deadly, but it was restricted in how they could be used. It needed one leg to stay fully upright, and the balance point for it was towards its chest, not further back like a snake.
Bladescape yelled as she sliced Bajutsu deep into the chest. She didn’t stay in line with the central body like the first charge. She kept going left, away from it. The tail was lashed at her. Plaudit didn’t hesitate as he expertly timed the jump and cleared the tapered tail with ease. Bladescape savagely sliced down with Bajutsu, into the tail, before they galloped off.
She pulled them to a stop to pick their next move. The raid party was still not responding. They were exhausted and short on morale. Even her arrival was not changing that. They knew a message had been sent out and that reinforcements were on the way. They were content to wait it out, doing the minimum required to protect themselves.
Bladescape could tell who the Wondercolts were, even from the distance, because they were trying to rally the raiders. At least Backbreaker and Astro were easy to spot as they moved and gave rallying speeches. The other three were probably Kirito, Asuna, and Thunderborne. They were moving slower and strategizing, while the others were pulled back out of the immediate targeting zone of Fafnir the Lindwurm.
Bladescape slipped her hand into the saddlebag and fished out a sugar cube. She gave it to Plaudit as she rubbed his neck. “Ready?” She asked him. “I am going to need you to be absolutely true and trusting.”
He snorted and reared up, legs kicking as he begged to ride into battle again. She nudged her spurs into his side and he came back down. The graphics of the horse as its virtual muscles rippled was stunning. He was up to full speed after a few paces and he wasn’t stopping.
The lindwurm wasn’t either. Bladescape saw it swipe at a figure who could only be Backbreaker because it just stood there, and then it didn’t move. That was exactly what she needed: it to be focused on a new target.
They came up on it with it on their right. Bladescape stood up and then jumped into a run. She landed on her feet and charged up the back of the Lindwurm. It turned to look at who was on it. She had expected the turn, which meant she had to adjust as the body beneath her rolled. It didn’t stop Bladescape as she charged up the back. As the angle of the beast went fully vertical, Bladescape jumped, using Acrobatics to her best ability.
Bajutsu was lifted above her head, tip down and reversed in its grip. She let the jump carry her to its head, then used gravity to ram the sword down. It immediately was to the hilt and Bladescape held on while her legs dangled by its jaws. It couldn’t snap her into them, despite its best tries. Bladescape got a firm grip on the ridge above its eye. She yanked Bajutsu free and let go.
Plaudit was there to catch her. She landed backwards in the saddle, but at least he had figured out where to stand. He didn’t hesitate to begin running to safety, despite her reversal. Bladescape easily fixed that as he took off. The transition left her with Bajutsu in her left hand and a lasso in her right. Bladescape glanced backwards. She saw the claws coming. Plaudit only needed her knee pressing into him to realize he needed to make a sharp turn.
As they turned, Bladescape threw the lasso. The claws passed through the extra-large loop Bladescape had thrown and she pulled hard. The lindwurm needed control of both limbs to be effective, but she now had one trapped. Plaudit was forced to slow as they were pulled back by the strength of the beast.
Bladescape jumped off him to counter the yank. She landed and was dragged a bit while she got her feet under her. Once she was back up, she ran straight for Backbreaker.
“Catch!” Bladecape yelled as she threw her friend the rope.
Backbreaker caught it, expertly took in the excess rope, and countered with her own pull. Their battle of strengths was only beginning, but Backbreaker was not going to be outdone by a snake. She would break its back before her own would be broken. This was the moment she could solidify the reason behind her game name.
Bladescape hopped back up to a happy Plaudit who then reared up, giving his own war cry. The lindwurm was down into its last health bar from Bladescape's critical head strike. Bladescape called out to the others while Plaudit had their attention. “It’s vulnerable! Lancers, change!”
Plaudit heard the word “charge” and dropped back down. He was off, leading the raiders in their newfound morale.
