[PP-02] Rock beats Scissors! Breaking the Unbreakable Ft. Kil, Siren, Nadeo

[Escudo de Protection 0]

Red hues lingered along the mountain as he stared up at the peak. It was a long way up and he had wondered how long it make take to reach the summit. There was a quest for a boulder breaking and he would like to at least learn how to do something in case he would need to switch. Red hair fell to the side a bit as he had waited for the summons of post he had placed at the town of beginnings. Of course, he had sent a message to Angel since he wanted to make sure she would have the same amount of experience with him. 

The sun was high, and it wasn't as hot as he had thought it would be. There was, after all, a desert he had learned. But this place was relatively lax with this calm atmosphere. It was quite nice, but he also wanted to learn how dangerous the rest of the floors would be. Perhaps he would ask an escort one day to explore. Fingers opened up a menu and made sure that his beloved would get a message. 

 

Spoiler

To: @Siren
From: Escudo de Protection

Hola mi amor,

Te estoy esperando, mi amor. Ya estoy en el punto de encuentro. Meet me at the base of the mountain on the second floor. 

Te amo, 
Reese

*Ding* Message sent

He had gotten a response from the other person who wanted to. When he posted his stats, Reese was shocked that someone strong wanted to assist them. He wasn't sure how to respond but a simple yes at the time for it. Perhaps it was their lucky day, and it wouldn't take long. It seemed that they were being assisted by many good strangers here on this death game. He would like to understand the mechanics of guilds and perhaps join a strong on or make one. He hadn't figured out what he wanted to do but there would be plenty of time. 
 

Escudo De Protection | HP: 60/60 | EN: 24/24 | DMG: 4 | MIT:18 | ACC:3                                                                                                                            

Spoiler

"Name: Escudo De Protection
True Tier: 1
Level: 3
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 60/60
EN: 24/24

Stats:
Damage: 4
Mitigation: 18
Accuracy: 3

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Spear of Strength 229232
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Odins Chest Piece 229233
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Wolf Pendant 220941-3 

Combat Mastery:
  - 

Combat Shift:
  - 

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - 

Skills:

Extra Skills:

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:

Mods:

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:
"                                                                                                                            

 

Edited September 9 by Escudo de Protection

[Siren 0]

Siren woke up to the sound of a message ping. Early mornings weren’t her thing, she was all about her beauty sleep. Face down in the pillow, she let out a loud grumble and raised her head and opened the message. She squinted at it at first and then put her glasses on.

 

She immediately perked up when seeing the message from Reese, "Oh!" She just realized he wasn't in the room. When in the sam hell did he head out? They talked all night and at some point, she fell asleep. She didn't even remember laying on the bed. They were sitting in the chairs at the table. He must've moved her over to the bed. She definitely planned to ask him. 

 

She read the message he sent. He wants me to go to the base of a mountain? The hell is my spaniard up to now? Shrugging it off, she got out of bed and got ready. Donning her armor and weapon, she left the inn. She had met a player the other day that dared escape the walls of the Town of Beginnings and assumed she'd want to come along.
 

To: Nadeo From: Siren Hey Nadeo, I figured you'd wanna join us on a quest. This one should be a cake walk and allow you to get your feet wet with little to no danger. Meet me at the base of the mountain on Floor 2. It'll be myself and a tall smoking hot redhead. See you then. xoxo

With the message sent, she headed to the teleport gate and traveled to Floor 2. She arrived in Urbus and began traveling toward the mountain. She wasn't wearing her heeled boots today, knowing she was gonna be climbing. She saw her red haired lover and waved toward him. "Hey there darlin!" She walked toward him and ran into his arms, hugging and holding him tightly. 

 

She looked up at him, now being much shorter in flat boots. "You've got some explaining to do darling." She gave him a look, almost like a mother that was about to scold her son. "So when did you leave this morning and why didn't you wake me? Also, how in the hell did I get in the bed? Last thing I remember was us talking at the table." She looked at him, waiting for his response.

* * *

Spoiler

Character Sheet:

Spoiler

Siren | Level 1 | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 4 | MIT:18 | EVA:1

Equipment:

Spoiler

• Duelist's Rapier | T1 Perfect Rapier | DMG 3| ID [221552]
  [Desc.] This elegant rapier is designed for speed and precision, capable of dealing devastating strikes. The guard around the hand is an intricate weave of thin metal bands that takes the form of a phoenix.

• Crimson Raiment | T1 Perfect Light Armor | MIT II | EVA I | ID: 229133
  [desc.] Don't let them see you bleed. It will only embolden them. If you can't prevent it, make sure they at least won't see it.

