[F01-PP] zephyr. <<Nature's Treasure>>

[Nian 0]

<<Nature's Treasure>>

ASSIST IN PLAY. (+5% XP)
NEW PLAYER RECRUITMENT DRIVE BONUS IN PLAY. (+100% XP)

well, the tower was a bust.

and not for a lack of trying, either. between her and the delinquent that would be king (damn lan yeung, know your place) they could've cleared it empty had he simply tried a little harder. that was simply the reason why she should be in charge of everything. her birthright.

nian clenched her fingers. strength but responded in kind.

so stealing information from a passerby nobody today, the king showed up to the garden, an eyesore amongst the flowers. the quest started with some guy, right? a gardener, it was written, and as she tossed aside the scrap in her gauntlets, it fell into the nearby bushes with a ruffle of leaves. if he did care so much about his garden, then perhaps that would've gotten him to show.

because otherwise, nian reasoned, he wouldn't have what it takes to defend it by force.

[[ N I A N ]]

Lv. 4 14 | NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 26/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3

Spoiler    equipment  Heaven's Decree +2 ACC +1 EVA STR-v2 + 3 DMG Red Omamori + 3 LD    br.inventory  Teleport Crystals (3) Cold Brew Coffee (5) | HP RECOVERY III | [link] Golden Key (3) Chocolate Truffles [+4 EN/ea] (5)    skills  Spoiler CLAWS | RANK 5/5 stamina, precision, ferocity aoe shift  COMBAT MASTERY: MIT | RANK 3/3    buffs  Spoiler field rations (+12% hp) | 1/1 water canister (+10hp/ooc regen) | 1/3 creme brulee (+2 acc) | 2/3 smores (+2 eva) | 2/3 berry crumb bars (+3 ld) | 1/1 smores (+3 prosp) | 1/1    sword arts  Spoiler all sword arts en match their multiplier unless stated otherwise. en for aoes is += (2 * targets). x15 | aoe-i x18 | aoe-ii x20 | st-b x12 | tech-a | stun | 13en x12 | tech-b | delay    misc.  Spoiler

 

[euled 0]

Ahh...Damn, I gotta level up faster...

After walking and running his butt off till his legs turned jelly, he felt content with himself, but the contentment wouldn't last. It was an unending journey that Euled took upon himself to embark on. Sure, he had gained a fair amount of EXP and leveled up, but it was nowhere close enough to catch up to the higher floors. Clearly, he'd have to do a lot more grinding.

I guess I should go into a dungeon or something. 

He didn't even know if SAO had dungeons, but hopefully, there would be at least some that he could explore. As he was traversing through the densely populated Town of Beginnings, he couldn't help but overhear a few lingering conversations about a special dungeon. It sounded like it was rewarding, but tough. Not like that would deter him. A grin made its way onto his face, as he went along his way, searching for a vivid light green scenery, and a supposed "gardener." A few minutes flew by, and the next thing he saw was tinges of greenery. The garden was in full view, along with a player he couldn't recognise. From what he could tell, she exuded confidence, an aura that made her look like someone hard to talk to. He swallowed down his nervousness and walked forth.

"Uhh...Hey. Are you looking for the dungeon as well? Maybe we could form a party, or something."

Lv. 4 | Euled | HP: 80/80| EN: 26/26 | DMG: 7 | KEEN: 1 | MIT 4

EQUIPPED ITEMS:

One handed Straight Sword Tier I Rare KEEN I DAMAGE I

SKILLS:

Straight Sword R3
Cloth Armor R1
Survival

BR INVENTORY:
3 Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

SWORD ARTS:
 

• [x4] ST-I (4 EN) | A single-target sword art.
• [x3] AOE-I (1 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
• [x4] TECH-A (5 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.
• [x6] ST-I (6 EN) | A single-target sword art.
• [x5] AOE-I (5 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
• [x6] TECH-A (7 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.
• [x8] ST-I (8 EN) | A single-target sword art.
• [x11] ST-II (11 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn.
• [x7] AOE-I (7 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once.
• [x8] TECH-A (9 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy.