Bladescape got another savage slice into the chest which she then pulled down the length of its body until they had to turn to avoid the back half and tail. Plaudit couldn’t jump that high. They looked back around at the final moments of Fafnir the Lindwurm.
Backbreaker had the beast pulled down, its leg still trapped and being pulled further out as Backbreaker fought to drag it behind her. The lancers had their spears as deep as they could go. Other fighters had flanked their assault on its chest to deal more damage. Bladescape saw a lone tank charging behind the others. She realized it was Joltron.
Joltron slid to a stop and threw his tower shield into the ground, bracing himself. Astro came from farther back at top speed. She stayed in stride as she used him to vault even higher, spear at the ready. She had reversed her grip, with both hands, so that she could ram it down into its head like Bladescape had done.
Astro’s entry was better than Bladescape's had been, as her spear went straight into its eye. There was a second of resistance as the spear pierced the squishy flesh of the eye and then it shattered into polygons. Her leap had been amazing, her stab was flawless, but her fall was not pretty. She had no control as she failed to calculate for a disappearing boss and landed in a crumpled mess that would normally have broken most of the bones in her body.
Bladescape encouraged Plaudit to rush to her aid. She trotted up, forcing the gathering warriors to split apart for the horse. Astro was laying on the ground, with Joltron, Backbreaker, and Thunderborne by her head. She was coherent, and Bladescape could see that her health was in the red, but not dangerously so. She was probably on the ground because she didn’t need to get up, so she could let things hurt for a bit.
She smiled up at Bladescape. “I guess that horse wasn’t a dumb buy.”
“Plaudit never was,” Bladescape grinned back.
“Yeah, but unlike most players, you didn’t ditch the horse. You didn’t even respond and then dismount once you got here. You two charged it! Its midsection was as tall as you two are!”
Plaudit neighed in response.
“Plaudit is a warhorse,” Bladescape reminded her. “That is what he loves to do. Charge. Charging and jumping."
“Your horse sword carved the boss up better than what we could do all morning,” Astro pressed. “What exactly did you have made again?”
“A short, light, two-handed sword,” Bladescape shrugged. “But his name is Bajutsu.”
Several of the other players, including Kirito, recognized the name and meaning.
“The Japanese art of martial combat on a horse,” Bladescape explained to those unaware of the name.
“You are still in your clothes,” Astro followed up. “A sane player would have changed! Even in the field! I know Diemond made them strong, but one hit without proper armor and you would be dead!”
Bladescape dismounted and put her hand out to Astro. Astro firmly grabbed it and Bladescape pulled her to her feet. “And did we get hit? But enough about my stupidity. I didn’t end up on the ground after almost falling to my death because I forgot the thing I was stabbing wouldn’t exist when it died.”
“Yeah, I forgot,” Astro laughed.
“How bad was it?” Bladescape asked. It wasn’t to anyone in particular, but everyone had gathered around.
Kirito spoke up. “We lost two before you got here. At least a third of our group teleported out. That includes the backup squad that came with us. From the Wondercolts, AFCK and Kiefer had to bail.”
Bladescape nodded quietly in response. She had forgotten who exactly had been sent. As long as they were safe, that was what mattered.
“Well, your calls got a lot of responses,” Bladescape stated. “Others will be here shortly. I passed several on the way out, but it’s a distance even at their quick pace. Still, they will ask the same question I will. Why didn’t you just retreat?”
“It was too fast,” Asuna quietly said. With no one else speaking, everyone heard it. “Every time we tried, it flanked us and kept us out here. That is why we called for reinforcements. Even if we teleported out, then what? We would just have to come back with a significantly larger party, and more players on standby in case the same thing happened. We decided it was best to keep fighting. The deaths happened during the opening attack. They were unprepared. We all were, but they paid the full price. The Iron Bulwark’s shield stopped others from dying and we rallied.
"So despite the deaths and teleports, we figured getting fresh troops out was better than undoing all the HP we had toiled to shave off. Although, it is apparent that you could do more with that sword than what we could do as a whole."
