---

Lew was very interested in what he has seen in the Shin-Yu Temple, inspired by those other players hopping around with their barriers. What he was less interested about was that he had to talk to a blue-haired miko of all things. Lew tends to avoid waifus with blue hair just as much as he does waifus with red hair, as he knew choosing a side would only throw him deep into the eternal debate. Plus, Lew was more interested in the rarer, but more refined purple-haired waifus in the end. It was because of these reasons as well as the fact she wasn't even a monster girl that Lew hesitated to help the miko out.

At the same time, he didn't want to waste his friends' times waiting for him to have settled into what he wanted. Lew knew that he needed to spend some time at the temple training and, even then, this time spent training might not even award him XP. While he didn't want to be a hero for multiple reasons, he was less inclined towards waiting his turn. With a face full of resolve, he made his approach towards the priestess.

Lew procured about five silver from his bag of coins, making his way to the offering box to place it. As he did, he made sure that his approach was dramatic enough to catch the miko's attention. Once he reached the box of offerings, however, he paused, one if his silver coins obviously hovering over the opening. It was at this point that he made eye contact with the miko, clearing his throat before speaking in a calm and assertive matter, loud enough to speak over the other newbie players.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Does the temple accept silver, or rishi as donation?"

It was with this question that Lew offered an 'out' to the miko. Whether she would take it or not would be up to her. The worst case scenario is the newer players preventing her from replying in kind. Otherwise, should she attend to his question in kind, Lew would quickly make his second inquiry while he had the chance.

"By the way, I'm interested in training within the temple as a... priest? Where is the best place to begin?"

The grate shuddered under the force of her kick, her palms grinding against corroded metal. She didn’t have any affect the first go around, but Ari wasn’t one to throw in the towel after one flip and kick. With a stylishly dextrous and agile body, she continued to go at the grate, and slowly, the catgirl could feel the stone begin to shift away from the metal. It had become loose! With some more effort, perhaps, she’d be able to pop it right open!

“Oi!” A male voice called out from above her, gruff and irritated. “This is city property, Immortal. Cease this instant.”

Looking up, Ari would see an individual who looked very much the part of an armed guard. Standing 5’9 in a conical helmet of lacquered wood and metal plates, with a heavy, dark coat over his body that was emblazoned with the symbol of a sakura blossom, each petal of a different color, the square-faced man looked sternly at her, his beady eyes narrowed into a squint while his hand rested comfortably on a sheathed dao.
_@Greengoat

---

As Lugh made his presence know, the priestess's face lit up, grateful to receive the out that the dark-haired warrior offered. "Oh," she said, making a step towards him, "our te-"

"Hey, c'mon," a portly, aristocratic-looking player said, "Don't just ignore us!"

"Yeah," the distractingly effeminate one bobbed his head. "We're interested in the faith too, y'know. Can you simply reject new believers? Is that how the Shin-Yu Temple is?"

The dark-skinned warrior with a mane of luscious locks wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go somewhere more private, darling. You can share your gospel with us all you want once those distractions are out of the way."
_{@Cu Chulainn}

---

The frogman descended, his fist slamming into the ground where Raime had been moments earlier. A shockwave, no, an eruption resounded, a three meter diameter crater forming where his hammer fist met the ground. Tremendous force, accompanied by displaced dirt and stone, sent the ranger even further away. He tumbled, rolled on the grassy field, 34 damage dealt even when the main attack hadn’t landed on his fragile body.

Then, the pain hit him.

His body screamed, aches shaking deep into his organs. Nothing felt like it had cracked or broken, but the nausea was intense, disorientation causing him to almost double over. Thoughts scrambling, ears ringing, Raime could hardly push himself up, and it was all he could do to keep a shaky grip on his weapon. At 100% pain sensitivity, the sensation of being flung away by an explosion, of being struck by stony shrapnel, was simply devastating.

From the crater, shrouded by dust, the silhouette of the frogman rose up once more. Crackling could be heard as he clenched and unclenched his fists, eyes shining in the smoke as he stared down Amulak. The next target was sighted.

But Ames would not let that be.

Guided by stylish intent, the red-haired warrior, Nuclei-less and unleveled, surged out through the smoke, right foot lashing out in a spinning roundhouse kick that caught the frogman on the back of the head. A heavy impact rebounded in Ames’s leg, and he pushed off with that same foot, doing a 360 degree body twist and landing on the ground with enough force to disperse the smoke.

The frogman, head forced forward by the kick, regained his posture slowly, gradually.