Edited July 27 by euled

[Nian 0]

of course, what took her attention first was the piping from a pipsqueak beside her.

"huh?"

nian turned around, clumsy. and had she not taken a step backwards, perhaps the size of strength welded to her arms would've knocked whatever poor soul had spoken today onto their knees. and she did, in fact, look to the ground, half expecting to have seen the player waiting for her reply there.

as fortune would have it, followers of the heaven-blessed stood on their own two feet.

"a dungeon?" each word was spoken as though drilled into with disbelief, and she was just as cross about being informed of yet another objective she should've been working towards. like she had the time to conquer every nook and cranny of the castle on her own -- that's what lackeys were for, and...

"... no," nian replied, certain of her mission. "not a dungeon. a gardener. ... but you can party up with me."

without hesitation, she continued on down the path ahead of them, at a pace almost threatening to leave the other person behind. down the road, white gravel strewn across a barely visible emerald field, littered with various species of flora unseen beyond the digital realm. across a bridge that arched over a river weaving through the soil, it was only there by the garden wall that an npc with a large straw hat was found bent over, tending to some plants.

the gardener?

[euled 0]

From the start, her attitude made Euled's hairs stand up. As soon as she turned around to look at him, he felt like she was silently judging him, like he was beneath her or something. It was something that he didn't like one bit. Instinctively, he stepped back a little, tensing up. She definitely looked more experienced than him; not like he'd want to take his chances in a fight or anything.

"Yeah...I think??"

He looked at her quizically at the disbelief tinged in her words, like she was expecting something else to come out of his mouth. His expectations were halfed in a 50/50 between acceptance and denial to his request.

"..Oh, uhh, thanks."

Fumbling through his menu, he searched for the party request option, looking on as she immediately went ahead, along with the username above her head. If Euled didn't catch up, he would definitely get left behind. And he doubt that she cared.

"H-hey, wait up!"

Euled raced to catch up, jogging at a quickened pace to not get lost. He felt his shoes crunch against gravel, eventually reaching a clearing of sorts with flowers strewn across the scenery. Over on the other side of the bridge was an NPC; and everything about him indicated he was a gardener.

"Yeah, this guy has to be it."

Immediately, he jogged up to the NPC in the midst of tending to a few plants, realising a little too late that maybe he should have let Nian go before him. Not like he could change it now.

"Hey, you're the gardener, right? Me and my friend over here want to ask you some things."

[Nian 0]

friend?

pi hua. that would've made them equals. but the moment euled had mentioned of his interest in nemo as well, she quirked her brow.

this was a dungeon?

here, she thought it was merely a quest, but it seemed like the intel lacked a little less punch that she would've liked. no matter. down fate's path, everything aligned for them in the end.

"hmm?"

when euled spoke to nemo, he'd looked up from his business, clippers in hand. a quick stow of them away into his apron's front pocket, and he strode up to them with a smile. "questions for me, huh? sure--" and he chuckled, "-- ask away."

well damn. nian didn't really have anything to ask, to be honest. she would've just challenged him for sovereignty right on the spot.

so she cleared her throat, the brim of her cap obscuring her vision. "we heard you have a dungeon around here. where is it?"

"a dungeon?" nemo blinked slow, almost confused. "uh... i'm not really aware of a dungeon here, actually. whoever said that to you must not be familiar around these parts." with a sweeping gesture towards the fields, however, he continued, "there is, however, a garden around here. i tend to it. and you're welcome to have a look around, if you'd like! it's practically my pride and joy."

he turned to the players, grinning. "well, if a dungeon's most known for its treasure, then perhaps you'd find the sights where i work worthwhile? i'll take you two there if you'd like." without hesitation, he offered a hand out for a shake.

"my name's nemo. what about yours?"

nian took his fragile fingers lightly between the claws of strength. it was almost like playing with dolls. "nian. emperor nian. lead the way when you're ready."