Skills:

Spoiler

Armor:

Spoiler

• R1 Light Armor
  • 6 MIT

Combat Mastery:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Battle Skills:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Weapon:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Addons:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Mods:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Extra:

Spoiler

• None Yet

 

Battle Ready Inventory:

Spoiler

• 3 Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

• Warpstone | Tierless Teleport Crystal | ID 229185
  Use a post action to activate a teleport crystal. Teleports user to the town of designated teleportation area they specify. 
  [desc.] Sure, you could get one from the General Merchant. But this one looks cooler.

• Rumbling Rum Party Favor | Tierless Mass HP Recovery Crystal. | ID (found later)
  Heals user and each member of their party for 10% of maximum HP.    
  [desc.] Crush this in your palm and everyone will get a taste. Part of a new, more expedient alcohol delivery system. Popular with pirates.

 

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

Lets see, the white haired wonder looked at the message board in thought. Eyes surveyed each post trying to determine whether or not he could be of use. There was a quest he noticed. Something about a boulder but was that Spanish? He knew German but Spanish was a different thing to him. Perhaps he would gander and find out. Kil accepted the quest and posted his stats for the person to see. He had done the boulder challenge before and if someone needed help, he was all for it.

With an elegant grace, he was gone from where he was standing. The penguin, now spooked, ran after her master squealing to stop. He slowed down to wait for her and realized he couldn't go top speed with her around.  But what journey would be fun if had no penguin? He ran his hand through his hair and shook it slightly. “Come on, slow poke.” He laughed as they headed out to the crystal.

The quest mentioned a group and a boulder. Perhaps it was the same one he did many years ago. Or was there a new quest? He would decide when he got there. He had taken notice of the level of the initial player and would conclude it had to be that damn boulder. He stretched a bit as he appeared on the rocky terrain.

Wind blew his hair immediately out of place, and he shuffled it back after it died down. With his cloth armor, he adorned a new look exposing his biceps as they were often restricted in such fashion. He would have to thank the tailor for the adjustments later and maybe send some desserts her way. Footsteps kicked the gravel upon reaching the stone laid path. “Things never change, do they?” He spoke under his breath. 

The penguin shuffled behind him kicking up a little dust storm. She was in her own little world dancing and kicking the stones as if they were Godzilla and the stones were peasants. She hurried behind and nuzzled his hand wanting a treat before landing a baked fish sweet from his pouch without him reaching. Her own personal pocket on her master. 

Kil met the group and waved. He was as he described, and he assumed it was them. “Someone ask for a boulder to be smashed?” He was young, but he was lean and muscular. To be fair, he still looked the same when the mirror came and exposed what he looked like. His complexion was pale, but his face was charming like his mothers. Hair as snow white with red piercing orbs. He could give many men a run for their money at his young age.

 

Kiluia | HP: 780/780 | EN: 112/112 | DMG: 21 | MIT:78 | ACC:4 | AA  | PHASE | EVA:1 | BH:43 | REC: 4 | HLY: 8 | ENV-O: 32 | LD:3    
Kiluia | HP: 254/254 | EN: 47.4/47.4 | DMG: 12 | MIT:42 | ACC:4 | AA  | PHASE | EVA:1 | BH:14 | REC: 1 | HLY: 2 | ENV-O: 8 | LD:3  (Assisted)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Spoiler

"Name: Kiluia True Tier: 6
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 24
HP: 780/780
EN: 112/112

Stats:
Damage: 21
Mitigation: 78
Accuracy: 4
Evasion: 1
Battle Healing: 
Loot Die: 3
Stealth Rating: -2
AA PHASEREC: 4
HLY: 8 ENV-O: 32
Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Sanctified Wraps of Righteous Punishment +5 (T4 Demonic Weapon (MA) - AA, Holy I, Phase, Envenom (Off) I
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Osiris's Shade (T4 Perfect LA | MIT 2 | EVA 1)
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Eye of Rain - Rose (T4 Perfect | ACC 2 | REC 1)

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - TECH Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - 

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R5
  - Charge
  - Energist
  - Light Armor R5
  - Martial Arts R5
  - Searching R3

Extra Skills:
  - Lady Luck
  - Photosynthesize
  - Survival

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:
  - Focus
  - Precision
  - Resolve
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Meticulous

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - Blank Treasure Map Tier 4 x
  - Gold Key x

Housing Buffs:
  - Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
  - Basic Kitchen: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.
  - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
  - Slime Farm: +5% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.
  - Dining Hall: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.