And once again resumed his spearfisher’s stance, this time facing Ames.
_{@Searat@Psyker Landshark@Yankee@OwO@Shovel}

---

It seemed that these players were rowdier than he had realized. It wasn't something that talking would solve, either. Lew knew he had to take action. At the same time, he felt that if he were to physically harm these other players it would only set his training in the priesthood back. Still, it was clear that he needed to do something to alleviate this situation, especially now that he has made his presence known.

For now, he stepped back for a moment, placing his silver coins back into his coin-purse before figuring out a proper place to hide the entirety of his money within his person. What he was about to do he knew the potential of being mugged was high. Still, any nook or cranny on his person would suffice, although he would be very much against putting his coins inside that. At the very least, he did his best to distribute as much silver coins within the soles of his shoes in order to at least have some emergency funds in case his purse was taken.

Next, Lew opened up the menus, searching for his Pain Settings. He already had it at a pitiful number but, just to be safe, he lowered it down to a nice 1%.

Finally, Lew made his approach once more, interposing himself between the miko and the more enterprising players with his arms and legs spread out.

"I am not a violent man, but I feel like you are wasting everyone else's time with your... off-topic questions. Either resolve them now, or deal with me."

Lew awaited the first hit. His END was pretty high, and his STR was getting there, but he wasn't sure if these newer players had any high statistics to counter that. Should they attack him, Lew will only allow them to beat him until they tire or he's about an inch from his life. It wasn't like he was at a temple that could heal him or anything, anyway. Lew will also keep in mind not to make any overtly offensive attacks either seeing as he still had an impression to make towards the inhabitants of the temple. He will rely on his high stats to avoid or even muscle through any attacks made at him.

Well, that just complicated the simple 1v1, didn't it? Mags didn't exactly say to leave her out of altruism. No, it was her keen, divine intellect about MMO mobs. With no way to generate enmity, the frog would freely go after the most inconvenient target possible for them. Colour her surprised when Raime got pounced on, leaving Mags' fist with a dull ache and her mind utterly embarrassed that the frog boomed her like that.

The collision of flesh and bone made Mags realize something. The frog was, likely, heavily speed oriented. Her fist not crumbling into dust the moment the frog struck, at the very least, she wasn't outmatched in strength. Legs were stronger than arms, especially that of a frog. For Mags to take less than 10% of her life in one blow, that meant she had ten more hits. Nine more opportunities for dumb shit.

Then Raime, from what Mags could see, got crater'd. That kind of ruined her entire thought process. Maybe it was stronger than her after all. Mags didn't know the full extent of her strength, though. If she was lucky, she could also crater like that.

Well, that just meant it wouldn't be easy. She'd have to cut the frog's mobility in some way. A brief thought came over her. Would it work? Maybe, maybe not. It was better than shooting bolts that could be caught and thrown at the useful ranged DPS, at least.

She kicked off the ground once more, dashing towards the crater where Raime once stood. She leapt after the frog with two fists leading the way. This time, however, she wasn't aiming to strike the frog. No, she intended to grapple it back to the ground and keep it there. Then, with every ounce of strength she could muster, break its leg.

After all, she was a brawler. Not an honorable martial artist.

---

Everything hurt. He wanted to puke his guts out. The world was blurry. And this incessant ringing in his ears drowned out everything else.

Was this what dying felt like? Huh.

Raime couldn't do anything but writhe and bleed on the grass whispering a seemingly unending litany of curses both in English and Spanish. To be expected from someone with no prior experience to the pain brought by being ragdolled across the area by an explosion rivaling that of a high explosive howitzer shell. Made even more grueling as he was experiencing ALL of it in his [Zoned In] state. But as his mind was muddled by the amount of suffering he was in, all he managed to do was lift up a hand and flip off the froggy martial artist. "Puta." Before resuming to writhe and bleed some more.

Reaching into his pouch he grabs a [White Herb] and proceeds to ingest the thing. Hoping that it would help alleviate the pain.

---

---

Ari Reina Caladis(Theresa)

---

Her tail popped straight from shock as the guard accosted her from beyond her vision, the fur standing up and puffing her tail three times larger. A guard? So suddenly? In this part of the town? At this time and hour? At this very specific time she was pulling on a grate? As her mind went blank in panic, her mouthed opened, spewing out the words before she could think, her expression blank.

"I'm just going to get the rat that stole my money."

She blinked as she continued.

"Can you help me get it back?"