It was quiet. The mention of the deaths silenced most players. The rest were unsure how to take Asuna's ending comment.
"Second-in-Command," Bladescape calmly said. "I was on a charging horse. That gives my attacks a different angle. Plaudit's speed and strength appear to have magnified the damage Bajutsu could do. It wasn't just me behind the swinging blade. It was fitting that I helped even the playing field, and it was even more that someone in your raid party got the LAB. I came to help, and so I did. But I am on a free day to enjoy after tough leveling quotas."
“I thought you were going ridin', not wranglin',” Backbreaker said, shifting the topic to keep morale up. She held up the lasso.
“I thought so too,” Bladescape grinned. “Instead, Boots and I headed out to catch the special horse on Floor 12. We finally roped him right before I got the message. I came straight here after teleporting from the field we were in. Plaudit had already done a lot of hard riding to catch him; before he took the boss on head first and without faltering.”
Backbreaker nodded, accepting it. She tossed the lasso to Bladescape. Bladescape hung it over the saddle’s horn for the time being.
“THERE YOU ARE!”
They all turned to see Godfree running up to them, at the head of the two KOB squads Bladescape had passed. Bladescape mounted Plaudit, leaving the raiders to explain what she had done.”
“BB, Astro, I am going back to riding,” Bladescape said. “It is my day off after all, so try to not need me."
The three of them laughed. Several others joined in the laughter.
“Oh, Asuna,” Bladescape said. “This is the hobby I found. I experience Aincrad and all its majesty from horseback. With minimal combat, and only if we want to fight. Thanks for the advice.”
Asuna wasn’t sure what to say. She obviously remembered the conversation.
Bladescape pulled out a blue teleport crystal and held it up high. Plaudit reared back so they could all see the palomino's glory and she teleported them back to Floor 12.
Boots was back at her stable, with Marengo running freely in the corral. He was the only horse in the corral at the moment. Boots heard Plaudit bray at their arrival and met them at the stable door.
Bladescape dismounted and led Plaudit to his stall for the rest he deserved. As she took care of him, she told Boots exactly what she did.
“I guess breaking in a stallion like Marengo will be boring,” Boots joshed.
“I might have run up the back of the lindwurm, but I didn’t ride it.”
“You failed to mention that,” Boots stated.
“Oh,” Bladescape chuckled. “That was a good moment in the fight too.”
Bladescape finished catching Boots up as they watched the grey Arabian run around the corral.
“Okay,” Boots declared. “Nowadays, we train horses, not break them in. But that lingo has stayed. And for Aincrad, you break a horse in the cowboy way. You have to ride it, bareback, until it stops trying to throw you and lets you ride it, steering with its mane. Marengo won’t break easily.”
“Let’s go then,” Bladescape said, jumping the fence. “I look forward to this. If I could stay on a charging and jumping warhorse, while dodging attacks by that thing, how hard could this be?”
Boots broke out laughing as Bladescape jokingly flaunted her abilities. Boots knew Bladescape was in over her head. Bladescape was certain she was going to be very sore by the end of the day. More sore than she already was from being dragged, twice, by a lassoed beast.
