Titanomachy (IC)

[arkturus]

Team Lesbian Paradise (and Harry)
Location: Zeus High School – School Building (6^th Floor – Empty Classroom)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

"Well as a matter of fact, I do."

Harry slightly taken aback, he didn't think that Eilian would leave so soon. But he was sure she had her priorities. Oddballs like her always did.

The young magician once again pulled out the journal out of thin air and handed it to Rika.

"I found this in the crystal caverns. It's a diary, written by people who were no doubt also flung here to this strange world. Strange thing is that it has two authors. Originally it was the diary of some guy named Gil Parish who was a part of some kind of raid but then he either died or went mad or lost it and then it was picked up by someone else named Jill Durmont. Stranger still, it starts in English but then they start writing in a different kinda language."

[RacingeR]

Team Tacticool
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Broken Earth (Ruinous Jungle)
Time: Day 4 – Night

There was a momentary pause in the scene when Michael appeared out of nowhere, attracting the stares of the Oni, who seemed surprised a human would dare to approach so casually. They stared at him like they would stare at a steak that had suddenly sprouted legs and had decided to approach them to be devoured out of its own will. Even the girl in the tree seemed absolutely flabbergasted.

The fragile peace was broken immediately once Michael’s power started having an effect on the nearest Blue Oni, who let out a roar of fury that shook the air of the clearing. At the same time, Kyle’s sub-group arrived at the clearing from another angle, Hiyori and Gwendoline charging towards the nearest Oni.

The Red Oni reacted immediately, letting out a grunt that mobilized his blue-colored counterparts immediately. Two of them, including the one that had been afflicted with Michael’s power, charged towards the boy, while the other three charged towards Kyle’s group. The Red Oni remained behind, an uncanny expression of cunning in its brutal face, and it suddenly let out a piercing howl towards the sky, one that could probably be heard from kilometers away.

Zhenya’s guns roared, and suddenly two strange bullets sunk on the Oni that was charging towards their position. Immediately afterwards, a powerful aura reverberated on the clearing for a second, causing the monsters to cower momentarily and a chill to run through your backs. Sherry let out a shocked exclamation: “Tiamat’s aura?! What the hell?!”

Immediately afterwards, a strange crystal-like substance started growing out of the wounded gut and side of the Oni, causing excruciating amounts of pain to the creature as more crystalline growths appeared from inside its body and started piercing the whole left side of the monster. It let out a roar of anguish and fear as blood trickled down from its gruesome wounds, which seemed to drive its partners into a frenzy.

Kyle was the first one to recover from the baleful aura, and unleashed a barrage of black bullets towards the wounded Oni, shoving it backwards, although surprisingly, it seemed capable of shrugging off his attacks with ease. At the same time, Hiyori and Gwendoline reached the enemy lines. First, the blonde girl unleashed a blade of wind on the face of another Oni, aiming at its eyes, but missing the mark and instead opening a bloody gash that split its face in half. Meanwhile, the black-haired girl hit her target in the stomach with enough momentum and force that the ogre was stopped in its tracks. A strange black cross mark appeared where it had been just hit.

Then, the enemies counter-attacked. Michael was faced with the charge of two enemies, but thankfully, one had been slowed down enough to not be able to reach him just yet, and its partner arrived much faster, swinging its club wildly towards the boy, who prepared himself to evade the incoming attack…

Battle Calculation

Blue Oni’s speed:
-24 (Blue Oni’s AGI) > 14 (Michael’s total EVA/2)
Blue Oni’s attack:
-58 (Blue Oni’s total STR) – 17 (Michael’s DEF) = 41 damage.
Michael’s HP: 180 – 41 = 139 HP

And much to his surprise, he found he simply… couldn’t. His enemy was too big, too tall, too bulky, and had too much reach, and Michael was simply too near it to be able to get out of the way of its horizontal swing. Thus, he couldn’t avoid the wooden club that slammed into him and cracked his ribs, sending him backwards for a few meters and into the ground.

The others also discovered the same thing. Hiyori let out a shocked scream and instead took the attack head on, using her power to blunt the attack, while Zhenya was strong enough to take the hit and not receive major damage from it. Gwendoline, meanwhile, took the worst part, as the club slammed on her left shoulder and broke it with an audible crunch, causing the girl to let out a scream as she was thrown against the ground by the sheer force of the blow.

While all of this happened, Sherry didn’t attack. Instead, throwing her small body against the ground, she disguised herself on the tall grass and sneaked towards the back of the two Oni that Michael was facing, apparently preparing herself for something.

As the battle below started, Alexandra finally took flight, using the fact that the enemies were distracted while engaging the party, to head off as fast as she could towards the girl in the tree. The Blue Oni at the front were simply too busy to react to her sudden appearance, and as she rose in the air and moved like a bullet towards the girl, she thought it was impossible that any of these barbarous creatures would be able to stop her.

Then, her eye of the mind tugged at her concentration, and she saw a large tree trunk heading towards her at impressive speeds. Somehow, she managed to avoid the oncoming attack heading towards her, but having to maneuver in the air to avoid the attack interrupted her rush, which meant she was unable to get towards the girl, who let out a scared yelp as she saw the trunk crash down near the tree.

Alexandra only had this pair of wings for a few days, after all, and she wasn’t completely accustomed to using them. Furthermore, the object the Oni had launched had been simply too big, had covered too much of an area. It was easy to see that as long as such an artillery was present, it’d be impossible to approach the tree from the air, at least not without taking some grievous damage.

Wise up!

Name: Blue Oni
Race: Youkai
Attributes: Youkai, Ogre
Spiritual Rank: 4

Stats:

STR: 50
DEF: 25
SDEF: 20
AGI: 20
EVA: 10

Spiritual Existence [Youkai Trait]
Youkai, in the Warped World, are strange creatures. Although they share many traits with beasts, demons and other such creatures, and are extremely varied, they all share a single characteristic in common: they’re mostly spiritual beings concentrated into a single solid entity. Thusly, they’re more spiritual than physical, and are less affected by physical afflictions and damage, being able to reduce physical damage by 25%.

Humanity’s Nightmare [Ogre Trait]
Ogres can be pretty much described as the primordial enemy and predators of humans in ancient mythology, one of the oldest nightmares that were conceived in all of the myriad cultures around the world. Taking as many shapes as there are cultures in the world, they merely share traits as fantastical beings that predate on humans and are identified as their ultimate enemies. As a result, they take 25% less damage from those that possess the Human trait.

Oni With A Wooden Club
The Blue Oni make their trademark clubs out of the strongest wood they can find, creating rough but perfectly serviceable weapons, that when wield with that incredible strength of theirs, is capable of easily crushing bones like they were made of paper. Due to their adaptability with these weapons, Oni are capable of wielding them with strength and dexterity, obtaining 5 STR and 4 AGI when attacking with them. The wooden club themselves give +3 to STR.

Bulky Berserker
Oni are tall, stocky and physically powerful creatures, enough to be able to overwhelm anyone that comes near. When fighting enemies that are smaller than themselves, they are experienced at using their height and their robust bodies to impede faster adversaries and reach those that would normally be too fast for them to reach, automatically reducing enemy EVA by half.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Name: Red Oni
Race: Youkai
Attributes: Youkai, Ogre
Spiritual Rank: 4

Stats:

AGI: 25

Spiritual Existence [Youkai Trait]
Youkai, in the Warped World, are strange creatures. Although they share many traits with beasts, demons and other such creatures, and are extremely varied, they all share a single characteristic in common: they’re mostly spiritual beings concentrated into a single solid entity. Thusly, they’re more spiritual than physical, and are less affected by physical afflictions and damage, being able to reduce physical damage by 25%.

Humanity’s Nightmare [Ogre Trait]
Ogres can be pretty much described as the primordial enemy and predators of humans in ancient mythology, one of the oldest nightmares that were conceived in all of the myriad cultures around the world. Taking as many shapes as there are cultures in the world, they merely share traits as fantastical beings that predate on humans and are identified as their ultimate enemies. As a result, they take 25% less damage from those that possess the Human trait.

Throwing Mt. Ooe II
Mastery when it comes to throwing improvised objects bigger than oneself. Lacking in magical and spiritual capacities, the Oni often have no means to attack at a range, so they’ve learnt to compensate in their usual barbaric ways, using big rocks, fallen trees, and even ripping apart pieces of the ground to attack distant targets. When throwing such an improvised object, their AGI increases by 5, while the damage dealt is increased by 5.

[Frantic Author]

Johnny Justice
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN - Field of Ruins (Skeletal Skyscrapers)
Time: Day 4 – Afternoon

Johnny grinned like a madman as a devil was two axes ran forward, smashing his fists together with a laugh.

[Strongarm Activated]

"Come on then, if ya think you're hard enough!" He pulled his arm back, slamming his foot into the ground.

[Prepped: Counter]

And then, Johnny waited, ready to punch.

[RacingeR]

Masaki Taichi
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Zeus Approach
Time: Day 4 – Morning

The moment you activate Einherjar, Kaitlin’s expression changes, first with shock, and then with concentration as she finally takes heed of your words and tries her hardest to fight you. However, it is very evident that she just cannot keep up with you… or rather, with your Einherjar.

It becomes clear in the first few exchanges that she is going to lose. You unleash a constant stream of attacks, not stopping once you manage to get her on the back foot. Like a whirlwind, you attack the branch she is holding, forcing her back, then unleash a series of three slashes against her. She backs down, barely avoiding the first two, but the third one reaches her, and you score a point. You don’t stop. Her stance has been destroyed, and you press your advantage, twisting to the side and slashing at her left arm, grazing her in the shoulder for another point.