Amulak al Acturus (Stanislaw)
HP:173/200 MP:238/250 SP: 50/50

"Kurwa mac!" Amulak swore, reeling back in pain as the frogman somehow snatched Klein's bolt out of midair before shoving it through his fucking hand. God damn, even at a much reduced pain threshold, it hurt like a bitch. Fortunately, it didn't knock off too much HP, but his right hand was far less responsive now, and it'd likely inhibit his casting. Good thing he still had a working hand.

Still, Amulak mused as he started to fire up a Magic Bolt with his left hand, limb damage actually affecting how his character performed was fantastic tech. From a game design standpoint, he hoped that the main ways of healing it took place outside of combat, in order to give the tactical decision to cripple or maim more weight. From the standpoint of where he was right now, well, he was a tad less enthused.

Amulak applied another Mana Control to pump up his Magic Bolt, aiming carefully this time to ensure that the boss was distracted by Mags's assault before firing again.

aмeℓιa

_{HP: 110/110 - MP: 100/100 - SP: 100/100}
^{__________________________________}
Damn, Raime really got flung - and he didn't even take a direct hit! Ames wanted to reach out to the man and make sure he was okay, but the enemy was turning her way.

It was a bit chilling, having the frog's attention. As some of the dust cleared and Ames met the amphibian's eyes, she felt her body freeze up. The spookiness of looking at something dangerous so close overwhelmed the excitement of facing a strong enemy in a game. Ames gave the creature a shaky smile as if to say oops, did I do that. Then, she breathed out slowly through her nose, trying to melt away the figurative ice that held her limbs in place.

From the corner of her eyes she saw the rest of the party regrouping. As Mags and Amulak were going back on the offensive, Ames shifted in place. The warrior took a grounded stance, preparing a [Power Attack]. With no weapon and no levels, it looked way less intimidating than Ames hoped it would, but perhaps that could work to get advantage. It the frog was pissed at her she was out of luck, but if it changed tactics and went after the others attacking it, maybe she could pull off her delayed action!

...though she did feel a bit bad about wishing a giant frog man would attack one of her friends and not her.

To be honest, Klein should have played more defensively against the frogman. He should have stick with the squishy while the boss's abilities and capabilities are still an enigma to the whole group. And looking at how Raymond is literally squirming on the ground right now, Klein had just made a very large mistake. Still, the attack reveals some pieces of information about the boss. Firstly is its ungodly amount of strength. And secondly, its dexterity and athletic. While he knew that Magpie had reached the strength equivalent to 5 grown man combine, he was still under the notion that the crater was something not even 5 men could achieve in a single punch.

Underpower and heavily out-levels, Klein decided to position himself just in front of Amulak and Raymond. His stance is low. His right leg plants in front, declaring this small 3 to 3.5 meters circle to be Klein's ground. His spear places in front of him, raising upward to the oversize opponents, instead of over the shoulder for a strike, fully embracing his defensive role in this position. And with the frogman turning its back against him, Klein throws some thrusts toward its back. Left shoulder and right shoulder were the targets for the first two quick strikes before following with a lunge at the right hip and thigh.

“A rat. Stole. Your money.”

Each word from the guard had the hefty weight of disbelief upon it as he stared down at the catgirl. He swallowed, his beady eyes narrowing further.

“A rat.”

There was no doubt about it now. With artificial intelligence on par with human intelligence, with this situation at this time of day at this part of town, there was no way that Ari wouldn’t be a suspicious figure, especially not with a blatant lie like that. Who heard of vermin stealing money? People who listen to liars, that’s who.

After a brief silence, the guard sighed, exasperated.

“Listen, kid. Get outta there, get on the main road, leave the city, and go kill some monsters. You’ll make up whatever amount you ‘lost’ in just a couple minutes. I'll give you five seconds to scram. After that, it's to the outpost with you."
_@Greengoat

---

“Deal with you? Who the fuck even are you?”

“Yeah, bothering us when we’re just trynna learn about fantasy religions and all.”

“We’re trying to resolve our questions anyways. Just that we can’t get an answer when you’re cutting into the conversation so often.”

“Just piss off, edgelord.”

“I see you with that Naruto look!”

The three crowded around Lugh. Though he wasn’t of any particularly pathetic height, it was still a different sort of intimidation, being surrounded by other men. The one with the luscious locks stood tallest, glowering down upon him with righteous indignation, while the portly aristocrat was looking down his nose at the dark-haired warrior, though with diminished effect. The effeminate one, meanwhile, had already drawn his dagger, licking the length of it with a blue tongue.

But past them, Lugh could see the blue-haired priestess look at the trio, then at Lugh, then back at the trio, with mounting anxiety. She caught his gaze briefly, mouthed the word ‘sorry’ to him, before tenting her hands together. Over the belligerent half-threats of the trio, the mantra she spoke was inaudible.

