[SP-F24] Among the Hidden <<Incognito Antics>>

[Hidden 1]

Incognito Antics

The snow-haired woman crept along the back alleys of the city, ensuring she wasn't spotted by any of the guards that patrolled it. Typically, she didn't wear the shroud to her apparel anymore, however today she wore it as she knew she would be busy and didn't want to talk to anyone. She was here for a quest, not to make friends. After having almost failed the Cerberus Quest, she needed to get stronger so she wouldn't embarrass herself like that again. 

She slowly pushed open the door leading into the so called "Chief's" quarters. Upon accepting the quest, she received a message from him to meet him in a private location to discuss some suspicions he had. She peered into the room, which was quite small from what she had been expecting. "Come in." A voice called to her. She closed the door behind her, eyes pressed forward in the direction of the large man that sat meters away. 
 

Spoiler

Name: Hidden
Level: 60
HP: 1230/1230
EN: 120/120

Stats:
Damage: 16
Mitigation: 79
Evasion: 2
Accuracy: 4
BH:61
VAMP OFF:123
HLY:8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: <<Nato's Might>> (T2/Demonic/Dagger): HLY II, ACC I, VAMP OFF I
Armor: <<Shadow's Silence>> (T3/Perfect/Light Armor): MIT III
Misc: <<Shadow's Blossom>> (T3/Perfect/Trinket): ACC II, EVA I

Skills:
One-Handed Dagger [Rank 5]
Light Armor [Rank 5]
Battle Healing [Rank 5]
Hide [Rank 4]

Extra Skills:
Familiar Mastery: Fighter
Survival
Disguise

Mods:
Athletics
Precision
Acrobatics
Assassin
Vanish

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal*1
T2 HP Potion (+120 HP)*3
T2 HP Crystal (+120 HP)*2
T1 DMG Potion*3

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (Hiding): +1 Rank to the Hiding skill.
Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild:

Wedding Ring:

 

[Hidden 1]

"Have a seat" the chief would offer her. She made no movements and stood firmly. The name of the quest itself had her on high suspicion of this character. A solo-only quest with the name Incognito Antics? Sounds like a quest which the story line has the quest giver actually betray the player. "Alright then, I suppose you're the type that just likes to hear the details and get it completed." Once again, Hidden would remain soundless. She wasn't going to waste words on an NPC.

"I have reason to believe that one of my officials, Uso-Tsuki has or is planning to betray me for his personal gain. Of course, this is all stipulation from what I have picked up. There is some money in store for your work of course, should you complete it." 

Hidden would nod, turning around and leaving the building as quickly as she had come. 

[Hidden 1]

Moving from the building, she would pull up her HUD's map to search for the location of the quest's target. "This doesn't seem to be like what I thought it'd be." She searched around the city's map until she found the green dot that marked the position of her quest target. "Okay, so he's on the other side of this city." She looked outward, seeing the faces of several guards. 'I probably can't hide my way through all of them, even with maxed out ranks.' 

She looked for another option until she found herself looking upward. 'Guess I'll have to be like Batman-Are and just scale some buildings.' Thanks to the Acrobatics Skill, it would be easy enough. She stepped back before racing towards the building once more. She kicked up off the building, vaulting herself up onto the roof. "Good. This'll do." She would affirm to herself before looking at the cities rooftops. There appeared to be an easy path towards her target if she was moving fast enough and jumping high enough.

[Hidden 1]

Hidden flashed across the rooftops until she had made her way across to the other side of town. Now the fun was listening in on her target's conversation and of course, finding him. She stopped on the building in the middle of the area, checking her map to see exactly what was going on. After examining for a couple of seconds, she managed to see exactly where her target was. Of course, the fun part was getting close enough to hear while staying out of sight from him and the guards patrolling the area. She didn't necessarily have all of the stealth skills in the game, but she had enough to hopefully make at least that work. But, for a quest that relied on stealth, it just may be just a little bit harder than she was originally expecting. She took a breath, and began to formulate her plan of attack. 

[Hidden 1]

She took a look at the building the enemy was in, finding that he was actually sitting in view, speaking with another NPC. Of course, if he was doing something shady, he maybe shouldn't have left the curtain open and sit in plain view on the top floor. Perhaps that meant she didn't have to sneak into the building, but instead sit atop of the building and hear the voices from up there. Smiling at the plan, she stood and leapt across the next buildings, leaping one by one until she was finally atop the correct building that housed the NPC's. She crouched, laying down on top of the building to see if she could hear the voices inside. "... and as I was saying, it is going to be pretty easy to do. The man seems to walk in a certain pattern, and he starts there every day. I told you, I've been checking this out for some time now and that is normally where he goes." 