Guild Hall Buffs:
  - Trading Hall: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters and Rank 4 merchants/performers receive +1 crafting/identification attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters and Rank 5 merchants/performers receive +2 crafting/identification attempts per day.
  - Treasury: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
 - Cooking[exp] R1
Gathering Profession:
"                                                                                                                            

 

Edited September 24 by Kiluia Seiko

[Nadeo 0]

Coincidentally Nadeo received a message right as she woke. As she reads, the fear and fire for real progress battle in her mind. Fear of dying. Pretty simple; Pretty strong. But this should be safe, right? It is only the second floor and you will gain something truly meaningful: friendship capacity. The message was not very clear on the specific capacity to be gained, but it should be fun. What's the worst that could happen after all. If Angel is inviting you, it can't be that dangerous, right? With an audible "eep" of excess psychic energy escaping her, she builds the courage to accept the offer.

In spite of this development, she started her day as usual, appreciating the lack of getting ready that needs to be done. There was a time when several issue of maintenance would require her attention every single day, but now she simple opens her eyes and basks in her capacity to jump out of bed and walk straight out the door.

On her way out, she bids the inn keep fair well precisely as usual. He has a slight giggle at her characteristic consistency and asks the standard question.

"Are you gonna leave the walls today?"

She shakes nervously and shouts, "Yes!" shocking the inn keeper as she has never responded with anything beyond a hope to do so at some vague time in the future. It seems that day has finally come.

With a pep in her step, Nadeo races to meet Angel and get this adventure started.

I can't wait to meet that hot redhead she was talking about. I hope she likes me.

 

Nadeo | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 4

Spoiler

Name: Nadeo
True Tier: 1
Level: 1
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 20/20
EN: 20/20

Stats:
Damage: 4
Mitigation: 0
Accuracy: 0
Evasion: 0
Battle Healing: 
Loot Die: 2
Stealth Rating: 

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Sanctified Wraps of Righteous Punishment +5 (T4 Demonic Weapon (MA) - AA, Holy I, Phase, Envenom (Off) I
Armor/Trinket: 
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 

Combat Mastery:

Combat Shift:

Familiar Skill:

Custom Skill:

Skills:
  - Polearm R1

Extra Skills:

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:

Mods:

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
Gathering Profession:

 

Edited September 13 by Nadeo

[Escudo de Protection 0]

He was still surveying the area until he felt someone snatch his arm up and then wrapped her body around him. He looked down and kissed her head as he smiled placing a hand on her head. Her bombarding questions seemed to go like a six-shooter firing all six shots quickly. Before he knew it, he didn't even know where to start. He took a breath and started talking trying to gather his thoughts. "Hola, mi amor. I left early this morning to stop and post a quest on the board. There were rumors about a boulder, and it seemed facil." He gave a slight shrug and a smile. "After you drank a fair amount, I picked you up and brought you to bed. I wasn't going to let you sit there passed out, amor." 

He stared at her before he saw a white-haired man. He blinked several times as he thought it was a woman at first since the hair was tucked in a different way but allowing a little length. That man could pull off looking like a woman easily if it wasn't for his muscular arms. His eye twitched a bit staring at the man. This kid seemed more built than he. That seemed like a lot as he offered his hand to him. "Hola, Amigo! Si, I asked for help fighting a boulder. Wanted to see if it was true that something this easy was real." 

He smiled as he flashed a warm smile. However, looking at the younger man, he seemed more battle worn than his own self. For that, he felt a little sorry for the kid. It almost seemed like he was just tired. Just as he finished shaking the man's hand, he looked down at the woman. "You mentioned last night that there would be someone else? I figured we could use someone stronger to help assist us." 

[Siren 0]

Reese explained himself, gently resting a hand on her head. She looked up at him, her usual sultry expression gone, replaced by something softer—almost sad. Pouting slightly, she sighed. "Fine, fine. I guess I’ll let it slide this time. Just please, please wake me up next time, mi amor."

Her attention quickly shifted to the white-haired, muscular man approaching them, though what really caught her eye was the waddling penguin trailing behind him. "Oh my gosh," she tugged on Reese’s sleeve excitedly. "Look at that penguin! Isn’t it adorable?" She squealed, giggling with delight. As the man reached them, she extended her hand with a playful grin. "Hey there, sugar, I’m Siren, and this is Escudo." Glancing up in thought at the mention of the boulder, she tilted her head. "I suppose we could use some help with that rock, though we’re still waiting for my friend. This is her first big quest—poor thing’s never left the Town of Beginnings. Too afraid of dying."

Kneeling down, Siren beckoned the penguin closer, her eyes twinkling. "You are just the cutest little thing. I wish I had some of Ciela’s treats; you’d love them." She flicked through her menu, just to check.