The effects though, weren’t.

As the portly aristocrat closed in on Lugh, chest puffed out like a gorilla, Lugh noticed something. There was a square shaped hole in the player’s chest. His expression was frozen, and then, just like that, he collapsed, corpse dissolving into multi-colored pixels. His two companions were in a similar state, falling over mid-sentence and dissolving into nothingness. In the wake of their sudden deaths, three human hearts, suspended within translucent boxes in front of the priestess, dissolved into brilliant light as well.
The priestess dismissed them with a wave, a flicker of ruefulness still in her almond-shaped eyes, and she turned her gaze onto Lugh.

“I’m sorry you had to see such an unsightly situation resolve itself the way it did,” she said. “We at Shin-Yu Temple do what we can to treat all lives with equal respect, but, well, Immortals can be stubborn, and sometimes, only an honest death can change them.”

One of the Immortals loitering at the gravel gardens chuckled. It didn’t seem like an uncommon occurrence at the Temple.

“Could I inquire as to why you’re visiting? Are you here to join the faith, or…”
_{@Cu Chulainn}

---

In his pain, Raime struggled with his item bag, jamming a plant in his mouth and chewing on it. Even the action of doing that was painful, his jaw aching as teeth collided with teeth, the impact tenderizing his brain as he bit into it. None of his resources were increased by the act of eating, but, through the pain, he did get a slight taste of cool plant juice coating his tongue. The pain faded after another second or two, vanishing almost as swiftly as it came.

Was this herb a painkiller? Or was the pain that one felt after an attack something that disappeared afterwards, with no lingering agony to speak of? Further research may have to be done, but first off, the ranger had to get off his butt and start helping out his friends!

And they certainly needed his help soon.

As energy gathered into Ames’s right fist, SP draining and turning into physical power, the frogman stared deep into the red-haired warrior’s eyes, letting out a content croak. It read his intention, clear as day, either through the grounded body language or the fear that had momentarily overcome the unarmed warrior. Instead of striking then, he twisted around, bulbous eyes trained right upon Magpie! The brawler had no stealth, after all, and though there was no doubting her speed or her strength, she had made a fatal miscalculation.

The frogman hadn’t used his full power in their first exchange, because what was the value of a stepping stool that was simply kicked away?

In mid-air, even if she could see it coming, the only thing she could do was block. A vicious roundhouse kick, cracking the air itself, struck Magpie below her ribcage. It rocked her body, made her organs feel like mush, and shot her thirty meters towards the Pearl Bloom River. She skipped over the water’s surface once, twice, and then sank below the waves, 58 damage dealt in a devastating strike.

And yet, that kick was an opportunity for yet another party member. Klein, though underleveled, knew an opening when he saw one. Gamer instincts kicked in while Magpie went flying, and his spear shot out at the frogman’s exposed back, the piercing point empowered by strength equal to two men. His flame-like tattoos glowed, warming his body in satisfaction as the first thrust dug the monster’s shoulder. It was like stabbing into an ancient oak, only the tip piercing through skin, but the trickle of dark blood was satisfying nonetheless. The frogman reacted as the spear drew back for a second quick thrust, his hammer fist slamming the spear off-course while his knife-hand swung out for a neck chop.

A neck chop repelled by Amulak’s boosted Bolt.

The mage had threaded the needle once more, his spell’s impact driving the frogman’s hand away just in time for Klein to lunge in! Primitive as it may have been, the edge was still sharp enough to bleed the amphibian martial artist, and the frogman twisted out of the way as the spearhead grazed his right side. He showed his gums, the facsimile of a smile, at the valor of this party, before closing in.

Just like how a wide kick had left him vulnerable, so had Klein’s deep lunge.

At point-blank range with the tattooed beefcake, the frogman’s open hand snapped out, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him upwards, almost in defiance towards whatever stance Klein took. He slammed him into the ground once, twice, bone-rattling impacts that dealt 61 damage combined and, as Klein’s world turned into a dizzied mess, flung him like a bowling ball towards the charging-up Ames.

If they collided, there would be no frontline to speak of!
_{@Searat@Psyker Landshark@Yankee@OwO@Shovel}

---

The pain was slowly ebbed away from his senses after eating the herb. Raime was unsure if it was the effect of the herb to numb the pain or it was just his brain getting used to the pain he was in. Maybe it was a little of both? Regardless, he stopped writhing in pain and finally managed to get on his knees. Only for him to see the frogman martial artist make short work of his friends. It was made clear that fighting this thing wasn't a fight. Not at all. It was a one-sided battle. Every desperate attack they tried to use against him was ineffective, or even used against them. Not even the spear did anything significant. Only managing to just barely cut its slimy skin to make it bleed.

