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[F8|PP] Power Struggle <<Monkey King>>


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The air of the forest was different from that of Firm Anima's locale. Grotesquely large trees formed a mystical forest compared to Floor 24's rustic and beautiful shrubbery. Alicia took a deep breath, donning her armor for the first time in awhile. Her memory was a little hazy after the clearing of Floor 25 despite the fact that she wasn't anywhere near it when it happened but there was a constant that she would never forget: One of her cherished friends was still out here fighting for his life. They may have lost one of their best friends but she would sure that the two of them would fight through this hell together. She needed only to find him.

In order to do that, however, the blonde must get stronger. Knowing her friends, they would not sit around like cowards and wait for death to come to them. They were probably a much higher level than her. If she wanted to narrow her search, the perfect way she could do it was to level herself up. Alicia would look down at the notes from the Firm Anima library, procured by Raidou himself. The man was a catalog of information unending and she was thankful him in that. Otherwise she would be totally unaware how outclassed she was against this boss. With a sigh, the girl would lean against a tree in Ellesmera and remark to herself: "Guess I'll have to pay a tank to cover me... I'd rather just work alone but I don't have the survivability for this..."


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She stepped out of the shop, her list completely procured. She had thought that her time being sent on errands would come to an end now, considering the recent developments – but it would appear that her roommate cared little about that, continuing to request assistance with her shopping needs. ‘I can’t really complain that much, considering…’

Lost in her thoughts, she bumped into the other without noticing their presence at first – Nari’s shoulder bouncing off the blonde and causing her to stumble and spin slightly as she caught herself. She gasped in surprise, before the onslaught of apologies rushed forwards.

“I’m sorry – I didn’t see you there, I was lost in my own little-“ Her mind, having caught up, suddenly realised the words that had been spoken, likely to the individual themselves, rather than meant for the world to hear. Although she wore little more than her turtleneck and leggings, she felt the sudden weight of her armour at the mention of her self-appointed role. “Did…sorry, I didn’t mean to listen in, but did you say you need a tank? I…could help with that, if you truly need help?”

It was the most awkward offer Nari could remember giving – having run into someone, quite literally tripping over them, then offering to provide them with a defensive cover. She wouldn’t be surprised if the other denied her assistance, out of the simple fact that she appeared clumsy and incapable as a player.

“What were you planning on tackling? A bit of grinding? And…well, is it just you?” She continued with her questions, hoping it would instil some sort of confidence in the other about the offer Nari was making. Hopefully she would sound more competent, more capable through her questions.

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It seemed like Alicia would have to sit this quest out for now. She would much rather play it safe thanks to Raidou’s notes. Just as she was about to pack up and leave, however, the answer basically fell into her lap. Almost too literally to be honest. Another player would accidentally barrel into her. Ruler would catch her carefully to make sure that she didn’t fall to the ground at least.

They would start to profusely apologize for the accident. Ruler waved it off with a slight blush and a smile. “Don’t worry about it. We all get lost in thought sometimes or just have a few accidents.” The regal looking woman would respond.

Apparently, it had taken a moment for the girl to register what Ruler had said aloud. “Oh. Was I speaking my mind without realizing it again? Jeez, that’s embarrassing…” The blonde would awkwardly paw at her hair trying to hide her shame. “B-But yes, Im looking for a tank capable of withstanding the Monkey King. He would tear me to shreds alone. He also has an are of attack effect that I won’t last long against so I might have to find a higher level player.” Inspecting the girl’s armor for a moment, the novice smith could at least see good work in it. “You seem like you fit the bill, unfortunately I have no Col to pay you for your efforts…”

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Nari shook her head, smiling at the other player as they mentioned the lack of col. “I’m not worried about col, really. And as for being able to withstand the Monkey King…yes, I could. I actually managed to defeat him a while ago, so I’m familiar with the quest – if you want help with it.”

Bringing up her menu she donned the heavy armour and shield, before summoning the spear to her hand once more. A sigh escaped her lips as the comfort of the gear settled into place – somehow feeling almost natural to Nari, as if a second skin.