Time passed, and Siren grew anxious, her thoughts turning to Nadeo. She quickly shot her friend a message, this time describing the two men with her so Nadeo could find them more easily.

To: Nadeo From: Siren Hey sugar! Where are you? I'm getting worried. Oh! Also I know I mentioned a sexy red head but we've got another gentleman joining as well. So it's myself, a 6'3 sexy red head man named Reese, and another white haired man who's just a little shorter than Reese. His name is Kiluia. There's also a cute little penguin friend. We'll be hanging out near the base of the mountain. Hurry here! I'll come find you soon if you don't! That's a threat, and a promise! Kisses~ see you soon

A few moments later, Nadeo finally caught up with the group. Siren’s face brightened as she greeted her. "I’m so happy to see you off Floor 1! Even more thrilled that you’ve actually left the Town of Beginnings. I’m proud of you, honey." Her words flowed like sweet honey, warm and sincere. "Now that the gang is all here, shall we start the climb? Nadeo honey, if you need comfort or anything I'll do anything you need me to do so that you can calm down and we can continue on." Siren knew how anxious Nadeo could get and knew that it would be impossible for anyone but her to calm her, she would do anything in her power to make sure Nadeo could continue on this quest.

Edited September 26 by Siren

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

Kiluia looked at the couple before patting the penguin's head. He would give a slight wave and stare at the woman speaking. She was quite different as she seemed to cling to the man. It was definitely a couple as he didn't have to wonder too long. So, there was a fourth huh, he thought to himself as he closed the distance and extended his hand to the duo before him. He would have to wait until the fourth arrived anyway. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Kiluia. Martial Artist." 

After their brief introductions, he would stand at the mountain path as the penguin moved closer to the woman as she beckoned her. Pingu would squeak and enjoy the attention she was getting lately. Of course, she had to get the attention from someone else as her master seemed to ignore her. A spark between their eyes met as if they were glaring at each other. Otherwise, it was just playful banter between the familiar and him. 

Kiluia opened up his menu and pulled out some baked Japanese fish cakes to hand over to Siren. "She'll like these and do tricks for you if you ask her to." Exposed in 4k Pingu. He simply smiled at them before scratching his head. "Do you intend on taking martial arts or...?" 

He glanced over at Nadeo, and he would speak to Siren at the same time. "Yea. It's quite the easy task and you are able to get something out of it at the end if you wanted to invest on it. I took it because I actually have experience in it so I figured it would be the safest path for me." He waved at the newcomer and headed up to the entrance path. The squad would have a long way to go until they reached the peak and then would have to deal with the master of the boulder too. It was easy but also a bit too much for a quest. The penguin did not follow her master. No no, nay nay. She was following Siren who had treats now and jumped waiting for her treat. 

[Nadeo 0]

Nadeo didn't know if it was the cold or the fear, but she was shivering harder than she ever had before. She decided not to kid herself. She was terrified and there was nothing to do but power through. She could always go home, but every time she started hyperventilating and slowing down, Siren would grab her arm and pull her along. After several instances of this, Siren decided that a piggy back ride would allow Nadeo to focus exclusively on panicking instead of trying to walk at the same time. It is nicer to be close to someone than Nadeo remembered and the physical contact really helped ground her.
"I feel like I am dying already and we are just outside. I am in no danger theoretically, but this is more daunting that I imagined it would be. I am in a state of nonsensical panic and you are being so nice."
Nadeo was struck by a realization. Wait a minute... I bet climbing this mountain is even safer than it would be IRL. Fall damage seems negligible at the scales at hand. I have no reason to be freaking out. I just gotta breathe.
For the time being in this genuinely safe situation Nadeo seemed to have found enough comfort to avoid a full blown conniption. Nadeo still took solace in the grounding of her new friend's care, so she figured she could take the ride as far as Siren would carry her. She rests her head on her shoulder and mumbles into her neck.
"Thank you"
While Nadeo was solidly in her head, the group made some solid progress up the mountain.

Edited September 26 by Nadeo

[Escudo de Protection 0]

Reese stared up the daunting mountain. First, they had to climb this monstrosity of a mountain. He wondered what it would be like if this was reality. Well... this was their reality currently. Footsteps would make haste up the mountain now. He knew it would take a bit as the terrain wasn't forgiving. He looked over at Kiluia and couldn't help curiously thinking how many times this man had helped others. He figured small talk would be best. He, however, looked at his darling and the other woman as the two seemed to be close and then also physically that close. Women will be women. He already knew how society was and how close the other gender would get. 