If nothing changed in the next few minutes, they'd all be dead.

Raime shut his eyes and accepted what needed to be done to even give his friends a chance at attaining victory.

"I have no other options." He muttered to himself, steeling his will for what he was about to do for the sake of that chance. He was the fastest among all his party mates. He would go as far as to even compare his speed to that of a mid-range sports car. He positioned himself to a runner's set position. He was far enough for him to reach his maximum speed by the halfway point between him and the boss monster. He'd seen the devastation wrought upon high-speed impacts from the news and the internet. His body trembled as he could only imagine the hellish pain he was going to force himself to endure. In the end, it was all he could hope for. But if pain was the price to pay to give them any hope of defeating this monster, he will pay it in full.

He dug deep. Glaring at his target before launching himself forward at breakneck speeds in a fraction of a second. It did not take long for the ranger to reach his maximum speed beelining towards the monster. This was their one-shot to victory and, if fate allowed it, Raime would be their infallible spear that will pierce the very heavens itself if need be.

---

---

Mags was wrong. The frog was just strong enough to not even have to give a shit about Mags. The kick that could shatter the bones of an ordinary man sent her further than a direct collision by a 2003 Ford Fiesta. Even at 10% pain, she could feel her innards liquefy and slosh around. Had she not invested in health and endurance, she would have just crumbled into dust right then and there. She couldn't even think as she went flying through the air, nor could she think as her battered body skipped more times than a human should.

The cold water brought her back to her senses. If this was some sort of anime, the scene would unfold beautifully. She'd open her eyes underwater. A vast blue, only changing as the sun penetrated the surface. In front of her would be some sort of spiritual symbol. A younger version of herself. The friends she made along the way. Her drowning corpse. The frog itself. Something that'd give a philosophy lesson to her. Unlock her hidden potential. Ka ka kachi daze and enter ultra instinct. Something along those lines. A life changing moment that'd completely change the flow of a fight.

Instead, she got a fish that quickly swam away. It wasn't even a large one. It was like a sardine.

Ruining the moment of solemn introspection saved only for the protagonists in dire straits, Mags didn't swim in the river water. She didn't exactly know how to. Her body felt heavier in the water, more so than in real life. The fat she had in real life was pretty buoyant, after all. She chose to walk along the bottom of the river, back into the fight. She could have easily left the fight. Told her friends that the kick knocked her out and she floated down the river. She couldn't do this. She wouldn't let herself. Not because she'd be sentencing them to death, of course. Fuck 'em, they could die. No, this was 100% pure ego. Running away would make her a baby back bitch.

She emerged from the water as mad as ever. Pounding her own chest and yelling back at the group.

"Lightweight, baby! Lightweight!" Came her warcry, a response from being hit so hard that she was sent skipping. It wasn't lightweight at all.

Picking up a rock from the riverbank, she quickly pitched it towards the overgrown frog. Instantly, she turned to taunts. Her face contorted into a bizarre facsimile of a frog doing the same exact facsimile of a human smile he was doing. It wasn't exactly accurate, but it'd probably get the picture. Next, she did the chicken dance again. What once worked on Ames and the others (it didn't) had to work on the frog. Finally, she took pose. A martial stance reminiscent of the strongest martial artist in the world. One arm down. One held tight beside the face. Body angled.

Only two words came to mind.

Tiger.

Drop.

Ari Reina Caladis(Theresa)

---

"Eeeeeh~?" She looked at the guard incredulously. "There's youkai everywhere and a rat stealing my money is unbelievable!? Ah, I can't believe the guards of this place are so unhelpful!"

It was time to double down, and deflect blame onto the guard instead. Ari was not the one at fault for trespassing, it was now their fault for not helping her. Whether it worked or not was up in the air, but she was piling lies after lies, so there should be a foundation of which she can fall back to when found like this. After all, if word reaches the group of whose lair she was trying to enter, they would inevitable clam up.

"And to call me a kid! Hmph! I get it, I'll go. Bet you'd sneak in and catch the rat to keep my money for yourself once I'm far away too."

Ari's heart was beating faster. Was it fear from being found out or having her plan backfire somehow? Or was it from the sheer thrill of her 'stealth' gameplay. She did not know, but it was quite an exhilarating feeling. If there was a sewer system, then there would be another mean of entrance. Surely there can't be only one way to enter the system. She had wanted to go through the grate because it was the fastest route in, but now that she was discovered, a manhole somewhere would be her best bet.