You press on. Your technique is peerless. It is not speed or strength what is surpassing Kaitlin, but just the fact that your technique is so complex and perfect she simply can’t deal with it. Only her eye of the mind is keeping her from losing, and even then, she is being sieged from all sides as you whittle her defenses down one after the other.

Her expression is that of complete shock, but not because you did something like using your Spiritual Power in a spar, but rather, she is disconcerted because it is the first time, ever, that anyone had pressed her this far, that anyone had come close to defeating her in a match of swordsmanship, her sole specialty, the one thing where she wouldn’t ever lose to anyone. She simply doesn’t know how to deal with that. This genius who is being surpassed for the first time ever simply has no answer towards something that is greater than her.

You keep pushing onwards, reading the few attacks that Kaitlin executes and anticipating them with ease, using your technique to guide them to spots where you could easily parry them, and you break her stance once again. The crux of your whole style lies in the fact that once you attack, you never stop, you become a whirlwind that unleashes one attack after the other. Although you never hurt her, Kaitlin’s face pales once you start scoring points with an endless stream of attacks. You know she’s reaching her limit, and that victory is around the corner…

You launch your final attack, having perfectly calculated the point of your swing towards the branch she wielded, to take it away from her hand and end the spar… and yet, you hit nothing but air.

The look on Kaitlin’s eyes changes, they widen, and you feel a chill on your back as the bearing of your adversary undergoes a complete change.

She flowed. It was like hitting a lake, like slashing at water. She moves away from your attack with a small step, and you don’t even notice when you get slashed vertically. You grit your teeth as you press on, despite the absolutely chilling look in Kaitlin’s eyes, something you had never seen before. However… the whole battle is turned around.

The president’s stance has changed completely. It is as if she had completely let go of every single restriction on herself, as if she had returned to zero, to the root of her talent. Her sword, which before had been vacillating and slow under your overwhelming rain of attacks, now is secure, and moves unlike anything you have seen before. It is as if Kaitlin had suddenly become like a raging sea, throwing away her offensive stance to a defensive one that allows her to easily avoid your attack, and with the same flow of her dodging movement, she counters and hits you. It is like all your attacks are being reflected by this lake, every time your branch pierces the surface of the waters, it comes back towards you with a vengeance.

You back down out of instinct, ceasing your attack, but that merely lets Kaitlin attack you freely, and she easily deals with your counters, forcing you back once again. Your positions are completely reversed, and you find yourself struggling against this ‘awakened’ Kaitlin. Both your faces are twisted in concentration, as you dance under the pale light of the Warped World.

Finally, you can’t keep up anymore. Even your Einherjar, even your Spiritual Power, can’t give you the win against this absolute prodigy. She doesn’t seem human, her prowess is monstrous, and yet, it is a close battle. Finally, under her chilly gaze, her branch hits yours away, and the following impact in your chest pushes you backwards, making you lose your equilibrium and trip. The follow up nears your body…

“HEY!” Henry stands up and shouts, noticing the danger, that both of you had gotten completely carried away…

And then Kaitlin’s branch hits you in the wrist and forces you to let go of your weapon. You crumble to the floor, and lift your gaze to meet Kaitlin’s, who is breathing hard, her branch broken in two with the last movement, sweat covering her.

Her eyes are still staring at you with the same chilly quality, something you can both understand and yet you can’t. After all, although you were talented, you had never been quite considered a genius or a prodigy, not on the same level as people like Kaitlin. So how could you imagine what it felt like for a prodigy like her when someone crawled towards their position on the top, reaching their level on the ability they prided themselves the most, threatening to not only equal them, but to surpass them? You knew that the stare Kaitlin was directing towards you wasn’t one of disapproval or anger, but rather the stare these geniuses directed towards the one that could surpass them. It was the stare of someone who knew that the next time she sparred against you, she may not win, even after having finally awakened.

She breaks out of her reverie, seemingly very embarrassed about getting carried away like this. She throws away her branch, apologizes quickly to you, and then, before anyone can say anything, moves towards the tent. “I’m going to wash up.” She says, and disappears within.

Henry stares at you oddly, seemingly a little angry, but then shrugs to himself and says nothing, leaving you to think on what had just happened.

Kaitlin wasn’t one who held back her true abilities, and she was already seen as someone who was absolutely overwhelming, back in your world. But now, you understood something that was unbelievable, something that seemed a bit too grandiose, yet you now knew it was true… Kaitlin probably had been the single best swordsman in your world, in the whole of that world. Why she had never used the true extent of her abilities wasn’t something you could understand completely, but it was probably something unconscious.

After all, in swordsmanship alone, she had never been challenged to this extent. No matter the dangers of the Warped World, no matter how many times she had been beaten by these monstrosities, or by people like Robin Gardner, her swordsmanship had never failed her, had never been challenged, not until you had fought her with your Einherjar activated, and had forcefully awakened her true talent. And forcefully, you had forced her to understand the reality of the Warped World, a world where talent, by itself, meant nothing.

Achievements

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED
[Awakening The Holy Blade]
Awaken Kaitlin to the reality of the Warped World
Kaitlin’s overall abilities have been improved. 5 EP and a perk level-up obtained.

[Katie]

Rosary Flowers
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN - Field of Ruins (Skeletal Skyscrapers)
Time: Day 4 – Afternoon

Joaquin hands me the explosive like this situation is all fine and dandy. Cyrus expects me to actually do something about this situation, because as these idiots always do, they gamble with our lives without knowing the stakes. And these, I think, are really shitty stakes. Super shitty stakes.

But even though I complain, I have a job to do. Deliver the bomb to whatever can fuck us up at the moment. Glancing around, my eyes see it—the witch looking thing. Magic and all that, I want none of it.

I give myself a running start and as the bomb sails through the air, it becomes intangible. I just need the right moment to frag it, and nothing’s gonna stop it.

[RacingeR]

Masaki Tomomi
Location: Dreamscape - Ashen Lands?
Time: Day 4 – Morning

Nim’s body was solid to the touch, despite her condition as a shade. However, it felt fragile and barely had any warmth, as if it was made of crystal. It was like embracing a cloud, or perhaps the concept of a cloud.

Nim’s eyes widened slightly at Tomomi’s actions, and even more upon hearing her words. Perhaps, no, definitely, Tomomi didn’t quite know or understand the meaning that her words had. It went beyond mere kindness, a meaning that conferred to her words an authenticity that they may have not had otherwise.

After all, the Self was the representation of the soul. Perhaps one of the biggest taboos in the multiverse, in all of Existence, was the interaction with souls, to touch the souls of others or have your soul touched. It was the most forbidden of things, and something extremely difficult to accomplish even with thousands upon thousands of years of mastery in magic. Of course, the Warped World was… an exception, and that was what made Tomomi’s words so shocking, as they could be easily interpreted as a willingness to share her ‘Self’, her soul, with Nim.

Perhaps she was just unaware of the true meaning of her words, or what her offer meant, of the fact that Nim could easily suck her dry of her whole Self like a vampire… but, did that really matter? The Magus’ eyes wavered slightly, before a definitely decided gleam appeared on them.

Wasn’t the reason she had let this meeting happen because she wanted to know of the first human to ever be able to contact her after her death? To see if they were worthy? And here was this girl, this little girl, young even for the standards of humans, who could’ve asked many things, who could’ve asked for magic, for Nim’s power, for the knowledge she held, for many things. And instead, upon hearing who she was, her first impulse hadn’t even been to pity her, but instead to selflessly try to comfort her, to offer her some warmth, to try and make her feel better even knowing fully well that there was little she could do about it. What else did Nim need to know about her?

She slowly wrapped her arms around Tomomi’s frame, and as she did so, she projected a small light from her hands. Without Tomomi knowing, a strange symbol started to appear on her back, a tattoo whose shape resembled that of a blue fire.

Obtained Perk: Crest of Nimarialaya


Suddenly, you felt Nim’s arms let go of you, and then she rubbed your head. “Thank you.” Her voice wavered slightly. You could see that she was showing an extremely complex expression on her face. “Really… thank you.”

She then smiled kindly at you. “I’m sorry to say, but the time we’re able to remain in contact is brief. We’re only able to talk with each other while you are asleep, in your dreams… and that is only sometimes. This dream… this talk, is going to end soon.”

[Vritra]

Michael Adhikari
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Broken Earth (Ruinous Jungle)
Time: Day 4 – Night
HP: 153/180 SP: 53


Aaaaah so that’s what she meant, eh. Inwardly clicking my tongue in annoyance as the Oni closes I brace myself for the incoming attack, don’t think I’ll be dodging this one, eh? An expert usage of its bulk and reach, it seems I owe these ones an apology I didn’t expect them to display this level of skill, can’t believe all the stereotypes ya hear can ya.

“Kuh” Cursing my own failure and the damn monsters my hand twitches as I try to mitigate the power of the blow, I’ll kill you slowly, I’ll kill you, slowly, painfully for that…

Well perhaps I’m exaggerating a bit eh? After realizing how I wouldn’t be able to dodge I had expected to be smashed like bug but, while the hit had certainly hurt, it hasn’t really hurt thaaaaaaat much, eh. Sorry, sorry little Oni’s but looks like you’re not the only ones who play unfair, also guess I owe someone else an apology, chess man has got a swell little thing going on.

Following the momentum of the strike I remain standing as I quickly take stalk of what’s goin’ on, Sherry, Zhenya, Hiyori, Gwen, ah, sorry, sorry eh, fearless leader while I would love to provide you an opening by getting it all riled up at me it looks like gwen be needing a tad more of a helping hand at the moment.

