[center][h3]Current Theme: [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OgxqNWoGmY]Hysteria[/url][/h3][/center]

Ken clenched his teeth and gulped back fear as a blade with a diameter wider than his head came flying at him.  Luckily, it stopped on a dime, just a mere few centimeters away from his face.  He could see his own reflection in the spotless steel, accompanied by the iconic luster pristine swords were known for.  [color=brown][i]”Holy crap!  How is that a starter weapon?!  Did this guy get the game a few days early?”[/i][/color] Although he wasn’t one to talk when it came to unique weapons, after all, he got a two-handed sword that utilizes the rapier skillset right off the bat.  A sigh of relief escaped his lips as the burly player lowered the weapon, letting Visionary play another day.  He felt like thanking the swordsman for letting him off the hook.  Yet that was put on a hold when his, and unsurprisingly, everybody else’s ears picked up the rustling of greenery nearby.  

And then suddenly: [b]BEARS[/b]

The beasts didn’t have the tact to hide themselves like his former assailants.  They didn’t need to.  They had enough prowess to shift their weight openly and freely around this area.  Visionary tightened his grip on the estoc’s hilt, albeit his hands were shaking at this point, he remained resolute and took on a firm stance.  Already fights as players and mobs raised blade against claw.  The man who had nearly sliced his head into two was already barreling his way into the fray, dragging that oversized sword like it was made out of paper mache.  [color=brown]”Hope everybody in the game isn’t as intimidating as him.”[/color] Ken watched as the player dispatched one of the beasts, until the sound of impending doom and a shadow cast over him drew his attention.  One of the attackers had singled him out, and was only standing a few feet away.  Ken could clearly grasp all of its minute details which only added more to the scare factor.

The real thing was nothing like the plushies his seven year old sister adored so much.  When- [i][b]if[/b][/i] he got out of this death game, he would tell the girl about how actual bears were much scarier than their sewn counterparts.  And how wolves were truly quadrupedal, unlike the toys that sold them sitting flatly on two legs.  He would make a whole entire harangue about his adventures and close calls in Aincrad.  It was time to begin said adventure.  

He wasn’t going to die here.

As the bear charged him, Ken brought back the estoc, leveling it with his soldiers for a preemptive strike.  This was also his way of testing out the AI algorithm, which seemed to be pretty advanced, since the bear bolstered its defense in preparation for a strike.  It crossed its hairy arms over its chest and stuck out its neck.  A frontal assault with a bite attack seemed to have been its choice.  But it was all a feint, as when the bear’s jaws came down upon each other, it only felt the deriding sense of thin air.  Ken slid under the bear’s figure, keeping the estoc close as he suddenly went into a backflip as soon as he passed the beast’s legs.  He grabbed on tight to the sword and angled his elbows.  

The blade was suddenly engulfed in a bright onyx light, the sign of a sword skill activating.  As soon as the motion was complete, the estoc and Ken flew forward at the bear’s back.  [b]OBLIQUE[/b]. It was a basic rapier skill, that could only be delineated from Linear by its lesser range, but had higher power to it since it dragged along the user’s body as well.  The weapon’s tip sunk into the bear’s flank, displaying an eruption of light as the skill did its damage.  The bear was sent back a few feet, with its health now in the red, but it sluggishly got to its feet and prepared for another attempt.  Ken took the chance to toss a health potion at the player using the oversized sword.  It was one of the few he got from the starter kit, at this point at the game they were priceless, but he wasn’t fond of seeing people in their last moments.  [color=brown]”Here, catch![/color] Ken then changed his attention to the few others who were not yet consumed by combat, [color=brown]”Could use some help over here!  This one’s almost down, but I think a few more are on the way!”[/color] They had to make short work of the remaining mobs, before more were attracted.  The boy placed his hand on the side of his blade and held it up to block the bear’s attack.  He gritted his teeth at the overwhelming strength of the mob.