Turning around, she walked away as if to take his advice, eyeing the guard as she made her way out of his sight to begin another search.

aмeℓιa

_{HP: 110/110 - MP: 100/100 - SP: 90/100}
^{__________________________________}
The look in the frogman's eyes... was it the spirit of a true martial artist? The kind of feeling you could only get a glimpse of in watching two combatants fight, and only fully experience when you were one of those combatants. That look melted away the ice faster than Ames herself ever could, but she was still nervous as a level one noob facing down a gigantic opponent. Thankfully, Magpie in all her malicious glory stole those eyes away from Ames. The warrior swallowed down a weird, foreign feeling of loss that came from nowhere and rushed forward herself, intent on using the opening. The shock of Amulak's spell and the reach of Klein's spear reached the frog first, but Ames was still pushing forward even while their largest party member was getting his skull cracked. When said party member came hurtling towards her, Ames suddenly came to a stop.

I am not about to get bowled over again! she thought. Ames gritted her teeth and skidded to a halt, spreading her arms as wide as possible. She used the built up strength of her power attack to catch Klein. Her arms barely made it around the man, but she stayed upright this time even as the two of them slid back from the sheer momentum of Klein being thrown. Once they came to a stop, Ames deposited the man onto the ground. It was really a shame they didn't have any potions or anything like that, but Klein would have to make due with two quick pats on the shoulder before Ames jumped back into the fray.

Mags was making some commotion and Raime was... Raime was...?!

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ames balked at the man making himself into a missile. It was certainly an impressive sight, but she couldn't see it working out well for him. Maybe she wouldn't be the first of their party to die after all. Aaah morbid thought.

Ames raced after Raime, although the other man's speed was greater than hers. While Raime's aim seemed to be just hitting the frog at full force in any way possible, Ames began charging another [Power Attack]. She expected that the agile frog would just dodge Raime's attack, and at the moment Ames would throw a fist at the creature's weak points - the stomach area, striking an organ would be good. She'd dissected enough frogs in high school to roughly know where they ought to be.

---

Rather than shocked at the brutal tactic utilized to take out these Immortals, Lew was more impressed than anything. It also helped that his attackers were all animated thanks to his "anime" setting being on. Even then, not much would have shocked him, for he has seen much worse happen in the degeneracy that he normally consumes. All this had shown him was another hidden power of creating barriers in the field in such a matter, which added to his general excitement towards becoming a Kekkaishi.

Turning back to the Priestess, he decided to do something less formal as a show of thanks rather than prostrating himself, giving a formal bow instead.

"It's quite alright. I only expected such an outcome to occur, as I did do what I did partially to force someone's hand. At the same time, I did wish to, uh... use that beating in order to further my training?"

Lew, realizing he's starting to sound weird again, raises himself up and nods in response to her inquiry.

"Yes, I do intend to join the faith. Most of my friends are warriors in one way or another, but I am unable to defend them in my current state. I wish to join the temple in order to further my skills in protecting my friends from the monsters roaming the wilds. More specifically, I do wish to begin my training as a... Kekkaishi, was it? It's why I was hoping I would have received a proper beating, as I haven't quite met the threshold yet to reach the class. That said, I'm fine with undertaking whatever occupation you all believe would fit best for me, as I also intend to learn as much as I can from the faith. Please treat me as an empty vessel, willing to be filled with whatever it is you wish to make of me."

Lew bowed once more, resisting the urge to apply palm to face once his head was completely down once he realized what he just said.

Amulak al Acturus (Stanislaw)
HP:173/200 MP:226/250 SP: 50/50

Jesus Christ, this thing was mulching them. The sheer amount of shit they were eating from one frogman was starting to get worrying, especially considering the amount of damage a simple throw did to both Mags and Klein. What was even worse was that everyone else was now literally hurling themselves at the boss, preventing him from getting a shot off.

Considering that he was fairly sure this game had friendly fire to at least some degree, Amulak refrained from casting immediately, instead prepping his Mana Control as he started flanking the boss, searching for an angle to fire at that wouldn't hit one of his party members with a magic missile.

"Very annoying having to make sure I do not hit you! Please consider being more considerate of your ranged DPS in future, yeah?!" Amulak called out towards the rest of the group, firing off his Mana Controlled Magic Bolt at the boss's side.