Bladescape (SS): Lvl 94 – Two-Handed Sword – Search – Weapon Defense – Leather Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Sprint – Acrobatics – Blade Throwing – Extended Weight Carry - Greatsword - Rend
Thunderborne (RBD): Lvl 84 – Rapier – Sprint – Acrobatics – Armor Pierce – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Leather Armor – Weapon Defense – Extended Weight Carry – Search - Martial Arts
Backbreaker (AJ): Lvl 85 – Heavy Shield – One-Handed War Hammer – Extended Weight Carry – Heavy Metal Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Fishing – Search – Martial Arts – Acrobatics - Sprint
AFCK(PP): Lvl 82 – Two-Handed Axe – Parry – Cooking – Weapon Defense – Martial Arts – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Light Metal Armor – Thrown Weapon – Musical Instrument - Rend
Diemond (R): Lvl 82 – Heavy Shield – Mace – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Heavy Metal Armor – Tailoring – Light Metal Armor Forging – Heavy Metal Armor Forging – Jewelry Making – Extended Weight Carry - Rend
Doombunny (FS): Lvl 89 – One-Handed Dagger – First Aid – Hide – Search – Listening – Battle Regeneration – Fighting Spirit – Familiar Communication (Colorra) – Drug Mixing – Reveal -- Fencing - Sprint
Astro (PS): Lvl 83 – Two-Handed Spear - Purchase Negotiation – Armor Pierce – Acrobatics – First Aid – Light Metal Armor – Battle Regeneration – Weapon Defense – Parry – Extended Wight Carry - Search
Kiefer: Lvl 83 – One-Handed Curved Blade – Parry – Weapon Defense – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Light Metal Armor – Slash Weapon Forging – Katana – Martial Arts - Search - Armor Pierce - Sprint
Lessa: Lvl 81 – One-Handed Sword – Shield – Light Metal Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Equipment Repair – Metal Equipment Repairing – Armor Pierce – Search - Acrobatics - Wood Carving
Joltron: Lvl 83 – One handed Axe – Heavy Shield – Heavy Metal Armor – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Metal Refining – Cooking – One Handed Weapon Creation – Two Handed Weapon Creation – Extended Weight Carry - Acrobatics
Knightstar (TS): Lvl 79 – One-Handed Sword – Shield – Equipment Appraisal – Parry – First Aid – Battle Regeneration – Light Metal Armor – Search – Armor Pierce - Purchase Negotiation
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Being in charge of a large guild can get pretty boring
This made me extremely happy. Plaudit did very well in the fight, and the way she didnt even care about chsnging her armor to go hepp her friends was awesome. Plaudits ability to understand what Sunset wants him to do is great, and Sunsets praise of her horse was good to see. The fight was awesome to read, and had me yelling for you at the end with how Plaudit was doing. Keep the chapters up, they're great.
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Great to hear! It was a fun chapter. I have been waiting so long for this one to come out. It was a lot of fun to work in Plaudit into a full chapter, with a real purpose beyond just riding.
I'm confused how did she do that?
But how did she do that without a teleport gate?
Did we miss something that let's her teleport at will??
Honestly makes you wonder if steeds can keep up with their owners in terms of being able to handle combat.
Calvary vs. outdoor opponents isn't a bad thing at all, even if it's lancers and swordwork like Bladescape's.
Maybe it is just me, but I still wonder how long it took Sunset to get use to riding horseback, ever since Friendship Through The Ages. The fact she made it a hobby here implies she must have mastered it by now.
That was an amazing fight. Sad to see two more loose their lives but this is really going to up Blades' legend. I'm looking forward to seeing how many people try to ride horses after this!
10615979
I've used Blue Teleport Crystals a lot. Grab the crystal, call out the city name (it has to have a teleport plaza in it), and it takes the holder there. Then you have red health crystals which instantly heal the person it is directed at, or yourself, rather than a portion which refils over time. Green crystals instantly get rid of poison and paralysis. Of course, crystals are uncommon and more expensive. Typically, players don't waste them unless they have to.
Quick question, and one that is suddenly filling me with worry. Do we know what the level cap is, in Aincrad? Because if it is 100 things are going to get rough if the ending goes a different path do to the Girls existence or PriTwi's attempts on the outside.
That was something, sorta epic but a bit too short to properly feel it.
Odds of Sunset getting herself a real life horse after this? And her Aincrad horse better dang will survive the end of SAO by being shunted into her nerve gear! XD
This chapter was wonderful to read and very refreshing. It was a great read to see Sunset's horse-riding skills and hobby be used for side quests of her own just for enjoyment and later, it's use for clearing the game was also demonstrated. More so as it also demonstrates Plaudit's speciality as a war horse which sets him and his peers apart from other types of horses. And you've portrayed it pretty well during that fight as Plaudit's training as a war horse make him suited for the condition Sunset finds herself in, more so with that Sword Skill she unwittingly gained from her personal side quests and hobby. Best of all, you've shown the horses and horse-riding skills in SAO to be more than just a hobby but have actual uses and applications in clearing SAO.