 

167279 LD: 8+5=13 Stealth Rating
167278 LD:5+3=8 Stealth check.

1/3 Stealth Checks
0/3 Fails

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
167279	5	9	5	5	Hidden		Stealth Check	2020-09-03 22:50:24
167277	9	10	8	6	Hidden		Stealth Roll	2020-09-03 22:50:10

[Hidden 1]

"Excellent. That means we should be able to take care of this job quite easily. Once he is out of the way, nothing else will be powerful enough for a while to get away with our plans.We'll be rich!" Laughted ensued and Hidden frowned. The pair was definitely plotting something, but she didn't have enough information to report out with. It twas a real shame that she couldn't just break in, force the information out of them and kill them if need be. In fact, just killing him would be much faster and easier. No sneaking around, just getting it done. She wasn't enjoying the job of gathering intel. Somebody less important should have to deal with the job. However, it was a quest and it must be done. She was sure that if she broke in, the quest would immediately fail as it would have found her as spotted. 'Guess I'll just have to sit here a little longer huh?' Her foot slipped on the roof, creating a small noise.

"Did you hear something?"

Hidden: 11+5=16
Target: 14+3=17

1/3 successful
1/3 Failed

ID	Battle	Craft	Loot	MOB	Character	Link	Purpose	Time
167284	9	5	14	5	Hidden		Stealth Check	2020-09-03 22:57:18
167283	4	4	11	6	Hidden		Stealth Roll	2020-09-03 22:57:11

[Hidden 1]

She bit her bottom lip, afraid of being spotted. If she failed, she escape and find a different way of doing it. Perhaps taking the armor off the other guy and using it to get the information would work. Of course, killing them both now would be extremely easy. If she did it fast enough, even if there were guards downstiars the wouldn't even be a problem. "You may just be hearing things, or even the wind." She took a breath, hopefully they continued to believe that. "Maybe, but you have to keep this between you and me. If words get out, we will be killed for certain. If we want the position, we need to keep our names clear." More sliding, this time much louder than before. "Alright! I heard something that time! Let's pause this conversation and meet at my place in a few alright?" Hidden leapt off the building, throwing herself into the crowd before she was noticed. 

Hidden: 11+5
Target: 19+3

1/3 Successful
2/3 Failed
 

167286	6	6	19	1	Hidden		Stealth Check	2020-09-03 23:03:43
167285	5	10	11	5	Hidden		Stealth Roll	2020-09-03 23:03:35

[Hidden 1]

Fleeing from the scene, Hidden moved back into the alleyways, dodging past NPC's and guards alike. Stopping herself in a deadend, she took a breather. "Damnit. I can't believe I allowed myself to make noise like that. However, they were on high alert, it was an almost unfair challenge. I suppose it comes out to plan B then if I don't want to fail this mission any further." She stepped back into the streets, noticing the figure she seen talking with the target. "And that is guy I need for the job." She muttered to herself underneath her breath. 'The target is meeting this guy at his house here soon correct? That means if I take him out before the target arrives, I can pretend to be this guy!' A smile came to her face and she began to blend back in to the crowd, making sure to stay out of the watchful eyes of the guards that were scattered randomly throughout the city. 'Just a little farther now right? I'll take him out while he is in his home so I don't have any problems.' 

[Hidden 1]

She followed the new target to the point that he was unlocking the door to his own house, which took some time because of the fact that he had three locks to his house. She crept forward, pretending to just be walking by when he entered the house and she heard the locks clicked again. 'Well, I guess that means I am slipping through the window.' She crept up to a window on the side of the house, jamming her dagger into the cracks to pry it forcibly open. Once done, she raised the window and slipped on through. There was a few positives about having a small frame. What she lacked it attractiveness she gained in stealth ability. Unsheathing her dagger, she began to creep through the house. Perhaps, the game would let her get the information out of him. He seemed to be well versed with the information. All she had to know was if the enemy was doing it right?

 

[Hidden 1]

Hidden moved through the house, careful not to make any noise as she moved her way throughout her target ally's house. She spotted her new target, allowing stealth to hide her from his view. It should've been a quick and quiet kill. Should of.

As her dagger would have struck him, he quickly turned parrying her blow. He would then follow up his parry with a well-placed kick to her stomache. Her light body was sent flying back tumbling into a bookshelf.  "Thought you could sneak up on me huh? I've been prepared ever since I heard the noises back when I was talking with him. I've been in far too many shady meaning, I am essentially a pro at taking down assassin's such as yourself." 