[euled 0]

As he talked, he felt Nian's belitting look on him, peering deep into his back. He stared at the gardener, silently begging him to say something. Euled was about to open his mouth, but the words he intended to say were stolen by Nian. He listened to Nemo speak, an eyebrow raising in confusion.

Huh. Maybe we got the wrong guy or something.

It was clear as day that this guy was a gardener, but slip ups were something all too common. Still, Euled didn't just want to walk away. It felt hollow after trekking the path so far, and the scenery was nice.

I might as well see a few nice sights while I'm here.

"Sounds good to me."

After Nian was done giving him a handshake, Euled did the same, with a firm grip.

"The name's Euled!"

He proclaimed this with a grin, not adding on anything extra. Usually he would tack on something about becoming a household name or becoming the hero of SAO, but with someone beside him with a "unique" personality, he decided it was best not to voice his thoughts.

...Emperor?

Even for someone like him, the nickname was...A bit overbearing, to say the least. In whatever case, he had a foreboding feeling that his party member would not be so easy to converse with.

[Nian 0]

"uh... emperor nian. okay, and..."

"The name's Euled!"

"right! euled! nice to meet you!"

the way nemo had responded back to the other player almost seemed as though he was cheered up after interacting with the first. nian had reason to understand this amongst commoners: fools rarely differ after all. she all but followed matching his pace once nemo started off with a beckon over his shoulder. "okay! it's a bit of a walk more from here, but i promise it'll be worth it. let's take it slow if we need to, okay? you know, it's not like i get many visitors around."

and nian... barely knew how to respond to such a comment.

her iron gauntlets balled up their digits. but the king still held her head up high, practicing that virtue, patience. if she could wait this long for an opportunity to have matched her greatness, she could wait a little longer for the respect she deserved.

instead, she trained her sights onto the errand boy next to her. studied him quiet for a bit. then, eyes narrowed, she asked, "why ever are you here, on your own, amongst the other people or quests in aincrad?"

-- there was nothing special about him that she could tell, after all. but people often flocked together in groups; there was safety in numbers. and right now, he just looked like prey.

TRAVELLING TO NEMO'S GARDEN. (1/4)

[euled 0]

It seemed like his introduction had cut through the awkwardness of the situation. He was glad that Nemo seemed to be warmer towards him. Euled shoved his hands in his pockets and walked at the same pace as Nemo.

"Sounds good to me."

They continued walking, as Euled took this time to glance at the various plants and rivers they passed along the way. It was nothing short of pretty, the graphics in SAO doing the scenery justice. It was a miracle that they were this realistic; not that he was complaining. He turned his head over to look at his temporary ally. He doubt they would never meet again, but he also doubt she would want to stick with him any longer than this quest. The way she walked, talked, all of it screamed arrogance. A smile would appear on his face as he processed the question she had asked.

"Well, I heard that the dungeon here can give you a bunch of rewards. It sounded pretty sweet to me. I've gotta level up as soon as I can, I want to join the raid they're gonna have at Floor 28."

He didn't know if she shared his ambitions, but from what he could tell, Nian was strong. 

 

 

[Nian 0]

"... hmm."

perplexing. while her temporary ally did seem like a mere gopher, she couldn't dispute against his desire to claw for more power, either. only the strong survive. and nian would be the strongest of them all...

"I want to join the raid they're gonna have at Floor 28."

... but nian would only be the strongest for her own needs. raids? not as though she should care, unless they rallied under her banner exclusively.

maybe, nian thought, this must be a blessing in disguise. just as likely, she figured, her question wasn't answered in full.

so she tried again, eyes towards nemo's back. "i wasn't just asking about this quest in particular, mortal. surely, if this was truly a dungeon, there would be reason to take caution and venture in as a group, is there not?"

she dragged her eyes over to her companion, claws folded over her chest. "so, euled. why are you here alone? ... are you trying to get yourself killed?"

TRAVELLING TO NEMO'S GARDEN. (3/4)

[euled 0]

Somehow Euled could get the feeling she didn't want to co-operate with other people. It was kind of a neccesity in the front-lines, but all she had done so far had screamed "egotistical." If not for raids...then why exactly did she want to become so strong? It was something he had to ask for later. 