Despite being a simulation, Klein's brain reacted just as if it was hurled across the sky. Act on its own will, his body curled into a ball, bracing for the imminent impact against the ground. And while a part of him wants to see how much damage he would take, his hands had already covered most of his face, deeming the sacrifice of these limbs a good trade-off in order to ensure his protection.

But such trade-off was never needed as Klein found himself being caught by Ames.

"Wow, my hero," Klein says jokingly to Ames, who just waste his channeling time to save Klein from getting a few more scars. But just as he was about to crack some more jokes, a gust of winds blew across his face, reminding him of the dire situation they currently in. Well, maybe not too dire in the sense that they can redo it as long as they want. But the thought of just wasting 3 hours without save sends chills and disappointment down his spine.

But without a lack of understanding of what Raime's trying to accomplish, Klein just assumed the human missile is doing something impressive. And it is Klein's duty as a tank to give his teammates the opportunity to do so.

So, grabbing the spear that was knock off from him not so long ago, the barbarian begins to run after the humanoid wind. But this time, instead of getting into the proper forms and stuff, he just ran to build up some momentum before lunging to the air and try to grapple the frogs from behind. In Klein's imagination, both of his arms would go under the frogman's arms before raising the spear under its jaw, strangling it from behind. Meanwhile, his legs would lock himself onto the frog, preventing him from being thrown off of its back.

"Kill it," Klein shouts, knowing full well that the more damage he took, the stronger his passive become.

The guard glared at Ari, his mood shifting from slightly annoyed to visibly irritated. If he were more corrupt, perhaps he’d ring her in on trumped-up charges and see how much she enjoyed a day in the pillories, but Immortals were creatures not of the world. Chances were high any punishment, once processed, would simply be avoided by them ascending to the Greater Realm. Most city-states didn’t bother with minor punishments thus, and he settled for shooing her off instead, waving his hand dismissively as one would to a mosquito or a fruit fly.

Unmolested by the iron hand of the law, the catgirl adventurer was free to continue her adventure along the sewage river, the smell of weird, disgusting things becoming more intense as she continued further along. Was her heart beating faster due to the smell of adventure? Or was this a strange physiological reaction to all the new, gross smells that she was now exposed to? The path became an incline soon enough, the ramshackled buildings that flanked the river forming an almost canyon-like setting. The sun had shifted, and long shadows stretched into the river. Here, there were no adjacent streets for random guards to spot her from, and while Ari had yet to chance upon a manhole, she could hear something else.

The trickling of rancid water, splattering into the river below.

Over the side of the walkway she strode upon, there was another four foot wide tunnel, leaking out water that joined the river below. Though there was no ledge for her to stand up while crawling inside, there was no grate either. So long as she could maneuver herself into the gap in the wall, Ari should be able to get access to some sort of sewer system.

On the other hand though, she was now a good fifteen minute walk away from the initial entrance to the hideout.
_@Greengoat

---

The blue-haired priestess nodded sagely, completely understanding of Lugh’s pure intentions regarding his desire to further hone his spirit through physical duress. Returning his bow with her own, though much more shallowly than he did in order to observe her higher status as a religious figure, she waited for the Immortal’s spiel to continue, before smiling.

“It’s a noble cause that you have chosen to partake in,” she spoke. “Though many come to the temple in search of training in the mystical and martial arts, few are those willing also to truly engage in the faith of the Lady of the Alabaster Scales. We, at the Shin-Yu Temple, will be happy to train you. Before you begin your initiation, however, how do you wish to be addressed?”

Whether through sheltered naivety or simple kindness, the priestess didn’t seem all too perturbed by Lugh’s rather pretentious language. Perhaps it’s just part and parcel for the clergy?
_{@Cu Chulainn}

---

They had collided after all, and the frogman did not let even an instant of that opportunity slip past. While Ames scored points with Klein, the monster sprung off, shooting towards Amulak even as the mage tried to gather up mana for another arcane blast.

By himself, there was never enough time. His AGI was insufficient, his opponent a blur of slick skin that promised to crack his skull open.

But once again, there was someone willing to be a shield. Of the party, only Raime, his stamina burning away to continue the acceleration of his body, could match the frogman in speed. His agility spurred him onwards, further than ever before. His dexterity guided his steps, ensuring that his path was set. Grass flew up into the air and he intercepted the monster like an arrow, leaping out moments before impact to transition into a flying shoulder tackle.

The frogman, however, had caught arrows before. And Raime was but a ranger, unskilled in the nuances of close quarters combat.

The ranger’s world exploded in white light.