“Hoy, hoy, hoy, what’cha doing eh? Ya going around looking all big an’ scary eh but then when it comes time to throw down ya hit me like it’s an sleepover pillow fight, eh? I can’t tell if ya being naughty or nice, but ya know ya don’t reeeeaaally gotta hold back for my sake baby blue, ahahaha I’m built great north tough?

…Aaaaaah wait, wait you were holdin’ back right?” Staring worriedly at the Oni infront of me I continue. “I mean I’ll give ya the benefit of the doubt I felt that one ya sure, but I also feel more sore from just ma trainin’ eh? I’m worried my little blue ya built up that much size and ya can’t throw a knock, all the cute girl’s will be makin’ fun of ya and just between me and ya but that sounds like a crummy future to look forward to, eh? Ah well no worry, no worry my little baby blue friend ya got me, I’ll whip ya in shape and show ya what a real Oni is like ahahahaha!” Grinning innocuously at the Oni front of me I direct my power and snatch the club from the Oni before it can begin to attack gwen some more and then waving I call out. “Sorry, sorry, eh just needin’ to borrow this gotta show ya boys what a real Oni would look like, eh? No need to be shy though just feel free to jump in ta the demonstration, the more the marrier ahaha! Now then let’s get started!” Stomping my feet one after the other I assume an exaggerated stance with the club slung over my shoulder and beckoning the Oni forward with my hand.

These things seemed wield those clubs with unusual skill and they seem rather well taken care of so let’s hope this little leap of logic pays off and they turn out to be rather attached to them.

Wiseup:
Stats:
Strength – 26 (21*1.25)
Defense – 31 (17*1.25+10)
Spirit – 13 (11*1.25)
Spirit Defense – 12 (10*1.25)
Agility 36 (21*1.25+10)
Evasion 27 (14*1.25+10)

Pawn piece ascension; one turns remaining

Perk:
Analytics
Allows to analyze patterns of movement and action of enemy monsters after three turns of fighting them. Also allows an analysis of the situation and of the current terrain on details visible to the naked eye. May also make it easier to obtain clues during an investigation
Two turns remaining

Power:
[Steals an object being held by the target as long as said object is being touched by Mammon. 15 SP]

[Erlkonig]

Masaki Tomomi
Location: Dreamscape - Ashen Lands?
Time: Day 4 – Morning

"O-Okay then!" The moment she was told that the girl before her would not be consigned to a lonely oblivion, a large feeling of relief spread through the student's body. Had it not been for the somber tone in Nim's voice, Tomomi might have actually cheered.

Instead, she merely squeezed Nim's hand for a moment and smiled.

"Even if you say only 'sometimes', that means we'll still be able to keep in touch, right?" Tomomi's grin widened for a moment, as a faint blush spread her cheeks. "Jeez... Knowing that I'm the only one who can talk with you like this, that's a lot of pressure on me..."

There were undertones to Tomomi's statement then, the slackening of her grip over the Magi's hand betraying the spike of nervousness that raced through her consciousness.

That's right. A somber voice in her head echoed. Because, at any moment, in this shitty world any of us could...

A slight sigh escaped the girl's throat, then, only a slight tingle of fear escaping her breath alongside a tiny shiver. It was probably enough for Nim to notice it, though, so before she could worry her companion any further Tomomi regained herself and let go of the woman.

"But..." Standing firm and straightening her back to show off her resolve, Tomomi's eyes gleamed with a firm determination, a ghost of a smile still on her lips. "At the very least, it gives me another reason to fight for survival in this world. Though, if I die..."

Tomomi's voice softened for a moment, her levelness impossible to keep honestly when faced with the prospect of death. "If I die, I wouldn't mind keeping you company here."

Her lips twitch, nervously. "Assuming you can pull off that trick for someone else."

Well... Tomomi thought dryly, feeling the silence stretch for a moment. Maybe going for the black humor to a girl who's been grieving the loss of her life partners for millennia wasn't the best of ideas.

"So..." Tomomi shifted nervously, her eyes widening slightly as she felt, with growing certainty, that the dream she was experiencing was coming to an end. "I'm not sure what we could talk about right now. Maybe... Ah!"

Her eyes widened with realization, having remembered what Nim had told her before the compassion that overwhelmed her steered the direction of the conversation somewhere else.

"Th-that... Grimoire, that's how you called it right?" Tomomi looks at the transcendent woman with a hesitating, though inquisitive look. The way her round eyes gleamed like sapphires, there was no denying that she was drawn by the woman's claim. "If you're its creator, then... Um... Do you have any tips for reading it? After what happened with those girls, and that... Man..." Tomomi grimaces for a moment, recalling the face of Juan Marquez. The man turned monster, slaughtered like a lamb sent to the slaughter.

After a brief pause where that image flashed through her mind, Tomomi recomposed herself to continue. "...My brother -No, everyone became frightened after seeing what his magic could do, and more so after those girls were so drawn to that 'core' of his. In the first place, for him to even have that... It's like he wasn't human anymore." She shivered for a moment... But then looked up at Nim, with a firm stare.

"I don't want to make the same mistakes as him... But after seeing you, I don't want to back down either." Tomomi clacked one crystalline heel against the ground as she clenched her fists. "Seeing what you all managed to build, a place as beautiful as this... There's no way that all magic is evil, just like not everything in this world is out to kill us."

The image of Alediel and her heavenly escorts -Choir- echoed through her mind.

"I want to do more for everyone. For those I love, as well as for the sake of my 'Self'. If possible..." Tomomi looked at Nim, some form of reverence in her sight. "I'd like to become someone like you. Ah, I'm not speaking about your powers though."

Tomomi looked at the scenery one last time. "Even now, after thousands of years... You're still thinking about them. Even though you may argue there's nothing else to think about, that's not true. It would be much easier to let yourself go and stop thinking. But even so... You don't. Against all odds, you hold on to that 'shade' of yours, and refuse to be anything but yourself."

Tomomi smiled up at the girl, her eyes hard with resolve.

"I want to become someone like that. After seeing someone who lost their way... I don't want that to happen to me or any of my loved ones. It's more than just fear, though. Running away or denying that something like that could happen just isn't on the table anymore. After seeing Juan, I wondered... Just what did he see, to make him stray so far? Compared to what we've witnessed, just..."

Tomomi closed her eyes, and let out another breath. "I don't understand the unknown. None of us do. Monsters, demons, and creatures from beyond... They're too terrible for us to fathom. But... At the same time... Someone needs to know."

She opened her eyes again, and that time the cold, blue fire in them burned even brighter. "They told me Magic was about knowledge, understanding, and will. If I can learn about it, without breaking, without losing myself, that means I'll be able to resist that unknown. I'll be able to fight. But because that means running straight into that unknown, I need someone to guide me through it, someone to grab my shoulder before I fall to an abyss."

With a lopsided smile, and somewhat ashamed, Tomomi looked back at Nim. "I'm sorry for asking you this, so close to the end, when I haven't even given you anything about me after what you showed me tonight. But, if you're willing..."

Tomomi blushed for a moment, before stammering. "I don't know how you had fun in your world, but if you're willing, next time I can show you how it's done in mine. One benefit of perfect memory, there's a lot of movies we could go to see, and there's my brother's dojo matches, and, and..."

Tomomi went beet red for a moment. "It'd be nice, being able to share something like that with a friend again."

[Mormarth]

Alexandra Gray
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Broken Earth (Ruinous Jungle)
Time: Day 4 – Night

HP - 80/90, SP - 59/120

As the cacophony broke out across the field as the others entered the fray, I took flight, soaring over ahead, clinging between shadows as I sought out the closest route to the tree to minimize exposure.

And then I sprang out, straining newly formed muscles that exist through an effort of my will, urging my new appendages forward, faster, faster, and I saw the tree grow larger in my vision, and no bellows or roars of challenge, nor stamping of feet came in my direction, good, the beasts had been distracted to an extent where my passage appeared open.

Still, I hadn't spotted the crimson ringleader of the troop, so I kept my eyes open and-

!!!

I reversed course instantly, pulling up and away sharply as an enormous chunk of wood and earth screamed through the open air, I had avoided the ad-hoc missile at the last moment, such a thing if taken on the chest, by surprise, while it may not have killed me, it would have knocked me from the air...

I surveyed the interceptor sourly, indeed, as my suspicions and instincts had warned me, the tree remained under guard by a remaining sentinel. Deep-set, piggish eyes the color of rusted iron remained on me steadily, glinting with a malign intelligence, a harsh growl coming from a tusked throat.

It was a predator, I saw, the Enemy, the ur-barbarian, a tusked, horned giant that sought to crush the works of Man.

I knew this intrinsically, as I met its gaze, and I did not look away, even though a faint rush of fear twinged at my gut. An obstacle in the utmost sense, a quite literal mountain of muscle in my path, in the way of my goals.

Frustrating, and invigorating.

But still, all mountains will be conquered by the ascendant man, just as all predators will be driven away and claimed as our own trophies.

It merely requires a bit of thought.

I clicked my tongue in consternation as I realized a possible avenue, the projectiles were simple, uncomplicated structures quite literally torn from their origin and used as one-off missiles.

Borne of nature, and used to return to such. Simple, really.

Bit stupid to not think of it before, honestly.

Moving on, I flapped my wings again, experimentally, adding another 'attribute' to the weight of my mind, coloring my soul, but not altering it.

[Attribute: Slime, - 25 SP]

My skin glistened soundlessly, and I distantly felt the faint coolness of vaporization.

Right then, time to try this again.