...Mortal?

He fought back the slightly judgmental look creeping into his face. "Mortal" was a nickname he didn't expect someone to use. 

Oh. Is she one of those...what do you call them..."Chunibyo?"

It would explain a lot from her behaviour back at the entrance, but Euled didn't want to assume too much. 

"Well...I, uhh...I kinda forgot. I was so excited that I started rushing towards any leads I had..probably should've thought of that sooner. But you're here, so all's well that ends well. Besides, I think I could take on the monsters alone."

[Nian 0]

"alone, you say?"

"hey, euled! uhh... emperor nian! we're here! come take a look around!"

by this point, they'd fallen behind nemo slightly, but nian would object the gardener himself being hasty in earnest of his hard work. so she picked up her pace instead to meet nemo where he was at. a crossroads between different paths now, it seemed; beyond the shrubbery, in the distance lied a large oak with leaves in gold hues. it seemed to mark their trail as an icon.

upon its sight, nemo but fiddled with his hat.

"yeah, it... might look a little grandiose i suppose. and i didn't plant that tree exactly, but it was the centerpiece i found while adventuring that i wanted to build my garden around..."

-- she couldn't care less.

"we'll be looking around on our own then, nemo," nian unceremoniously cut in. her back was already turned to him as he scrambled for a reply.

"o-oh! of course! i mean, i'll probably follow along behind you, i'd like to see what you two might find endearing about my garden is all!"

"do what you want."

and she didn't wait for euled to follow her again, either. rather, heading down one of the paths, she commanded it with the snap of strength's fingers.

"euled," nian started, voice rougher than it was earlier. "before you get yourself killed unceremoniously in the middle of nowhere, would you like to back up your claims with raw evidence?"

in a large clearing they would come across were a pack of mossy wolves, living in a den structured out of carefully curated hedges. nian pointed to them from a safe distance.

"we will start here. and," she glared at euled from the corner of her vision, "before you think of me unbenevolent, i will make this easy for you."

nian did exactly as she said she would do.

one step back, before she lunged into the fight. strength was the moniker for that ungodly lump of metal strapped to her arm like a monolith, large enough to act as tower shields, yet with razor-sharp tips as proxy for her fingers, enough to act as giant paws for a metallic god. unusual as the weapon was, nian moved through battle as though she were water, unhindered by the weight of the world on her shoulders. before any of the wolves could've reacted from her sudden onslaught, one by one, they fell.

and as the rest of the pack started to gather, howling to rally a repel against their home's invaders, they formed a ring neatly around the one member nian had purposefully excluded from her assault.

ears folded back, and its leaves as fur bristled, tense. nian was all that stood between it and its family. behind it was euled.

so she pointed with strength's index towards it.

"well? go on. prove your worth."

Spoiler

> POST ACTION: TECH-F

ID223600 | bd7+5 = 12 | -> Mossy Wolf #1
ID223600 | bd1 | md8 - 3 = 5 | -> Mossy Wolf #2
ID223600 | bd5+5 = 10 | -> Mossy Wolf #3
ID223600 | bd7+5 = 12 | -> Mossy Wolf #4

8 * 10 = 80 DMG
8 + (3*2)-2 = 12EN

Mossy Wolf #1 | HP: 0/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG
Mossy Wolf #2 | HP: 48/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG
Mossy Wolf #3 | HP: 0/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG
Mossy Wolf #4 | HP: 0/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG

Leeching Fang | On a natural MD of 9 or 10, this mob heals for 10% of the final damage dealt to its target.