Hidden pushed herself back up to her feet. The foe was larger and physically stronger. However, she would prove to be much faster and her ability with the blade was exceptional. "Give me the info I need and I'll let you at least live." she would say with the hope she could persuade the NPC out of fighting. 

Roll
168298 BD:5+4=9
DMG to Tagetto: 16*13=208-25=183 -> PARRY! 92 DMG to Tagetto and Hidden!

168299 MD:7-2+2=7
DMG to Hidden: 75-79=1 DMG

Hidden | HP:1198/1230 | EN:111/120 | DMG:16 | MIT:79 | EVA:2 | ACC:4 | VAMP OFF:123 | HLY:8 | BH:61

Tagetto | HP: 308/400 | DMG: 75 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | Parry on CD:10+

[Hidden 1]

Tagetto laughed in her face. "Think I am scared of you little girl? I could easily crush you. This will be a fun story to tell Uso-Tsuki!" The man cracked his knuckles and began to advance. Her eyes darkened as she watched him come forward. "Little girl huh? I'd suggest against calling me any names I haven't given you permission to use." Taggeto laughed and charged forward. Ducking underneath his blow, She thrust her weapon into him. A burst of white light emit from the stike, throwing his body through the wall of his own house. Fear corrupted his eyes as his health dropped to zero. She walked forward, placing a foot on his chest. 

"That was easy enough." Coughing Tagetto let out his final words.  "You.. monster! An incarnation... of death." Replying to him as he crumbled into data crystals she would tell him, "No, you were just far weaker than a little girl like me." Her foot fell onto the ground as he perished. 

ID: 188022 BD:10 - Holy activated (+10 DMG)
DMG: 16+10=26*13=338-25=313.
Healing 123+61 (Vamp. Off)

ID: 188023 CD:4 (No Parry)

Hidden | HP:1230/1230 | EN:111/120 | DMG:16 | MIT:79 | EVA:2 | ACC:4 | VAMP OFF:123 | HLY:8 | BH:61

Tagetto | HP: -5/400 | DMG: 75 | MIT: 25 | ACC: 2 | Parry on CD:10+

[Hidden 1]

Turning back to enter the house, she understood she needed to make her work quick. The guards would be coming to investigate soon from the ruckus she had just made within city limits. She had to get the information for the quest. Quickly, she began to tear up the house for an obtainable item. The sounds of clinking armor approached closer and closer. Moving up a flight of stairs, she would check Tagetto's bedroom. Luckily for her, she found the item there. Documented plans of the assassination procedure. From a quick glance, they were planning to kill him as he made his way on a trip. An ambush? How typical. Catching an opponent off guard was her typical tactic as well, but it felt dirty from an exterior perspective. 

All that remained now she supposed was getting this info back tot he chief and hoping that he would take her word and these plans as fact. 

[Hidden 1]

The sound of armor seemed much closer than before. It seemed as if they were inside of the building now, investigating what had happened. Opening a window, she would activate her vanish mod before slipping through to freedom, leaving the house she had just destroyed behind. It wouldn't be too long before the house rebuilt itself and the NPC respawned anyway. Keeping to the back alleyways, it wouldn't be too long before she had returned to the chief's house. A knock at the door, and footsteps would approach the door. 

The door swung open, the chief looking at Hidden with a wary gaze. Stepping inside, Hidden would hand the results of her investigation to him. He took them but didn't look away from me. Shaking her head in response, a heavy sigh exhaled from his lungs. He moved over to his seat, beginning to take a look at the papers Hidden had presented him. 

[Hidden 1]

The chief quickly took a glance at the papers and first asked, "Where did you come across the information? I have to make sure it is valid." Hidden shifted her weight in annoyance, having been unprepared to actually explain something to an NPC. "Some guy named Tagetto, he was working with Uso-Tsuki. I found these papers in his house after disposing of him." The chief raised an eyebrow. "You understand that you aren't supposed to take that sort of action without permission? Tagetto should have been brought in for questioning instead." 

A flash of anger appeared in Hidden's eyes. "That was never on the table. You hired me simply for the task to take care of a problem. How I take care of that problem is up to my discretion." Whether it was coded or he could sense her hostility, he turned back to examining the papers that she had given to him. Hidden hoped this wouldn't take long. 

[Hidden 1]

After a minute or so of him skimming through the papers, he seemed settled on the matter. Of course, he wasn't without grief. You could see it resting within the man's eyes. A dissatisfied grunt is herd from the chief before he begins to speak once again. "I thought of Uso-Tsuki like a son. Its a bit hard to think of him doing something like this. His plan is nearly flawless. He intends to intercept my caravan on my way to an important meeting that I can't afford to miss. We must make preparations to stop him before he can continue with this plan. Another thing is we can't let him know we are on to him. He has a great deal of influence, if he discovers that we are on to him, he will vanish without a trace, never to be seen again." 