My heart alighted with the thrill of a challenge, focus on what was in front of me, and trust the rest to do their job.

The definition of insanity, some might say, but oho, I have a sneaky plan.

A cunning one, you might so.

Pin a tail on it and call it a weasel, even.

"Oi, Susie! D'ya compensate for that limp snake t'ween ya legs with that pissy little spike on your head?!"

Yes.

Taunting.

I then blew a raspberry at it, grinning with challenge, and flew off towards the tree once more, as the glistening transparency that coating my skin began to coalesce together into a blob of shiny goop.

[-15 SP]
[Slime Bullet II Prepped]

It also moisturized my hands nicely and smelled faintly of raspberries.

I'd start selling it for a quick buck if the hot new moisturizing product wasn't all too likely to simply slip your face off of your skull.

Yeeee...

The power of the soul is mighty indeed.

[RacingeR]

Eilian Aubrey
Location: Zeus High School – School Building (6^th Floor – Twisted Hallways)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

Rosalin smiled sincerely upon hearing your words.

“Yes! Finally someone that understands!” She held her arms up, fists pointing towards the ceiling, in a classic victory pose. One had to wonder what kind of attitudes she had been dealing with since this hell had started.

“It is as you say. Now that we’ve arranged scout teams to explore the surroundings of the school and get the lay of the terrain, we need to also fortify our position, ready our defenses, and also start analyzing the world around us to get an understanding of its features, as well as the rules governing the supernatural aspect of this world.” Calming down and recovering her bearings somewhat, Rosalin started answering you.

“Regarding my current plans, there are a few… but first, I’d need to get an exact idea of your capabilities.” She answered your last question, and then frowned slightly, as if remembering something.

“If you mean to work for me, that’d mean to work for the Student Council, mind you. I don’t think that really matters much, but quite a few idi- persons are trying to draw lines between the… factions within the school, so there’s that to consider, first.”

[Plue]

Eilian Aubrey
Location: Zeus High School – School Building (6^th Floor – Twisted Hallways)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

What an... enthusiastic person this was. Eilian keeps her thoughts to herself at the... Treasurer? Was she? Exuberant display. Though with the lack of sensibility she had found in her own brief time here she could at least agree with a fellow rational.

"I am... not overly concerned with politics as long as they are mere words." A frown mars her expression, "Or are the lines being more physically drawn?" Recalling back to the, well, whatever it was between the two groups she had just departed from.

“Regarding my current plans, there are a few… but first, I’d need to get an exact idea of your capabilities.”

A slight shrug of her shoulders, "Of course. Though how best to explain it..."

A quirk of her lips as she allows herself an amusement.

"I can see the workings of the Matrix."

[RacingeR]

Team Baka
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Field of Ruins (The Stronghold of Defiance)
Time: Day 5 – Morning
Turn 7

Lycao had never noticed Esther.

At the end of the day, that is what decides everything.

The werewolf had never paid attention to the small girl that had been simply too slow, been simply too behind the rest of the battle to participate in it. It did not matter if she was strong or not, if she couldn’t keep up with the course of events, if her battle experience was so absolutely lacking, for an existence like the great ancestor of the mighty Therianthropes, she was no threat at all.

The monster’s eyes focus on Jordan alone, its enormous body suddenly changing into a sudden, explosive advance, discarding his previously prepared roar as the black athlete runs towards him like a meteor, becoming a blur of inhuman speed, so fast that for a moment the speed of the black blur nearly rivals or even surpasses that of the white blur’s. It is a dash done with the entirety of Jordan’s life, with the entirety of his skills and training behind. The two meteors rush towards each other, about to clash head on…

There are two interruptions.

First, Lycao feels a sudden deep pain, a blade penetrating through the wound already present in its calf, thrusting deeply in the flesh birthed by Echidna, Mother of Monsters, tearing apart the hellish muscle and snapping the bestial bone. The werewolf stumbles as its leg is completely and utterly maimed, unable to sustain his weight and assist him any further in his rush. The entirety of his wrath had been directed towards Jordan and nobody else… thusly, there had been no room whatsoever on his mind for Sarah and the rest, so much was the fury concentrated towards Jordan. And so, there was no way it could getting maimed and crippled by her in this single critical moment.

Such an action, delivering such a crippling wound to this monster, had only ever been accomplished by Patrick Wilson a hundred years ago when he took away one of Lycao’s eyes and almost gave his life in exchange.

The beast’s body starts falling forward, still reaching towards Jordan, at the moment the second interruption happens.

Jordan swings his sword, not towards Lycao… but instead, throws it against the floor and slams against it with all of his momentum behind. His leg cracks in three places, his muscles howling in complete pain, his mind almost blanking out from the pain. The feint is executed successfully, attracting Lycao’s attention wholly, completely distracting him from Esther and impeding him from noticing the incoming threat.

But the werewolf unleashes a bestial howl that distorts the world, that crushes everything with its sheer pressure. The beast’s body pounces forward, the claw is still swung towards Jordan’s chest with lethal force, even as Lycao starts falling towards the ground.

A flash of pale fire. The wall of ghostly flames serving as backdrop for this final, desperate clash disappear, and instead a sheet of flames appears before Jordan, intercepting Lycao’s attack, searing his flesh and impeding the attack. The werewolf can’t avoid moving its paw slightly away by reflex, and this saves Jordan’s life, as the claw that was destined to tear his upper body asunder merely smashes against him, cracking his collarbone and slamming him against the floor. Jordan’s whole body emits an horrible, chilling sound, causing him to almost pass away from the pain, his life barely hanging on a thread, his muscles almost burst.

But for Lycao, it was an attack that simply came way too late. Just before he finally took down Jordan, just before he finally pinned down his enemies and put them on checkmate, a small and light body had stepped on Jordan’s shoulder and jumped upwards, reaching the handle of the sword with her feet, and then jumping even higher.

There is a wave of spiritual power. The tired, wounded Survivors are unable to see very well what is happening, they’re only capable of understanding that at this late hour, as if flaring up in defiance of the incoming doom, an Invocation had been unleashed at full strength.

Esther falls towards Lycao from mid-air, a third, shinning meteor as her sword is fully pointed towards him. A wave of power surrounds her as all of her increased weight and momentum fall towards the monster, shaking space itself, the building, magically reinforced eight hundred years ago, trembles as centennial dust is shaken and sprinkled about.

The girl does not aim for Lycao’s head or neck, they’re too small of a target. Instead, the slash she is executing with her whole life behind is aimed at his torso, at the white chest of the monster, an attack aiming for the surest strike with the most possibility of succeeding. She knows that it is do or die, sink or swim. If this one final attack fails, then they’ll all die and she’ll be the first in the chopping block… and more importantly, her most cherished friend will surely perish as well. She simply cannot fail.

It is too late for Lycao. Perhaps it was too late since he first set his sights on this group of humans. Perhaps, he was destined to fall here since he was born in the cesspools of the Outer Rim, not at the hands of a powerful warrior or an old sorcerer, not at the hands of a superior being but at the hands of a valiant little girl trying her best to protect someone.

One of his legs is gone. His body is overextended. Two factors that add each other to ensure that evading is impossible. At the very last moment, Lycao notices the trap he had fallen into, driven by his endless rage. But he is completely powerless to do nothing but unleash a tremendous, earth-shaking roar towards the shattered skies. He does not even have the time to reunite his spiritual energy to generate another howl attack.

The silver sword gleamed, and then, with a sickening thud, it pierced and cut through Lycao’s chest. The floor tiles below, caked with centuries-old blood, shattered in a thousand pieces, a rain of bestial blood splattering about as the silver tore Lycao’s chest apart, creating a massive vertical cut through his body, destroying his ribcage before shattering into gleaming fragments that pierced the insides of the werewolf’s body and shredded his internal organs.

Esther falls to the side, apparently unconscious… but… Lycao still stands tall, his upper body having become a mess of gore. He still stands, in midst of a silence more piercing than the loudest of noises. His eye darts about… and finally, it moves. But not towards Esther, nor towards Jordan, not even towards Sarah. Instead, it moves one step, towards the decapitated werewolf head that had been used as a bait for him in the battle. He extends a twisted claw towards it, the expression on its ferocious, scarred face seeming gentle just for a moment.

“Ah… I remember, now…” An ancient, archaic voice sounds, the voice of someone whose age transcends the thousand years, a voice so old that you cannot even imagine the passage of time it involves. “I was once-“

And that’s all he gets to say. Suddenly, an arrow clad in holy fire flies towards him, and erases the last traces of life remaining in that shattered body. The monster remains on its feet for a moment, the fire arrow pierced straight through its head. Then… it slowly starts falling apart, as if decomposing at an accelerated rate. His white body, his fierce eye, his vicious and sharp claws… all of it disappears as the monster becomes naught but ash, its demise illuminated by the pale teal light filtrating through the hole of the ceiling, for everyone to see. Finally, its whole frame becomes ash… and then, a cold wind blows from somewhere, and takes the ash away, dissolving the grey cloud that had remained in the still air. And of Lycao, there’s naught left but a scant few items around a quietly shinning essence.

And thus passed Lycao, Father of Lycanthropes, who had terrified Survivors and Inhabitants alike for more than a thousand years, not with a howl of panic or a fierce roar, but in calm silence.

The world… the very air remains still, in absolute silence, for a few moments yet. Then suddenly, a series of mournful howls resonates all around the building, all around the Sea of UNKNOWN, all around the Warped World as all the Therianthropes mourn the loss of their forefather. Thrice the howls sound, thrice fear invades the Survivors huddling in the dilapidated cathedral… and then, you hear the sounds of the werewolves outside retreating, abandoning the hunt.