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 14/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
euled | HP: 80/80 | EN: 26/26 | DMG: 7 | KEEN: 1 | MIT 4

---

ID223628 | LD: 10 (7, +3) | CD: 4 | 288col, Tier 1 Materials (3), Tier 1 Uncommon Consumable (1)
ID223627 | LD: 5 (2, +3) | CD: 4 | 384col, Tier 1 Materials (1)
ID223626 | LD: 23 (20, +3) | CD: 2 | 384col, Tier 1 Materials (1), Tier 1 Perfect Trinket (1), Tier 1 Perfect Weapon (1)

 

[euled 0]

He averted his eyes from Nian to look forward from the sound of Nemo's voice. Bushes were littered around the area and a single oak tree stood gaunt, a sort of waypoint, if you could call it that. He listened to Nemo talk about the history of the garden. In reality, Euled didn't really care, but he didn't want to act all rude. Nian voiced his thoughts for him.

A little harsh...but whatever.

Again, he jogged to catch up and paced himself the same way Nian did. She looked like she knew where she was going, so Euled had to put his trust in her for now. 

"Huh? What do you mean?"

He would realise the meaning as they turned into a small clearing, a pack of wolves in a den laid thickly in bushes. It didn't look easy, but nevertheless, he unsheathed his sword and got into a battle ready stance. Before he could act, he heard Nian's voice, confusion following.

What does she mean?

This was promptly answered by Nian lunging at the pack. She moved gracefully yet ruthlessly, dispatching the wolves with ease. They fell easily, though she left one behind, for some reason.

So cool...

It felt a little belittling to take the leftovers. Euled would prefer if they just attacked at the same time, but there was no point complaining about it now.

"Don't need to tell me twice!"

Rushing in, his sword would glow as he unleashed a Sword Art. Swinging his blade down, he delivered a fatal blow to the remaining wolf, its body exploding into tiny shards of game data.

Used x8 ST-I -8 EN

ID: 223604 BD: 10 | > Mossy Wolf #2

Mossy Wolf #2 | HP: 0/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG

 

 

[Nian 0]

so the pup has a bite.

nian watched the mossy wolf crumble to submission, before turning about just as the first strides were made from the next, and last, wave of wolves. a swipe took out their vanguard, missing one from the flank based off her angle. the next, she allowed her front exposed, and on quick instincts grabbed one that had been baited to lunge at her.

with one grab upon delicate digital bones, the king crushed her victim's windpipe, letting its ashes be swept up by the wind.

it mattered not that there was one hound left nipping at her feet. a playful thing -- untrained, barbaric -- it leapt at her in an attempt to damage her form, but barely a nick of health was stolen from her pool. strength was all but enough for nian to fend it away with a slap for the time being, just as her energy was beginning to restore itself.

in the meantime, however, the one she'd let escape darted towards euled, and bit his arm in a rush.

Spoiler

> POST ACTION: TECH-F

ID223605 | bd6+5 = 11 | -> Mossy Wolf #5
ID223606 | bd2+5 = 7 | -> Mossy Wolf #6
ID223624 | md10 | Mossy Wolf #7 -> Nian
ID223625 | md6 | Mossy Wolf #8 -> euled

8 * 10 = 80 DMG
8 + (2*2)-2 = 10 EN

(16+2) - 18 =~ 1 DMG
16 - 4 = 12 DMG

Mossy Wolf #5 | HP: 0/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG
Mossy Wolf #6 | HP: 0/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG
Mossy Wolf #7 | HP: 48/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG
Mossy Wolf #8 | HP: 48/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG

Leeching Fang | On a natural MD of 9 or 10, this mob heals for 10% of the final damage dealt to its target.

NIAN | HP: 79/80 | EN: 5/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
euled | HP: 68/80 | EN: 18/26 | DMG: 7 | KEEN: 1 | MIT 4

---

ID223630 | LD: 15 (12, +3) | CD: 3 | 288col, Tier 1 Materials (3), Tier 1 Rare Trinket (1)
ID223629 | LD: 8 (5, +3) | CD: 3 | 192col, Tier 1 Materials (5), Tier 1 Uncommon Consumable (1)

 

[euled 0]

 

Not done yet, huh?

Another pack of wolves would come, as Nia would dispatch them again with ease. Her armor looked tough: he doubt that the wolves would be able to make any scratches on her. His thought was proven right by a small wolf landing an attack on her; barely doing anything. While he was distracted, another wolf came up to him from the blind spot of his vision and bit his arm. Unlike Nian, Euled didn't have armor. The bite would take a few slivers off his HP, though nothing too serious.