Changing targets, the frogman, with superior reach due to his inhuman size, clenched his right fist and buried it into Raime’s face. The closest to Raime, Klein, could see the gory details in unabashedly gruesome realistic detail. He had not been fast enough to catch the frogman before the ranger was able to charge in, and now, he could see Raime’s nose be pushed into his face, four of his front teeth embedded into the frogman’s fist in a symbol of pathetic defiance. The ranger flipped four times in the air and crashed into the ground, 92 damage dealt as his sacrificial charge only served to empower the frogman’s punch.

Prone and crippled by pain, Raime was wholly defenseless as the frogman raised his foot up high into the air for a finishing stomp. Before it could be delivered, Klein barreled in, his physical size doing more to restrain his foe than his actual strength. It was like trying to stop a horse, so mismatched were their respective Strength attributes, but Ames, red-headed and brimming with energy, circled around as well, taking one side as Amulak took the other. Power Attack and Mana Bolt landed on opposite sides of the frogman, scorch marks and the beginnings of a bruise forming on his skin.

Perhaps he will leave the ranger for another time.

The raised leg, once prepped for a stomp, whipped out towards Ames instead, cracking the warrior on the cheek with a blow that was more swift that damaging. He twisted away from the strike, absorbing 24 damage as system-guided reflexes kicked in to carry him out of the frogman’s range.

A translucent slime slipped out from his skin next, cold and gross where Klein’s body contacted with it. The grappler could see it coming, but he couldn’t prepare for it in time; with a twist of his body, the frogman slipped out of his grasp, spinning into a throat chop that connected right upon the Adam’s apple for 29 damage. The sharp pain didn’t cripple Klein, but his sudden inability to breathe air was plenty disturbing, and the force of the strike was almost enough for him to drop his spear and clutch at his throat.

The frogman turned, once more, towards Amulak, his intentions deadly clear.

A rock bounced by his feet.

How many times can a mage be saved by the actions of his companions, really?

Emerging from the Pearl Bloom River, her clothes clinging to her skin and her hair masking her face, Magpie screamed out, danced, and finally, struck a new pose. A familiar pose. A nostalgic pose. The pose that so many Immortals struck, the pose of an peerless warrior within the Greater Realm. Her virtual veins sang, her heart beat its war chant, and in that moment, a nayuta of synapse fired, enlightenment granted within this act of audacious showboating.


The ground shattered underneath the frogman’s leap and the air itself was sliced in the wake of his crescent kick, as he flew towards Magpie with a beheading blow.
_{@Searat@Psyker Landshark@Yankee@OwO@Shovel}

With a guttural war cry, the ground around Mags turned to flattened sandstone and brackish water washed over her feet. This was her arena. It was her fight. This was her awakening. It would have been more poetic if it had occurred in the river, but the sudden enlightenment as a frog leapt at her was kino enough.

Maybe a tiger drop was a bit audacious to pull against the frog as it sailed through the air in an arc, froggy heel aimed at her skull.

She really didn't want to get hit by it. Lemons into lemonade and counter into different counter, Mags thought about it that way. If the frog was in the air, it couldn't reposition again. After all, it couldn't double jump, could it? Rather than dodging away or protecting herself with her arms, she moved into the storm and charged forward. Her body twisted, turning 180 degrees to ensure her body would accept the motion without breaking. Her hands were where her head once was, moving into the path of the kick as best as she could. The second the frog would hit her hands, she would clasp them around its foot and ankle as best she could. Use its own strength and speed against it as she would try to slam the frog into hard stone.

It was sink or swim. Well, stand or drown in a very small depth of water.

---

And just like that. It was over.
He should have known better. If the frogman could dodge small fast moving projectiles, what chance did he have in landing a hit? But, for what little it mattered, he managed to buy his comrades a little bit more time. He wasn't sure what else happened afterwards. Everything turned white as his body impacted the ground with a dull thud. Raymond would have liked to say that he struggled to keep his consciousness and persistently defied the frogman, but that was contrary to fact. As soon as he hit the ground he was out like a light. His body went deathly still. One could have easily assumed that he had died then and there.

But after a few seconds after falling unconscious, the game threw him back into the fray of combat. Drilling his brain with a dizzying amount of pain. Far worse than when he was blow away by the fire punch earlier. He couldn't even scream properly as his injuries left him with his mouth agape. Locked in a soundless scream as a mixture of blood, saliva, mucus filling his nasal passages restricted his vocalizations to gurgles and violent coughing fits where he spat out the vile mixture onto the grass beneath him. With little else to do, he desparately reaches into his pouch to ingest more of the pain killing plant. Even risking an overdose just to stop the pain.

---

---