A LEGEND HAS BEEN SLAIN

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED
[End of the Hunt]
Slay Lycao, Father of Lycanthropes in the Field of Ruins
8 extra EP and an extra power level-up obtained.

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The gigantic mountain chain separating the various sectors and zones of the Warped World had many, many names. Some called them the Mountains of Sorrow. Some substituted Sorrow with Pain, and other such ominous words. There was a reason for that, of course: the immense mountains that extended through the center of the world all the way to the fabled Outer Rim were covered from peak to foot in spiky protrusions that made it hard for most living beings to escalate the mountains, not to even think of living in them.

However, it did not mean these mountains were completely devoid of life. Strange monsters crawled through its many peaks, dragons and other draconian beings roared and fought in the skies above. Only the most durable of creatures were qualified to live in these mountains.

And one a certain mountain, not too far from the Sea of UNKNOWN, there was a cave that no creature dared approach. There, in a floor too clean for it to be natural, rested an ancient, desiccated corpse. It was the body of a female, still clad in a tidy and intact kimono, a perfectly conserved sword resting at its side.

The mournful howling of the werewolves reached the cave… and suddenly, the eyes of the corpse snapped wide open. The woman, who had looked to be dead by all means, lifted her head, silky black hair cascading around her as she looked towards the outside. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

“He’s dead.” She affirmed, surprise evident on her voice. “After all this time… huh, I guess I’ll never get a chance for revenge.”

She didn’t sound very angry. Instead, she seemed to be more… amused, pleased perhaps. There was an odd sway in her violet eyes, as if she was thinking hard on something. Suddenly, a strange violet glow spread from her eyes, and across her body.

“Huhu… this generation is quite interesting. Might be worth it to go out and play and a little…”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In one of the higher floors of the dilapidated skyscrapers littering the Field of Ruins, hidden in a secret room, was one girl whose body and age looked young, younger than some of the students of Zeus High School. However, her eyes… no, her single eye, as one was covered with an eyepatch, betrayed an age even greater than that of the girls Cyrus met in the legendary Tower of Babel.

At this moment, the whole body of the girl was emitting a pale pink glow, which ran through her body in the direction of her left hand, which held an orb of the same pale pink light. The girl’s eye was concentrated wholly on the orb, trying to glean something out of it, peering through the lands of the Sea of UNKNOWN in an exhaustive search.

Suddenly, her head jerked up, seemingly started, before she looked towards a window in the direction of the cathedral were Jordan and his group had just finished the violent fight.

“Lycao is dead.” She said to nobody in particular.

“What?! Really?” A doubtful voice sounded nearby, coming from a girl that was seated on a wheelchair. “Someone actually managed to corner that old monster? Was it a Survivor?”

“Yes. And one of the new Generation, too.” The girl who had first spoken raised her eyebrows, considering something, and then frowning. “Things are going to get interesting.”

“… Someone from the new generation… doesn’t that mean that the Echidnaborn Core will be on their hands?” The girl on the wheelchair muttered. “This…”

“Yes. And every single faction on this world has sent someone to try and get a grip on the new guys on the block. You can imagine what reaction they’ll have if they see the thing… especially the Japanese- Heaven’s Serpent. And I doubt that those fellows always hiding in the dark will remain quiet, either.” The one-eyed girl tilted her neck slightly, her gaze never abandoning the window.

“Heh, first someone dived into the Abyss, and now someone killed Lycao… this generation is getting things done quite fast…” There was a gleam on her eye, and a slightly wicked smile appeared on her face, as if she was preparing to enjoy the chaos that would soon follow. “As I said… things are getting quite interesting…”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a place where the darkness was so deep and thick it seemed almost solid, someone else opened his eyes and peered into the world.

“Are you sure that Lycao is dead?” Asked a female voice.

“Yes. The tracking spell I put on him is broken. By now, all the other old monsters must be stirring and moving their eyes towards the Sea of UNKNOWN.” A male voice laden with authority replied. “I’m far from being the only one who kept track of that monster.”

“Anja, who was sent over there?” The man asked.

“You mean if it was someone from Beatrix’s… I’m not sure, I think Tuule went there.” The female voice replied, faltering slightly.

“I see… Beatrix will surely have her own means. Send Blanid over, tell her to not intervene directly and just keep watch for now.” The male voice ordered.

“What? But… Blanid is not to be trusted! I should go myself…”

“I need you here, Anja… and… I trust Beatrix. She won’t quibble with me over this… not over something this small.” The male voice replied, somewhat impatiently. “Go, now. I need to think.”

“Understood, boss.” The female voice replied, and a series of footsteps sounded in the dark, disappearing in the distance.

There was a tired sigh amidst the darkness.

“Is this just a new repeat of an old cycle? Or, is this a new start, the situation shifting at last? Every new generation brings about a new paradigm, but the old mistakes are repeated over and over again… the winds are surely changing, but, to what extent? And, in which direction? No… I must seize control over the winds of change, that is the only way I can…” The man mumbled to himself, then suddenly shifted, his eyes closing. “That’s right… Justine of the Truthers and those monsters in the Tower of Babel must also have noticed… all the old ones will be stirring soon enough.”

“Hopefully, the ones who accomplished the deed will be smart about it…”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You all had lived through this, somehow, but none of you was in a state to move about. Jordan was heavily wounded, Adam’s shoulder had been shattered, and he was starting to feel a strange fever as his body rapidly weakened, Sarah’s arm was heavily wounded, and Sally had actually lost her arm. Esther was still unconscious, while Eva shook her over and over crying and calling for her. Ludmilla was busy trying to do her best to stabilize Sally, although it seemed like a losing battle, and Infis was floating near Sarah, a thoughtful expression still on her face, the second Infis having disappeared a while ago.

A sacred chant interrupted the silence, a wave of holy magic spreading about. Suddenly, all of the Survivors started to feel slightly better. Their wounds hadn’t been healed, but the pain and exhaustion had been greatly reduced, something that was of great help to Adam, who was starting to be afflicted by the sickness carried by Lycao’s fangs. The one who had done this was of course, Hakamiah. The angel was the only one currently capable of moving about apart from Infis, but after issuing her chant, she didn’t direct a word towards the humans, instead moving around the cathedral, seeming to search something around its corners.

Finally, while she was adjusting her broken armor, she seemed to notice what she was seeking for. She exclaimed something in an unknown, melodious language, and quickly grabbed what seemed like a big piece of paper, old, cracked and stained with old blood. She quickly perused its contents, nodding to herself while doing so.

After she was done, she walked towards the few items that Lycao had left after perishing. But as she did so, she noticed something that startled her and made her take a step back.

It was… Jin. The swordsman had entered the place through means unknown, and was standing there, covered in blood that clearly wasn’t his. His eyes stared coldly at Hakamiah, and he suddenly extended a hand towards her.

The angel shuddered in place, clearly terrified, and then she clenched her teeth and handed over the old paper to Jin. Then, she quickly jumped towards the items left by Lycao, and grabbed two of the four fangs that were lying over there. Afterwards, she jumped in the air, unfurling her wings, and flew away through the hole she had opened to enter the place.

Jin frowned slightly, but then dismissed the whole situation, turning around to stare at Infis. Both the ghost girl’s eyes and his met, and both of them wore the same slightly confused expression on their faces for a long moment. Finally, Jin shook his head, and walked away, moving towards Sally.

He extracted a strange looking small red fruit from one of his pockets, and pushed away the pale Ludmilla, who looked like she was going to pass out at any moment now. Then, he stuffed the red fruit on Sally’s mouth, and helped her chew and swallow it.

Ludmilla observed the downright miserable situation of the group around her, and sighed. “Maybe I should’ve gone with that chess nerd kid’s group… ah, who I’m kidding, I bet they’re getting fucked up as much as we are.” She rubbed her eyes and fell on her butt.

Jin didn’t pay her much attention, instead walking over to Jordan… more specifically, to the sword stabbed on the ground near him. A strange shine, full of curiosity, appeared on Jin’s eyes as he examined the blade. He extended his hand towards it…

“I’m just saying… but if you touch this sword, you’ll die a very painful death.”

A disembodied lazy, blue voice sounded in the air, causing a chill to run through everyone’s spine. Jin trembled for a moment, and even Infis seemed slightly unnerved. Finally, the swordsman retracted his hand, choosing to leave the sword alone.

[Snax]

Sarah Vale
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Field of Ruins (The Stronghold of Defiance)
Time: Day 5 – Morning

"Guh...."

Sarah let go of all her tension. Wiping her knife off on her clothes without a care about the gore with her one good arm, she stuck it back into her belt.

"God, that was tough. What a hunt."

She still got shivers from the last moment. There were plenty of times she had gone on a hunt with others, losing comrades and companions on the way, but nothing matched the intensity of the beast they had just fought. It wasn't just any dumb animal, after all - it was a true ancient beast, one worth a legend.

Sarah surveyed the damage. The worst off was Sally, who had lost an arm. After that, Jordan was in really bad shape, Adam was suffering from something that didn't meet the eye...and Esther was still unconscious, her friend cradling her and sobbing. Ludmilla was trying her best, but wasn't looking pretty tired...

Infis was bobbing around Sarah, looking somewhat pensive.

"Hey, buddy. Keep your spirits up, we'll need it."

Sarah tried to crack a grin despite the grim situation, but it just wasn't coming. All she got was a small mumble out of her mouth.