Hidden rolled her eyes. "I suppose that is where I come in. Isn't it?"

[Hidden 1]

An apologetic expression rested on the chief's face. "I'm afraid it is. If there is a talent that I possess, I would have to offer it to the fact that my troops have never lost on the battlefield that I have commanded. Now, Uso-Tsuki himself is known for his smooth words, able to influence most around him. He's also known for being nearly impossible to sneak up or land a blow on. He's fast." 

The chief wasn't sounding too hopeful about the situation. "Another problem is, he is liked among even some of my guards, making it impossible to mobilize against him. Outside influence is required. I doubt he's planning this ordeal by himself either. He might be strong, but everyone in this city knows that I became chief for a good reason." There was nothing smug about his expression in saying this. Of course, Hidden was essentially picking out the important words and disregarding the rest. 

[Hidden 1]

Hidden had picked out the important information. Her opponent was fast, and there was a good chance she wouldn't be able to sneak up on him. She was willing to bet that he fought similar to her with the cloak and dagger, but it was really bodyguards that would turn out to be the real problem. Multiple enemies gave her trouble as her low defense and single-target attacks weren't going to work on more than one target. With each attacker, there was a higher chance of her actually taking a hit. 

Of course, they could most likely be easily dispatched. With a few buffs and a couple of heals for insurance, she was more than willing to bet that she could take care of just about anything thrown her way. Hidden sighed, accepting the new quest. "I guess I can deal with this... later. I'd rather go deal with something else for now. Not sure if this is entirely what I want to do right now." 

[Hidden 1]

The chief made no reaction to her statement, resuming his usual activities as an idle NPC. Turning through the door, she made her escape from the chief's house. Incognito Assassin could wait a little bit. The questline wasn't as exciting as she figured it would be. Attempting to make her exit to the city, a voice called out to her. 

"Hey!" 

She turned, seeing three players approaching. They were green players, unlike her. Two men and one woman. Hidden frowned, and spoke cooly in return. "Can I help you? Warning you, I'm not the kind of person to waste time." A chuckle from one of them. The say man spoke, making it obvious that he was the ringleader of this little gang. 

"Don't be so brash now! You're an orange player right? How is it that you're in here? That isn't allowed." 

Hidden rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna go now. Don't follow if you know what is healthy." 

[Hidden 1]

Hidden turned, but as she did the footsteps sounded out as the trio began to sprint forward. Hidden sighed with annoyance, activating Vanish. While it seemed that she no longer existed, the trio stopped and looked frantically. 

"Where'd she go? Spread out and find her!" From the shadows, Hidden glared at this boy with hatred in her eyes. This one was the main source of the problem. Bring down the king and the kingdom would follow afterward. It was a game of chess. Activating <<Surprise Attack>>, she dashed toward him, wrapping her body around him and pressing the edge of her blade into his neck. "Keep it up, and you'll all be on death row waiting to be slaughtered." 

The man simply laughed. "Really? Inside a safe zone? You don't stand a chance." He chuckled, his hand reaching back to grab her. Hidden released the boy, and shoved him away, where he ended up sprawling onto the ground. 

[Hidden 1]

After recovering, the boy turned on her snarling. "You don't get it, do you murderer? We're in a safezone, meaning us green players can't be hurt. However, you player killers are still in danger. Everytime you step into a safe zone, you are weak. Now, drop all of your gear, or its not gonna get pretty."

A smirk appeared on Hidden's face. "The funny thing is that you think you have room to threaten me. Go ahead, try and kill me..." Violet eyes flashed with hostility. "See where it gets you." A mixture of her own Pride and Wrath with her statement seemed to provoke the enemy as all three of them charged at once. Ducking and dodging between the blows, she managed to escape them without a scratch. After a few minutes, the attacks seemed to stop.

"What wrong, are you tired of this game?" Wiping his face, the ringleader charged forward with his sword, thrusting it forward. This time, Hidden allowed it to impale her. As it did, the man's face became filled with glee. However, Hidden's health bar was hardly touched. What level was this player? A low Tier Two? He hardly was able to deal anything past her meager mitigation. A smile burned through him as her victory was certain. Her health healed with battle healing. 

"I'd suggest you run and hope I never find you outside a safe zone... or else you'll be dead where you stand." Freaking out, he sprinted away and his friends followed. How pitiful. 

Thread Completed
2000(Quest)+800(Page)=2800*1.03(Paragon)=2884 Experience Points
5000(Quest)+400(Page) +284(Laurel Wreath)=5684 Col earned.