Smiling again at the other player, she cocked her head, before waving a hand outwards. “That is…assuming you’re interested in coming together for a bit to complete it. I’m Nari-Lanreth, by the way. Nari, for ease. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance…” She held forth her right hand, the shield hanging off the forearm clattering slightly.

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Ruler would feel even more awkward as the girl requested she not be paid for her efforts. “Th-That’s very gracious of you. It feels like I’m taking advantage of your kindness.” The regal blonde would respond, returning her handshake. “You may call me Ali- uh, I mean, Ruler.”

Opening up her menu, Ruler would send a party invite to the other woman and don her own armor and sword. Despite it’s heavy plate appearance, the armor was very light. The sword itself glowed with an amazing radiance that seemed to blind anything that looked at it for too long.

”My specialty is direct damage. Caliburn here will carve a path through anything that blocks out way including that Monkey King.” She would say confidently fixing her armor to get more comfortable and giving the other girl a smile. “Lead the way, if you would.”

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“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ruler” Nari returned the greeting with a smile, before turning towards the exterior of the large settlement. “Direct damage. Always good to have around. My focus is more on taking hits, and returning that damage – with a side of setting up opponents for my party members. Tech specialist, in essence. Stunning, debuffing, that sort of thing.”

As she walked she considered their destination. It had been a while since she’d last encountered the Monkey King. During that time she had…she forced away the darker thoughts, placing the smile on her face again.

“So, why the Monkey King quest? Are you just looking to collect the skill? Or is there a specific reason for this one? I did it to collect Shatter – but that’s because I was focusing on that Tech specialisation. So, I guess that makes sense for me, right?” She glanced over at her new companion, eyeing up the armour and weapons with the eye of a smith, nodding in satisfaction as she saw that they weren’t just the general starter pieces.

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"Likewise." Her regal bearing not skipping a beat despite her awkward moments. The moment they left the safe area, Ruler would draw Caliburn from it's holster. The radiant sword of selection would glisten against the mystical lighting of the floor ambiance. "Ah, then our builds will compliment each other extremely well. Leave it up to me to leave the competition in pieces." The blonde would remark as she kept an eye out for an malicious mobs. Her eyes were stern and full of purpose, almost as if she was looking out for something more than just enemies.

"I don't know if you feel the same but whenever I leave a safe zone, it's hard to not be nervous. You're a tank so you have more time to escape any bad encounters. If I miss one attack, it could be fatal for me... That's why I've built myself to not miss anything. That's my only saving grace, I guess. Well- Besides having someone protect me, which I appreciate more than you can imagine." The girl would say with a soft smile. 

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She was…definitely talkative. Not that Nari minded, it was a nice change of pace. She could see the nerves on the other woman though, and Nari felt her head cock in confusion. Glancing around she saw the forests around them, empty save for the wind blowing through the trees. Her own gait had continued in a relaxed approach, and she smiled at the other to attempt to calm their nerves a bit.

“You shouldn’t worry too much about that, aside from trap rooms, and a few other minor exceptions, there really isn’t much to worry about. The path between Ellesmera and Florenthia is fairly safe.” She continued on in silence for a bit, taking in the scenery as they passed through the trees.

The edge of Florenthia quickly came into view, and Nari increased their pace in order to enter the safe zone quicker, and put her new companion at ease. It didn’t take her long to find Remington, and she briefly spoke with the man before activating the quest.

Turning to glance at the regal looking woman who had followed her thus far, she smiled. “Now we just need to collect Sewallus. He’s generally found in the barracks across the village.” She waved a hand towards the opposite side of the village, signalling the other to lead the way.

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Ruler would shake her head when Nari attempted to counter her point. "I apologize but my worry is well founded. One chance is all we have and I will not squander it." The blonde would remark. As the edge of the safe zone would come into view, she would open her menu and retrieve the simple notes she took on Raidou's finding of this particular quest. While Raidou's were extensive, she couldn't just take the information out of Firm Anima's library. Despite some minor changes, the quest seemed to be the same. However, she was unaware about the addition of more NPCs related to the quest. Therefore she would have to rely on Nari's experience with the quest to lead her.