Sarah wasn't a cold person, despite her usual aloofness from people. She was an individual who didn't deviate from her usual self, but still...now wasn't quite the time to try and lighten the mood with simple wisecracks. Time...yeah. Time was needed...although some people probably needed less time, more immediate attention.

Out of the entire bunch (perhaps with the exception of one or two), she was probably the most used to situations with multiple people maimed or in bad shape. A quick look was enough to decide whether or not someone was beyond saving, in bad shape, or just needed time. Sarah knew that her wounds were among the less serious, compared to the various others sprawled across the floor...

Still, even with that knowledge...she did not have the tools nor the means to do anything. She was powerless..an uncommon occurrence, and unfortunate, too.

Sarah sighed, lugging her tired and hurting body towards Sally, the worst off, and Ludmilla, trying her best to save the woman from the impending doom that was blood loss and eventually, slow, almost sleep-like death.

Then, the chant.
It alleviated the pain and suffering, but it didn't do much for those really in need...if all, it was close to a painkiller which didn't solve the actual problem. Well, maybe not for Adam, who seemed to be a bit better after it. Perhaps it was something unnatural that was afflicting him, which in turn could only be solved by unconventional means.

Sarah turned around, looking at the Angel. She was preoccupied with some weird piece of paper...And then Jin came.

"Huh, as I thought."

Sarah mumbled again. After all, there was no way he'd be that easy to put off.

The angel then went and ran off after giving Jin the weird paper. Taking a few of the prizes, two of the fangs left by the giant wolf....

Well, it was her prize. She had played no small part in this battle, and it was her right to take part of the trophies.

"Well then."

As Sarah watched Jin take care of Sally's situation with some weird fruit, Ludmilla muttered something about chess kids and slumped down, pale as a ghost. Well, Infis was colorful, but now was not the time for jokes, again.

Sarah approached, patting Ludmilla's back with a wordless gesture of thanks. Ludmilla looked up, but Sarah paid no heed, dragging her hurt body towards the remaining items left on the ground.

A few things, including the shining essence...which was oddly very inviting.

A blue, chilling voice reverberated through the air...but Sarah's senses were already stolen by something so very.... interesting.

Her hunter sense tingled, meaning it was probably very important....

[Airen]

Team Lesbian Paradise (and Harry)
Location: Zeus High School – School Building (6^th Floor – Empty Classroom)
Time: Day 4 – Morning

"I found this in the crystal caverns. It's a diary, written by people who were no doubt also flung here to this strange world. Strange thing is that it has two authors. Originally it was the diary of some guy named Gil Parish who was a part of some kind of raid but then he either died or went mad or lost it and then it was picked up by someone else named Jill Durmont. Stranger still, it starts in English but then they start writing in a different kinda language."

"Oh? Really?"

A diary, huh...?

"Well, we all took a beating getting those things yesterday... Might as well read it, see if we can get any use out of the finer print."

It wasn't directly related to the upcoming mission but...

You never knew what could come in handy in this place...

[RacingeR]

Deus Magnus
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Broken Earth (Ruinous Jungle)
Time: Day 4 – Afternoon

“Creatures, you say? Well… I ain’t gonna list all of them, there are quite a lot here.” Ciera seemed thoughtful at your question. “In general, the most frequent type you’ll meet here are animal types. Either Mutated Beasts or stranger types like Werewolves, those are a fucking plague. Then there are other beasts like the Sasquatch… by the way, the most dangerous monster type here, they even call this place Sasquatch Jungle sometimes, and the Chupacabra, those are really dangerous as well.” Ciera paused, suddenly remembering something. “Right, keep an eye out on the treetops around us as you move, the Chupacabras love to ambush you from above. They’re quite lethal, Nat is probably the only one of us who could survive the ambush.”

You kept traveling until you noticed a massive burrow right ahead, that seemed to split the ground in twain. You noticed Harris, some distance ahead, drawing his sword, which produced an icy teal gleam, and slashing at the biggest tree nearby. Then, as the tree fell, he grabbed the massive frame of the trunk with some effort, as he moved it ahead. Ciera frowned slightly, and also rushed forward to help him, motioning for you to keep a lookout while they busied themselves with that. The tree was obviously too small to bridge the gap, but while you were looking at your surroundings, they took a long, thin piece of metal from Harris’ backpack, and stabbed it through the trunk as if it was made of butter, affixing it on the ground. You noticed the other group doing the same a small distance away. The trunks were left sticking in the air.

Then, Ciera and Harris jumped on the trunk, and ran at superhuman speeds above it, jumping from it to the ground at the other side of the gap, moving so fast the trunk barely seemed to tremble under their feet. Of course, you had some trouble replicating that feat, but you were quite superhuman yourself, and it wasn’t that hard for you to do a running jump from the trunk towards the nearest ledge, from where you pushed yourself up. None of them came to help you, although they did wait for you: it was obvious that they were expecting you to carry your own weight, despite your newbie status.

“Right, what else…” Ciera was covered in sweat as well, and she seemed rather bothered by it, but she didn’t seem nowhere near as tired as you were after what had been half a hour of moving through the jungle. The heat was incredibly exhausting to bear, and you were already feeling its effects. Yet, you continued moving. You weren’t at your limits yet.

“There are the Barmanou… the Sasquatch little cousins, those like to hunt down and kill women so they might be an issue for our group… then there are some undead, thankfully nowhere near as many as in the Field of Ruins, and mostly lower tier too. And on the water we got our variety of monsters too, like the Kappa… err, there are honestly way too many, fuck this exposition, it is gonna be easier for you to cut your teeth on an actual fight rather than trying to word you into competence.” Ciera rubbed her face in annoyance and kept moving ahead.

You advanced in silence for what felt like a hour, perhaps a bit more. Already, your surroundings had turned into a blur. You could keep stock of the general directions, and knew you were heading north, but you had already lost track of your route. You knew that without your guides, you’d find it impossible to find the path back to the hideout.

Suddenly, you noticed that Harris had stopped in a point further ahead, and then had leaped into a tree. Ciera’s eyes shone with a strange glint, emitting a spiritual signature, then she smiled. “I was saying it was strange we didn’t find something already. Well, you better get ready for a fight, newbie.”

Harris signaled at the distance while you and the girl approached him. Afterwards, the rest of the group also approached, making serious faces. Nobody said anything, and all of you moved ahead a few meters, before Aubrey made a gesture indicating silence, and gestured for all of you to climb the treetops.

You found an easy to climb… what was this, some sort of mutant pine? And you made your way to the top. From there, you could observe your companions, as well as a strange scene that left you baffled for a brief moment.

At the distance, in a small clearing, you could observe three walking corpses, covered in what looked like some sort of… spores… plant things growing out of their undying frames. The corpses were so decayed that you couldn’t even make out their faces, nor their gender nor anything but what looked like a few rags wrapped around their rotting flesh. They had already turned into a shape that couldn’t be qualified as human.

Encountered Infected x3

Currently, these three undead were raging at the nearby trees, extending their hands and scratching at them, tearing apart branches with inhuman strength and leaving scratch marks everywhere. The reason they were doing so was… because they were being teased by a group of monsters that you could only describe as heavily mutated monkeys. There were ten of them, indistinct grey-furred things equipped with unnaturally spindly and long limbs and enormous mouths filled to the brim with sharp, bloody fangs. They were laughing as they cast small stones over the undead, or reached towards them with branches, to poke them. These monkeys were producing and unintelligible chatter so loud that it reached all the way there, and the strange noise made you uncomfortable, causing a chill to go down your spine. It was a terrible, foreboding sound, indicative more than anything else of just how unnatural these creatures were.

However, the biggest cause of concern weren’t the undead, or the monkeys, but rather, the big thing that was lazily lumbering atop the biggest tree around… sporting pale orange fur, a mouth as misshapen and threatening as its lesser kin’s, a massive frame… and four enormous arms. Its eyes were of a deep red, and the monkeys trembled every time its stare fell over one of them. It looked as if it was a tyrant sitting on its throne, surrounded by a decadent court.

Encountered Mutated Moneky x10
Encountered Four-Armed Orangutan

After staring at the scene for a moment, Aubrey gestured, and all of you climbed down as stealthily as possible, before retreating for a couple of paces. The Survivors around you didn’t seem very happy, although they didn’t seem heavily worried either. You could infer it wasn’t an ideal situation, but not something that overwhelmed them.

“They must’ve reclaimed this little part of the jungle, I guess. A tier three mutated beast… damn it, that’s some bad luck right there.” Harris scratched his head. “We can guess there are a few more not too far from them, right?”

“Can’t we just go around them?” Albine frowned. “We’d waste a lot of energy in this fight…”

“They’ll be able to sense us easily enough.” Ciera replied in a bored tone. “And if we take the long way around, we’ll waste a lot of time, we’d also need to cross an extra gap whether we go east or west. Plus, we’re too big of a group to outrun them if they detect us.”

“We’ll face them right here, while we have the chance to catch them by surprise.” Aubrey said, decisively. “Deus, you’ll handle the undead. Harris, you and me will attack the monkeys. Nat, distract the orangutan until we’ve cleaned up the trash, and then we’ll join you to take him down. Ciera, you’ll provide ranged fire on the monkeys, and once Deus finishes off the undead, have him use his power to slow down the orangutan so you can use your special bullet. You’ll also serve as rear guard and be on the outlook for threats approaching from behind. Albine, Wave, you two will remain at the back and provide support.”

Once she took a decision, Aubrey quickly and easily made a division of roles, assigning tasks in an efficient manner that took into account the abilities of every member. It was clear she had been in command of this group for a long time, as everyone nodded, and adjusted their mindset for the incoming bloodshed.