If anything else, you've also given both Sunset and the Wondercolts another symbol that is linked to the Wondercolts horse head symbol and Sunset Shimmer's past as an Equestrian unicorn.
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Teleport Crystal
10615953
Do what?
How daring. I'm curious how the other players/guilds are gonna take her display. No armor, shirt sword and on horseback with casual riding clothes. But does over a bar of damage in 2 minutes... When the raiding party barely managed over a bar trying to wait for reinforcements in what? An hour or 2? Frightening thing to see
Chapters like this make me wish I could thumbsup more than once.
10616295
This question has been ask a few times. I'll just quote what I said last time. I'll leave it at spoilers for those who don't the anime or light novels.
There was no level max. Kirito topped out at Level 96. Asuna made it to Level 94, Klein to 88, Agil to 83, Lisbeth to 79, and Silica to 62. That is all the level data we have. No other characters are known. I've been running the Wondercolts off Kirito, Ausna, and Klein's data mostly. We do have other time markers for Kirito's levels throughout those two years, and a few more for Asuna and Klein. The Floor max was 100. I'm not sure if they planned on expanding New Aincrad in ALO above 100 floors, but I do not think so.
I bet Kirito would have topped 100 for Floor 75 if he didn't take that time off.
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Yeah, I get that.
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Thanks! I wish you could too.
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that was my worry. I Just saw what level there were on and that Blade is at 94. With how the game ended it wouldn't matter, but with the 'Colts in the mix and pushing Heathcliff might not tip his hand and things could change.
Cool chapter! Nice to see a new fighting style from Blade! And we get the setup for her to have a unique mount later on.
I caught a small error here:
Should be Diemond there.
She is soooo going to miss that horse when this is over. That was fun and great visuals to imagine. And holy crap level 94!
10618427
I used Plaudit as a base for another book, the story world I developed and wrote for NaNoWiMo (Blog Post). I love the design of this horse and it will probably show up in other works I write.
So I just realized I mixed up two horses, both were named Plaudit. I will fix that in the rewritte/full alt-U, and we will get more Plaudit then. Right now, the girls are in the SAO universe. I will be doing a rewrite where both worlds are mixed.
The champion didn't have his picture taken, but he was a bay. With a record of 20 starts, 8-5-0, he won the 24th Kentucky Derby in 1898, ridden by jockey Willie Simms (U.S. Racing Hall of fame inductee and the only African American Jockey to win all three Triple Crown Races) and being trained by John E. Madden (another member of the hall of fame for his contributions as a trainer, breeder, and owner). Plaudit won by a nose at 2:09 for the mile and a quarter (in 1896 they reduced the derby from a mile and a half because it was too long for the young horses). Plaudit beat out Liver Karl by the nose and they both were 20 seconds ahead of Isabey who took third. He would sire multiple stakes winner King James. Plaudit's grandson is the Palamino, who was named after him.
The Palomino Plaudit has "...the distinction of reflecting glory on two breed registries: the American Quarter Horse Association and the Palomino Horse Breeders of America." He would sire some great race horses, as well as show horses.
Plaudit also was on Philmont Ranch for several years, breeding and working, which is know for being one of three Boy Scouts of America's high adventure camps. As an Eagle Scout, that is fun.
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How kind of them.
At least she didn't get too seriously hurt.
OSS? I may have forgot about what it means or not sure it's been mentioned in the story before.
Probably got it from AJ or that one time they all dressed as cowgirls in dance magic.
Oof.
Wait, floor 66, I thought the current floor they were clearing is 65 like what it says at the beginning of the chapter!?!?
So much for a day off.
There goes her spear.
https://m.