Once they arrived in town, she would talk a man to accept the quest formally, allowing Ruler to also accept said quest. Afterwards, the tank would tell her that they needed to speak with a man named Sewallus. An odd name if she'd ever heard one, even for a fantasy world. On their way there, Ruler would realize something. "Oh- I'm sorry, I forgot to answer your question. I was so lost in my own thoughts. The extra skills don't mean so much to me. I was simply searching for doable quests within my level. Shatter is the skill that reduces enemy defenses right? Might be pretty helpful for me then."

Soon they would arrive at the barracks where Alicia would take the mantle of socialite this time around. They would have a short conversation regarding the Monkey King before she would accept them into their group. The quest would then update them to the direction of the Monkey King. "Right, everyone's here. Shall we show this Monkey King who is stronger?"

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Nari nodded at the delayed answer to the question she had posed earlier, appreciative of the fact that the player had brought the subject up again just to provide an answer. She gave the regal looking woman another glance, taking into consideration the knightly appearance that they held, and wondering if their behaviour had any stock based upon how they held themselves. She knew she would likely never know, but it was fun to be curious, regardless.

“I’d be more than happy to get this over as quickly as possible. As nice as it is to display strength…sometimes it’s nice to just be done with things.” She gave a wide smile to Ruler, before leading them out of the village and into the wild lands. She followed the path that NIGHT had led her upon, many days ago. Slowly, the darkness of the forest took over, and Nari began to wonder as time passed if she had somehow led them astray.

She had just considered turning back and trying to retrace her steps, when a sudden form launched from the air, slamming into the ground beside Nari, and forcing her back a step. Bringing her shield and spear up to bear, she settled her weight in preparation for the fight to come. “Stay behind me now, Ruler.”

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Edited by Nari-Lanreth
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The search for the Monkey King was seeming all but lost. Anyone who knew this quest - she only did because of the information from Raidou - The Monkey King would find them. Sure enough, he did. Through the greenery he would emerge with the log of a tree, slamming the wood into the dirt with sheer force the other could only wish to accomplish. Ruler would drift back along with Nari, making sure to stick close to her. "I'm with you!" The girl would say in response to her tank companion.

The moment Nari charged in, Ruler was right on her heels. Her golden blade shimmered, lighting their arena with a blazing aura of righteousness. "Fall upon my sword!" A Flurry of a combo would unleash, several slashes leaving red gashes of coding along the enemies body. The health bar would gleam in response, lowering almost 25% of the bosses health in an instant. "Caliburn will scorch your existence!"


image.thumb.png.80b9292456226f80610107122af9c685.png

7+4 = 11 [Hit!]
(12x17)-60 = 144

-12 en

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Nari watched as the blonde haired girl rushed forward, swinging her blade and cutting away a large portion of the Monkey King’s health. Nari barely even flinched as Sewallus let loose his scream, an obvious attempt to draw the Monkey King’s attention to himself.

Sliding herself to the left of the creature, she saw as it began to twitch – her stun affect slowly wearing off. Bringing her shield up, she readied herself to strike the being, considering her options. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to repeat the stun, that it would be a while before the effects of it had coursed through the things systems enough to allow another attempt.

“Ruler, we need to finish this quickly – if at all possible.” She glanced at Sewallus, knowing that with each of his attacks he would decrease the defensive capabilities of the creature. That left her with only one other option, but one that she knew would help them more than anything else. Letting her spear slide forwards, she watched as the violet trail of the sword art glittered in the air.

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"Then end it quick I shall!" Caliburn's radiant glow shimmered brightly as she prepared her follow up attack. The shining brilliance would rush forward, a streak of blesses light beaming past Nari and impaling the target that threatened them. With one more quick motion, she would remove her blade and send a slash straight through her target's chest. The kingly knight would notice her randomly activated sword art would gleam on her HUD.

"The next attack shall send even Yggdrassil toppling. Prepare thyself he would call himself king!" The Ruler would taunt moving behind Nari for protection, just in case. She would simply have to wait for her attack to come off cooldown and send the Monkey King to hell. This would be the first time that Ruler had the chance to unleash this powerful attack. There was a first time for everything but her hair stood on end in anticipation.