“Are you sure you want to send the newbie alone against those…?” Ciera asked.

“He needs to experience actual combat. It is the quickest way for him to learn.” Aubrey said laconically as she took two dark grey daggers in her gloved hands.

“Right, kid, listen here.” Harris said as he approached you. “I won’t ask you much about your methods, every Survivor has their way to manage their shit. Either way, the blood of those Infected is pretty dangerous. Full of spores that will attempt eating your flesh once they touch you, so be careful of not touching that.” He drilled Ciera with his eyes for some reason, while the red-haired girl made a guilty face. “They’re a pretty common newbie trap.”

“Alright. Ciera and Deus will attack first. You just rush the undead, we’ll take the chance while the monkeys are surprised to attack them from behind.” Aubrey said, in an encouraging tone. “I’m sure you’ll have no trouble here, just keep your head cool and keep an eye on your surroundings while you fight.”

[RacingeR]

Rita Lin
Location: Zeus High School – The Usual Spot
Time: Day 4 – Morning

“Alright, then go get ready, get back here at noon and we’ll be on the lookout to pursue them once they go out.” Camila clapped her hands as she jumped out of her seat. You caught a brief discomfort in her expression, but she quickly left the room, followed by her girlfriend, and most of the gang mooks.

However, Jason approached you, looking a bit nervous and displeased, although not at you. He scratched his head, before deciding to speak out.

“Hey, got a minute of your time?”

[RacingeR]

Team Abyss
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Broken Earth (Northern Border)
Time: Day 4 – Afternoon

“What’s up there, huh? Well, if the message that Alexandra girl spread around is true, then there’s some real weird shit. Some sort of gap in the world or something?” Nick shrugged. “Worth taking a look at, in my opinion.”

“THERE IS A GAP IN THE MAKE OF THE WORLD, AN ENTRANCE TO THE GREAT ABYSS. AND THEN, THERE IS A BRIDGE OVER THE ABYSS.” A voice suddenly sounded on Arthur’s head, catching him completely off-guard. “CHOOSE WISELY WHEN YOU’RE THERE, MY WIELDER.”

It takes a moment for you to understand that despite not being summoned, despite being kept ‘away’, your sword had just communicated with you.

[Bloble]

It was over.

The feeling was familiar. It had been like this after Legion. He'd spent everything, suffered wounds that would've normally kept him bedridden for weeks, seen friends and classmates withstand gruesome horrors, and, in the end...

He'd won.

Jordan was sure he'd be ecstatic, once he remembered how to feel and pushed past the haze that had overtaken his thoughts. Nobody had died. Even Sally would be fine. He hadn't fucked up. It was gonna be fine, they were all going to be-.

“I’m just saying… but if you touch this sword, you’ll die a very painful death.”

"Man..." Jordan groaned, and sat up. "And here I've been putting my hands all over that thing. Guess I'm fucked."

It was a bit harsh, but Jordan was too spent for something as silly as self-control.

"If the Blue Reaper wanted to do something to you over this sword, you wouldn't be here." Was Jin's curt answer. The man didn't seem at all perturbed.

Jordan peered at the man, then into the darkness, then at his sword. He tried to get up, felt his cracked leg protest, and fell on his ass. He decided to stay there. "Right. Right," he muttered, still trying to piece things together.

Angel was gone. Sword was possibly haunted. Jin was covered in blood.

Without really thinking about it, Jordan reached over and yanked the sword out of the ground. He flipped it, holding it by the end and extending the handle towards Jin. "You're alright, man. Look all you want. This Blue Reaper tries to kill the guy that saved our asses, he's going through me."

Jin's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't extend his hand to touch the offered handle. Instead, he extended his hand outwards, and with a faint display of spiritual energy, a big piece of rubble, broken from the ceiling, was absorbed in his direction and place behind him. He then sat on the rubble and peered at Jordan.

"That sword," he said. "Where did you get it from and how? It is not the class of item one would see a... newcomer using."

Jordan shrugged. He was tired. Too tired to be getting hyped or scared. Jordan felt like an empty shell going through the motions. "Ghost," he said. "In that church, fort, thing back there." He pointed in a random direction. Jin would understand. "Kinda... talked at it. How's everyone?"

He sent the last bit louder, addressing the various members of his scattered group.

"Ghost?" Jin raised his eyebrows, and then turned to look at Infis, getting the completely wrong idea. "Her?" He fell into a thoughtful silence.

Meanwhile...

"I think I'm going to throw up..." Ludmilla's voice reached Jordan's ears.

He also spotted Infis out of the corner of his eye, smiling at him and saying: "I'm feeling swimmingly, thanks~."

"They'll live." Jin finally said, recapturing Jordan's scattered attention. "The woman who lost her arm will take a few days to regenerate, and your big friend is sick, but I possess the means to treat him."

He stared at Jordan for a long moment, as if trying to see through him, then continued speaking. "That fort was created for a war, eight hundred years ago or so. The Blue Reaper participated in that war while he lived... in fact, my information tells me he died during this war." He paused. "The ghost you met back there was probably a friend of his... if you have this sword, then maybe it means you have received that ghost's approval to use it, that's why the Blue Reaper won't say anything about it."

Jordan sighed. He slowly lowered the red sword and let it rest across his legs. "Alright," he said. "Guess no one else is touching it then." The thought of some weird ghost watching him was uncomfortable, but he couldn't exactly do anything about it. Even throwing away his gift would probably only piss the 'Reaper' off.

"Thanks, by the way," Jordan continued. "Shoulda opened with that." He wasn't gonna think too hard about the sword. It wasn't important, probably. Focus on the big stuff. "Angel bailed." he noted. "Guess she was more interested in killing the big guy than helping us. But you stuck around. That's why you're alright."

"Don't blame the angel much." Jin grunted, not sounding very pleased with the angel either. He nodded curtly at Jordan's thanks. "They're all about the orders and nothing but the orders. Given that those under Haladiel aren't kindly disposed towards... anyone, at all, she helped as much as she could. We won't be staying around for long. Catch your breath, and then we'll go."

"Hm." Guess she could've be more alright than Jordan thought. "Was hoping after we took down the little guy the big guys would just, go away," he confessed.

But reality wasn't so kind. He could still faintly hear the howling of wolves at the door.

Jordan tried again to get up, this time using the sword as a crutch. It hadn't bent after the rough treatment earlier, so it would probably hold now. The pain was an afterthought. He still had fifteen minutes or so before the adrenaline and feel-good post-exertion state faded and shit really started to hurt.

As he moved, the fuzzy mess that was his memories got a bit clearer.

"Wait a sec," Jordan said. "The angel lady, she was looking at a piece of paper. Then she handed it over to you..." He scratched the side of his head. "I'm missing something here, aren't I."

"It was probably the reason she came here in the first place. I'll let you have a look later." Jin shrugged. Then, he extended his hand again, producing the same faint spiritual signature. This time, the items left behind by Lycao were sucked towards his hand. There were two fangs that had been left by the angel, a rib bone, two glowing spheres of light and... something that looked like a small, glowing hexagon. For some reason, this item in particular stuck out in Jordan's mind. If the others were leftovers, this was the trophy.
Jin then presented the items to Jordan without showing much interest in them, except for the hexagon. "These are yours. Don't let anyone, nobody at all, even those you may trust, see that you have this." He pointed at the hexagon.

Jordan peered at the items. "Loot, huh. Like those video games we made fun of Jerry for playing..." Still, he nodded and reached out for the hexagon before pausing. "Dropped the backpack near the entrance."

Actually... he cast his gaze around.

There it was: a backpack with a torn strap. Probably torn by one of Lycao's crazy swipes earlier.

Jordan raised his hand and focused and...

A bit of his soul protested. He was running dry. But the bag was sucked into his outstretched hand. That part of him that got competitive over anything and everything hollered in delight, and he giggled at the stupidity of the whole thing. "Help yourself and drop in what you don't need," he told Jin. "Angel took her bit, it's only fair you grab yours."

Jin nodded, and he dropped the items in the bag. "I obtained my bit from the werewolves I slew outside. There were a few strong ones there." He said. He then looked towards the place where Lycao had perished, with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Even that monster fell at the end... something that could make even the old me easily look like a baby in comparison..." he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

Jordan tied the broken strap together and slid the bag of trophies backwards, right into Sarah's arms.

"You've been around for a while, huh. But, uh, I get the feeling that if the you of, like, two minutes ago was in here, it'd be no problem." His evaluation of Jin was beginning to change as he noticed more and more things about the man. It was weird to say it out loud. A small part of Jordan told him that he was completely at Jin's mercy. His group was in no shape to fight and whoever Jin was, he was scary enough to chase away an angel with a glare.

He told that part to shut up. Jin was a decent dude.

"Probably got old," he said. "Dunno if you saw it but the wolf guy was looking crusty. White fur, one eye gone... guess it was past its prime. Happens to everyone."

"Around for a while... I guess you could say that." There was a faint amusement on Jin's usually expressionless face. "I've lost track of my age... I should be past the four hundred and fifty mark." After making that shocking affirmation as if it was nothing, he looked back towards the place Lycao had met his end at. "He used to be somewhat stronger, yes, before all the wounds. But it was a bad choice of terrain... back then, the last time I fought him, I was perhaps much stronger than him in a frontal fight, but in open terrain, it kept running away, exhausting me, not giving me a chance to attack..."

He paused, thoughtfully. "I guess his mind finally lost to his old age, he got too drawn in, underestimated you..." He shook his head. "Perhaps, if I was here, it'd be over the moment I was able to get a hit on him, but I'd lack the means to be able to deliver that hit on the first place. Don't look down on your accomplishment, kid. Many of the strongest Survivors to ever exist fought Lycao, and they perished or were defeated."