With that, he looked over at the man with the snow-white hair. "Do you do this often? It seems you are quite a fighter." He noticed the young man's physique. It was definitely nothing to scoff at as the two slowed down allowing the girls to walk ahead. He wanted to be sure that Siren was safe in case he had to catch either of the women. 

"I want to leave my options open for when I need to think of what build I want to go with. Thank you once again, amigo. I hear this is tedious and I appreciate all the help we can get." His eyes looked over at the man. He noticed they both had red eyes, and he perked a brow a bit. Also, another reason why he went on the quest was because it was safer than most and could still fetch the group a fair amount of exp. Knowing a stronger player also helped them as he flicked through his window to secure a friend invite to the young man. While a bit shorter, he could give Escudo a run for his money if this was reality. 

"Be careful, mi amor. Don't slip." He would have offered to take the other girl but he had no clue as to who she was, so he didn't extend the invite to do so. 

[Siren 0]

Kiluia's question caught Siren slightly off guard. Martial arts? She hadn't really considered it until now. Siren absentmindedly traced a finger along the intricate cross guard of her rapier. "I'm proficient in swordplay, both here and in real life," she paused. "But using my fists? That's uncharted territory for me. Honestly, I'm just interested in this for the skill." She shrugged, her voice carrying its characteristic sweet lilt that softened the bluntness of her words, followed by a light chuckle. 

As the group began their climb up the mountain, Siren noticed Pingu trailing closely behind her, the penguin was fixated on the treat in her hand. Siren smirked mischievously, tearing off tiny pieces of the treat, feeding them to Pingu bit by bit. "Patience darlin," she cooed softly, her tone slightly playful.

The trek was proving harder for some than others, and Siren felt a tug at her heartstrings when she glanced at Nadeo, who was struggling to even make it up the mountain. Siren grabbed Nadeo's trembling hand, hoping to coax her to follow behind but with every movement she felt resistance. Siren stopped, crouching slightly, giving Nadeo a pointed look. "Alright, enough of this darlin'. Hop on."

Siren scooped Nadeo up onto her back, adjusting her arms securely around Nadeo's legs. Siren could feel how panicked Nadeo was by the way she clung to Siren. "It's alright, you're okay. I'm here." Siren murmured gently, her tone soft and soothing. Every now and then, Siren reached up to stroke Nadeo's hair or brush her cheek lightly, offering small gestures of comfort. After a while, she could swear she felt Nadeo relax. Nadeo's face was almost buried in her neck as her head rested upon Siren's shoulder. A muffled "thank you" reached her ears, and Siren's heart melted a little. "Anytime, sugar," she replied softly, adjusting her grip as she kept moving forward. 

Reese's voice pulled her attention back to the path ahead, and she turned her head just enough to catch him walking alongside Kiluia, the two chatting away. His concern for her, however, was evident in his tone as he told her to be careful not to slip. Siren grinned, warmth blooming in her chest as his protective nature. "I won't slip, I promise, my love." She called back, a playful twinkle in her eye. Reese's care for her never ceased to make her smile, even in moments like this.

As the group pressed on, the dojo finally came into view, it's silhouette standing strong at the top of the mountain. Siren felt a surge of relief and accomplishment. The climb had been longer and more challenging than she'd expected, but she had taken it in stride, her determination unwavering.

"We're almost there, y'all," she said, her voice bright with encouragement. "Just a little further!" Siren shifted Nadeo's weight on her back slightly, a small smile playing on her lips as she glanced back at Kiluia and Reese, continuing to lead the group up the mountain.

[Nadeo 0]

While Nadeo deeply valued the security that comes with such a firm and close embrace, she realized that she couldn't reasonably stay on Siren's back the whole time. She had enjoyed watching the trees change as she was carried up the mountain, but having gained some sense of safety, Nadeo figure she could at the very least arrive at the dojo with some small amount of dignity.

She dismounted and gave Siren a hug. "Thank you for the help. I think I might be able to walk at this point." The hug dragged on long enough for the boys to catch up as much as they were willing to.

Nadeo beckoned Pingu to hop into her arms to a resounding lack of success. The cute animal simply waddled right by, nonplussed. This little guy is more brave then me.

I feel distinctly that I am far, far more fearful than their is any reason to be and yet, that is why they call them irrational fears. I guess I can punch a rock. That is the task. That would hurt though, right?

The pain of attempting to deal meaningful damage to a solid object by way of punching returns to her from her attempts as a child to punch a tree. That said, things work differently in video games, and for all its realism, SAO is still a video game, so maybe it won't be so bad. I like that.

Nadeo whispers to herself, "Maybe it won't be so bad." Catching back up, she put her arm around Siren's shoulder and walked with a tenuous bout of determination.