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image.thumb.png.d136d5a1f0b267e5141cb193c2f1d117.png

10+4= 14 [Major Critical hit!]
(19x15)-60 = 225
-15 EN

Sewallus Misses!

 

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She watched the powerful swing as Ruler strode forward, unleashing the attack in a blaze of light. Nari squinted to avoid the effects on her eyes, almost missing the follow up from Sewallus. The NPC swung, but his strike failed to connect with the Monkey King.

‘All right, this is getting a bit ridiculous. This should be over by now.’ A grit of her teeth as she realised just how long this entire endeavour was taking. She couldn’t blame Ruler at all – but she herself should’ve been able to do more.

She was just considering her options when their opponent attempted to slam its fists into Sewallus, the knight somehow avoiding the strike. Surprised, but not willing to pass up the opportunity, Nari rushed forwards, thrusting the spear in an attempt to strike the creature while it was distracted. She watched as the violet flowed through the air, leaving a trail of promised destruction behind it, before sputtering out.

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Once her skill came of cooldown, Ruler was ready. Her blade was beaming with energy she could hardly control. The feeling in the air was electric for her, focus locked completely on her opponent. Entranced by a dance of life and death, she would raise her blade above her head. The energy she had collected from her previous attacks forming into something terrifying. "Caliburn! Render thy judgement upon my foes for they dared to challenge thee!" She would say before swinging the blade forwards her enemy.

The unleashed energy was like a tear in space. Light engulfed the forest for a moment and whisked away the life of the Monkey King like a torrent of wind destroying everything in it's path. When it all cleared, Ruler fixed her posture and took a deep breath. It was now that she likely looked extremely melodramatic having basically done all the damage herself, yet asked for her help. "Ahem. Sorry, I got a little carried away. I sincerely apologize if I wasted your time for longer than you wished."


image.thumb.png.4139335507be84273fbe7dd03ff97a99.png

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Sewallus uses Howl. +5 hate

2+5 = 7
(17x20)-60 = 280

-20 en

Monkey King is defeated!

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Nari let her spear slide into her shoulder, eyeing the blonde girl with a grin that bespoke of humour. She shook her head at the other’s apology, the entire encounter having been well worth taking some time to participate in.

“No, no need to apologise. If anything…I’m sorry I wasn’t more useful. This was a lot of fun though, and from the looks of it…Sewallus is willing to teach you Shatter now.” A shift of her head towards the NPC before she continued speaking. “It’s a good skill, even if you don’t focus on tech based attacks. If nothing else, it can make more defensible opponents a bit easier to cut down, for a time.”

Another beaming smile towards the other, before Nari brought up her menu, shooting off a friend request towards the other. “I know we’ve still got a bit of a walk back to town, but if you ever want to party up again, feel free to send me a message, yeah?”

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  • 2 weeks later...

With Shatter in her arsenal, Ruler would be able to deal even more damage than before. Though, she wondered if the use of the skill was worthwhile compared to just using her go-to attacks. Nevertheless, she always would have it available now in case she felt like she needed to use it. Nari would comment that she didn't feel like she had done much at all in terms of the battle but that didn't bother the king too much. The company was nice without a doubt.

"No need to worry. I'm sure we'll see each other again and you'll be lifting all the weight through a quest." Ruler would say with a smile, accepting the friend request that Nari had sent her. Having a tank on call could be nice considering she wasn't very tough all on her own. If that Monkey King had hit her, she probably wouldn't have lasted very long at all. "Thank you for coming along and helping me."

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“I look forward to the opportunity, if for no reason other than to redeem myself for what little I did here!” She gave a small wave of her hand towards the area around them, as if to signal the battlefield that they had been apart of until just moments ago. Her head nodding, she began the walk back towards the nearby settlement, turning to call back towards the other as she went.

“It’s no problem at all. And if you ever need help with any other quests, or just anything in general in the future, feel free to send me a message! So long as I’m not in the middle of something, I’ll likely be able to drop by and help out with whatever you need, okay?” She gave another large smile to accompany the words, before turning around again. Reaching up, she gave the little fox on her shoulder a soft pat, before whispering to her. “Well, she certainly seems nice, don’t you think?”

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Word Count: 165

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