Jordan nodded absently. How many people had been killed by that thing? He didn't want to think about it, how it'd probably stalked them through the night just like he'd done to them. That sobering thought had already chased away the burgeoning pride from his mind. "Right," he murmured. "Well, that's one monster down, probably a million more to go. But at least this smart bastard's not gonna be howling at night anymore."

He turned away from the darkness and towards his friends.

"Milla! Eve!" he called out to the two mostly uninjured girls. "I know we're all good and traumatized right now, but let's save that shit for later. Wrap up anyone that's bleeding and get them walking if you can - we gotta go and fast."

It'd take them a minute or two. He turned back to Jin.

"I dunno how many people that wolf-thing killed, or if any of 'em were your friends, but... it's not killing any more. And it's not my accomplishment, gramps, even though I'm awesome - this is a win for any decent person that doesn't wanna be eaten by werewolves."

"That it won't, thanks to you." Jin muttered thoughtfully, completely ignoring Jordan's last phrase. Perhaps for someone who was forever stuck looking like he was in his mid 20s, being called gramps just felt weird. He then stood up, walking towards Sally. "It is time to go."

"Yep." Jordan stood after him and regarded the team. His team. "Come on, team. Home's on the horizon."

[RacingeR]

Crooklyn
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN - Field of Ruins (Skeletal Skyscrapers)
Time: Day 4 – Afternoon
Angel vs Man vs Devil
Turn 1

“Damn you, vampire! The wrath of the Creator shall soon smite thee!” The archknight barked as he pointed his shinning sword towards the sarcastically smiling vampire. He recited two phrases in a language as if he was singing, a burst of spiritual power emanating from him in the shape of a divine wind, a holy gale that swept down towards Amelie.

Her smile didn’t wane. Having taking a small moment to smear some of her own blood over herself and apply her own Spiritual Power on it, she looked as if she was wearing a set of dark metallic armor, like a vampire queen that had descended to bring calamity upon the world of humans. Seeing the mass of wind moving towards her, she suddenly pointed towards the archknight, reciting a couple of verses in a harsh-sounding language that was extremely unpleasant to the ears.

Suddenly, there was the sound of crystal breaking apart, and under everyone’s gazes, the gale of wind suddenly dispersed away, pierced through by a small yet potent black projectile that pierced through the chest of the angel, causing it to vomit blood. Despite it all, he didn’t seem very damaged, but instead looked drained.

“You bitch!” He cursed as some strange dark force sprung away from him, moving in a straight direction towards Johnny, slightly increasing his physical power, while the angel’s diminished.

All of Johnny’s Physical stats +5

“Not my fault that you happen to suck!” The vampire replied, hissing in slight pain when two arrows of light fired by the angel archers at the back impacted on her.

Below, Johnny faced off against the axe-wielding red giant, who charged towards him with full strength while the boy steeled himself against the incoming attack. For some reason, the Skullhunter had chosen to sheathe his axes and use his fists to attack.

Two powerful fists bore down against Johnny’s body, carrying an unholy strength.

Battle calculation

Skullhunter’s attack:
-33 (Skullhunter’s STR) – 17 (Johnny’s DEF + 5) = 16 damage.
Johnny’s HP: 100 – 16 = 84.

Johnny’s body trembled upon receiving the brutal impact, only avoiding being sent careening some steps backs by using his left arm to grab onto the devil’s arm, and then, blood streaming still from his mouth, slammed his armored and glowing right arm straight into the devil’s naked chest.

Battle calculation

Johnny’s speed:
-25 (Johnny’s AGI + 5) > 16 (Skullhunter’s EVA)
Attack success.
Johnny’s attack:
-75 (Johnny’s total STR x1.9) – 22 (DEF) = 53 damage x2 (DC) = 106 damage.

It was a blinding power that annihilated everything in its path.

“UUOOOOOOHHH” The Devil let out a powerful scream as the light-clad fist impacted against its chest, breaking his ribs like they were twigs. A large amount of blood came pouring from the opened wound, as much to Johnny’s surprise, the light seared through the Skullhunter’s flesh. The being spat out some blood as he was sent flying quite a way back by the immense impact.

Only to stand up once again, malevolent eyes covered in bulging veins as he stared Johnny down. “Not bad, kiddo, not bad! But now, I’m getting serious!”

With a roar, he drew his axes, which gleamed under the teal light of the warped sky, forged in the fires of hell as they were, and charged once again into the fray.

Meanwhile, nearby, the Devils seemingly shrugged off at Cyrus’ words, intelligent yellow eyes falling upon him and his slime. One of the devils hung back slightly, allowing his partner to charge towards Craps. An obsidian spear soon struck the slime, who seemed intent to block their path towards you.

Battle calculation

Lesser Devil’s attack:
-27 (LD’s STR + 2) – 10 (Crap’s DEF) = 17 damage.
Craps’ HP: 60 – 17 = 43 damage.

The spear wounded the slime quite badly, but then the Devil emitted a scream of pain and let go of the spear, as tentacles of acid slime hit and burned his hands. The devil backed away a few steps, as the slime quickly inserted the spear into its body and started to greedily devour it.

“Shit!” The other devil suddenly started cursing. “Damn thing is evolving!”

Indeed… in effect, before Cyrus’ very eyes, the coloration of the slime changed from yellow to orange as it consumed the matter it had just acquired.

Craps has evolved into an Orange Slime.

She even seemed to have acquired a slightly more… humanoid-ish shape, although it could’ve been just one’s imagination.

In the other side of the battlefield, Joaquin was immediately engaged by a devil warrior, who managed to wound the boy with his spear, but not before he could send his impromptu projectile to Rosary.

However, two angels were already sweeping towards both Jayden and Rosary, swords at the ready for combat. Immediately, Jayden’s body shook as black chains came from its insides, opening new gaping wounds on her body. Without wasting any time, Jayden formed a hoop with her chains and caught the female angel soldier that had been moving towards Rosary by the neck, even as her own back was pierced by a sword of pure light. With a grunt of effort, she pulled the Angel away from Rosary, allowing her to take a running start and throw the intangible explosive, not over the Angel lines as they had feared, but towards the Devil Witch.

There was nothing anyone could do to stop the intangible projectile as it flew straight towards the witch’s face. Before she could start invoking the dark magic she had prepared, Joaquin snapped his fingers, and the debris transformed into a conflagration that interrupted the witch and threw her into the dirt, leaving her completely stunned, fell energies dispersing.

A screech or rage and pain came out of the creature, which now seemed very angry, and very interesting in reducing your little group to cinders.

Wise up!

Name: Lesser Devil Warrior
Race: Devil
Attributes: Devil, Flying, Chaotic
Spiritual Rank: 2

Stats:

STR: 25
AGI: 25

Perks:

Devil Dark Magic, Spellcaster Level [Devil Trait]
Ability to wield magic of Dark element based on the system of the devils. A standard issue ability for Devils. By invoking an unholy curse, spiritual power is channeled to form supernatural phenomena. Other details are unknown.

Devil Constitution [Devil Trait]
When faced with Light-element attacks, Devils take x2 damage. However, damage from Dark-element attacks is halved.

Spear Mastery
Standard issue training for Lesser Devils of the warrior category. Gains +5 STR and +4 AGI when attacking with a spear.


Equipment:

Hell-forged Spear
A standard metal spear of devil make, forged with Blacksteel. Although sturdy and sharp, it lacks any special properties.
Grade: Common
Mod: +2 STR

-------------------------

Name: Skullhunter
Race: Devil
Attributes: Devil, Chaotic
Spiritual Rank: 3

Stats:

STR: 28
DEF: 22
AGI: 25
EVA: 16

Perks:

Devil Constitution [Devil Trait]
When faced with Light-element attacks, Devils take x2 damage. However, damage from Dark-element attacks is halved.

Hulking Berserker
A massive berserker with a tall and powerful body, bursting with muscles and physical power. A trained and experienced brawler by default, the average Skullhunter masters both unarmed combat as well as wielding their signature axes to strike down their enemies and adding their heads to their collection. When fighting unarmed, they obtain +5 STR and AGI. When fighting with their axes, they obtain +6 STR and +3 AGI. Ability to resist status effects in general increased.

[Snax]

Sarah Vale
Location: Sea of UNKNOWN – Field of Ruins (The Stronghold of Defiance)
Time: Day 5 – Morning

Sarah slid the backpack across her good arm, weighing it. Her right throbbed as she did. It would need some time before it would heal, even with whatever supernatural help she got.

"Gotcha, Bossman. Back in your element, eh?"

The dude had relaxed a bit finally that the fight was over. Sure, people were all hurting all over, and it would be best to get home ASAP - but it was at least good to see that someone was back in their stride.

"Although well, I'm kinda sad that monster didn't leave behind any other physical trophies..."

Sighing, Sarah went up to the werewolf head she had given up as bait before, taking a piece of torn fabric from her clothing and tying the head to the backpack with her left hand and mouth, then slid the backpack across her shoulder diagonally for proper support and less contact with her right. While she did, she vaguely heard something about Jin being very old, nearly ancient - she looked back and caught his eye, and grinned like a cat.

Old or not, it didn't matter. What mattered was that he had helped their hunt in various ways, and she owed him one.

"Ok. As bossman said earlier, we're all bruised and battered, but we still gotta move. Still, we'll need Banana-Head over there to first feel better, because I'm not sure if anyone here has the strength to lug that big dude around right now. As soon as that is done and he's up and can at least move, we can go."