"Urk!"

He shook off the wolf and readied his sword again, glowing like it had before. He took a step or two forward to make sure the wolf that was comically slapped by Nian would be caught in the attack. With a yell, he swung, both of the wolves exploding into game data. He doubt there would be more coming.

ID: 223632 | BD: 10 > Mossy Wolf #7

ID: 223631 | BD: 10 > Mossy Wolf #8

Used Sword Art: x7] AOE-I (7 + [2 * targets] -7 EN

7x7 + 2 = 51 DMG

Mossy Wolf #7 | HP: 0/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG

Mossy Wolf #8 | HP: 0/48 | DMG: 16 | LEECHING FANG

euled | HP: 68/80 | EN: 11/26 | DMG: 7 | KEEN: 1 | MIT 4

ID: 223633 LD: 4 CD: 2 | 144 Col

ID: 223634 LD: 11 CD: 8 | 144 Col | Rare Weapon | Uncommon Consumable

[Nian 0]

once was a fluke. twice might be luck. the third...

never mind how much damage euled could deal for the moment. once the wolves were dispatched of, nian noticed a chunk of health taken off her companion's bar. she turned to him, eying up his garb. for someone with light clothes on, only a slow oaf would've taken a strike like that -- unlike herself, who decided she would command the attention of her enemies. and, if the pawn next to her was any liability to go by, nian wouldn't stand for being in its presence.

puk gaai. a trial from on high, then. fortunately nian had the resources and resolve to treat him.

through her inventory, she summoned an olive coat that had a fur trim -- it almost looked like scrap cloth in strength's grasp. then, nian strode forth, handing the item to euled. the way she did it almost seemed forced, and had euled not been careful, the item would've been punched into him through strength's brutality -- but the item was his all the same.

"alone is not an option for you. not. yet. get some better armor when you're in town, or stay in a party. carelessness will find you otherwise."

then, she started walking off again, down the path they'd taken. from behind them, nemo seemed to be still, watching, mouth agape. there was pain painted on his face.

---

trading to euled:

Fur-Hooded Down Jacket
[#178707] | TIER 1 LIGHT ARMOR | MITIGATION II, REGEN I
A fluffy green winter jacket. The design was taken from a manga only read once.

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 6/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
restoring en. (1/3)

[euled 0]

"Phew..."

He debated using a health potion to restore some health, but Euled decided it best to save it for more monsters up ahead. He doubt this would be the last confrontation they would have. Still, it felt good to kill mobs. The cardinal system made it so the pain felt was barely anything compared to the real world, thankfully. He watched on as she pulled out a coat from her inventory. It looked pretty cool, but why did she get it out? Her armor looked leagues better than the jacket. Euled's thoughts were answered by the coat being shoved into his hands. Sure, she could've done it a tad less forcefully, but the gesture was taken in kind. He stepped back a little from the force.

"Ah...Really?! You're sure I can have this?!"

Euled smiled as he donned on the garb, a layer of protection over the starter gear. He grinned widely.

"You're the best!"

Okay, well, maybe the part about going solo hurt him a little, but he decided to gloss over it for now. Whatever animosity he held against her before this point was instantly wiped away. Right now, he was in a jovial mood. A tiny sliver of his health was regenerated.

Man, this is really useful.

He went up to follow her, not before glancing back at Nemo in confusion.

"You, uhh...You good back there? Did you get hurt or something?"

 

euled | HP: 70/80 | EN: 11/26 | DMG: 7 | KEEN: 1 | MIT 12 | REGEN: I

Restoring EN 1/3

[Nian 0]

"You're the best!"

nian almost stopped in her tracks at his words. finally, someone who knew their place. she looked over her shoulder just to make sure he at least knew how to equip her gift. "of course i am," she said, voice low, with a hint of disdain, and a frightening lack of irony. "i would not be the emperor of aincrad if i wasn't."

then, she continued on, the digits of strength clenched into fists.

euled's check into nemo did not go without response. but neither was nemo in any shape to move. he simply tried to form his telling smile yet again. "ah, no... i didn't get hurt. rather..."

he gestured to the den, now canine-less. "those wolves you killed... um... they were my friends..."

nemo tilted his head, smile still wry. "i-i mean... maybe this is just a misunderstanding of sorts, right? wolves are difficult to discriminate between... if they're friendly or hostile..." his sights went to nian in the distance. "maybe your friend was just trying to help, or something."

he waved a hand. "well... i'd best be making preparations for their loss now. um, would you mind telling -- uh, nian -- about the situation? it'd be best for anyone else who lives in the garden not to get hurt, after all. i don't trust her, but... i can trust you, right, euled?"

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 7/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
restoring en. (2/3)

[euled 0]

"That's...not what I meant.."

Euled decided not to dwell on the topic and kept walking forward, sighing at her words.

The emperor of Aincrad?...

Though, turning back to Nemo yielded different results. 

Hah? Those mobs were this guy's friends?

It was hard to remember that these guys were NPCs from how lifelike they were, to Euled at least. If he didn't have to slay them, he wouldn't. But this was a different case. A monster befriending an NPC?

..Give me a break.

Monsters were what kept them trapped, sparing them wasn't an option. It wasn't like they were any friendly: what was Nemo talking about? Still, his words tugged on his heartstrings a little, so he decided to do it anyway.

"but... i can trust you, right, euled?"

"...Sure."

He quickened his pace a little, jogging and running up to Nian, addressing her casually.

"Yo, Nian. Nemo over there says that those wolves were his friends."

Euled lowered his voice so Nemo couldn't hear, not wanting for him to get mad at them or anything.

"He definitely has a screw loose or something."

euled | HP: 70/80 | EN: 11/26 | DMG: 7 | KEEN: 1 | MIT 12 | REGEN: I

 

Restoring EN 2/3

[Nian 0]

she hummed. friends. that word again. for the gardener to put himself so lowly down to that of the level of monsters was a decent way of saying he, too, didn't value his own life. even moreso backed by nian's initial resolve to take over the garden herself -- if such was the case, then perhaps this place really did belong to her, after all.

now, what to do about this dog trailing her every step...

"... since this is a dungeon, after all," nian started, eyes to the sky as they passed the green scenery by, almost as though she wasn't planning to look upon them. "surely there must be a boss ruling over these grounds, and that would maximize the reward potential from raiding this place. are you in agreement?"

it would be one step towards fashioning the garden to her liking, but yet another to assert her dominance upon the initial groundskeeper, that worthless gardener lurking in the dark behind them.

"then we hunt for it. let this be the lesson you walk away with today: that all weak beings shall fall under rule of the strong... ergo myself."

nian gestured towards the view beyond them, an eye kept to euled. "i shall honor you with a boon, to aid your understanding. you may pick where we start the culling next. ...choose well."

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 26/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
en restored. (3/3)

[euled 0]

He paused for a moment, waiting for a response that never came, though he could tell that Nian was thinking about his words. A boss fight sounded exciting, and Euled was up for the challenge.

"Yeah, of course. That's how RPGs work, right? I'm looking forward to beat down a big bad guy."

She talked like an empress from an old video game. No wonder she called herself an emperor. It was a bit funny, but if he pointed it out, he doubt the repercussions would be light. 

I guess she takes a lot of pride in herself.

"Sounds good to me!"

The next words that came out of her mouth were definitely something he didn't expect, but he wasn't gonna complain. The garden was nice and trimmed, it felt pretty good to walk through it. He assumed the "culling" would be another scuffle.

"Uhh...Over there? The flowers look pretty, I guess."

Glancing around, his finger pointed to a nearby clearing. Neatly trimmed bushes formed a little square around the flora wrapped around. It was big enough to not hinder any combat.

euled | HP: 70/80 | EN: 26/26 | DMG: 7 | KEEN: 1 | MIT 12 | REGEN: I

 

 

 

Restoring EN 3/3