.Hack//WORLD

Cookie Five: What the Hell is "Sanjuro"?

The trio made their way into a room where a NPC awaited them. The rules are simple really. Either you receive a question and answer, thus opening a path to go further, or you could answer wrong and fight monsters or return to the beginning. There are also multiple choice questions, in which you get a question and you fill in the blanks by taking one of the three paths before you. Each is assigned an answer and the same rules, and consequences apply. Janx and the other two filed into the room.

Question: A ---- saved is a ---- earned.

"That's a stupid question." Bob said clutching his head. "It's the first one so it's gonna be easy." Janx said with a shrug and a sigh. "It's a penny so lets go east to enter our answer." Silver HeArT stated moving to the left path. Janx grabs her by her hood and she turns in anger. "Why'd you do that?" Silver HeArT shouted.

"East is to the left. West is the one to the right." Janx explained as Silver HeArT lowered her head in embarrassment. "Oh. Uh, thanks." Silver HeArT muttered as she walked slowly to the exit to the right. Bob and Janx glance at one another and go the same way.

The three arrived at the next room and they came to another NPC. What would this one be?

Question: Eye of Dark.

The three players looked to one another in confusion. That didn't make any sense to them, but still they had to try an answer. "It's a riddle right?" Bob asked scratching his head. "Does this stand for something else?" Silver HeArT questioned. "I bet, but what?" Janx concluded. "What would 'Eye of Dark' represent though?" He continued. The other two gave a shrug as Janx was in deep thought. "I know what it is." Janx finished as the other two turned to him. "What is it?" Silver HeArT asked.

"A black hole of course." Janx said with a sigh as the path ahead opened up. "See." Janx said bragging. "What does a path opening mean anyway?" Bob questioned. "It could very well be that we answered wrong and by going through that door we end up back at the beginning, or maybe a powerful monster on other side." Bob explained in a depressing tone. A depressing tone from the one who is usually perky isn't uplifting.

"Don't jinx us idiot!" Janx demanded as he walked to the north path. "So we may as well go in and find out." He said in a calm manner. Silver HeArT nodded her head and joined Janx at that end of the room. "I trust Janx's judgement." She stated as Bob came over as well. "I didn't mean to undermine your authority boss." Bob apologized. "Uh." Janx expressed confused. "Don't think to much." Janx said before he left the room and the two followed.

* * *

Back in the root town of the delta server was the Wavemaster Mistral. She stood with a male Wavemaster with medium length black hair. "Wow this is a good item. Why are you giving it up?" The Wavemaster asked to Mistral. "I already got a similar wand from some Twin Blade so I don't need this one, but I do want that hat you have. I've never even heard of it." Mistral replied with pep.

"It's not that great of a hat though. I mean it's only level five." The boy replied. Mistral shook her head. "No that won't do. I want that hat." Mistral replied with force behind her words. The boy rubbed the back of his head with his hand nervously. "Okay. Your charming voice has persuaded me." The boy returned.

The two traded items, and the boy equipped his new wand. "Thanks for the wa-" The boy began but stopped after noticing she was gone. He gave a chuckle and moved on. "She wasn't worth the trouble anyway. I wonder if there's any hot girls here." The boy said moving for the bridge looking for female players. "It's so hard when some guys like to play as girl characters." The boy said as he cringed at the thought of meeting one. "Aren't there any girls out there for me?" he said with a smirk and walked on.

* * *

Janx and his party arrived on the second basement and entered the room to another NPC. They were relieved they hadn't gotten wrong yet. They had to fight a monster, but that was only to get to the next floor. They worked pretty well as a team. Janx would attack from behind, and Bob would from the front. All the while Silver HeArT healed the others and waited to see if she needed to use her magic attacks if needed.

Question: Early to ---- early to rise.

"Another Ben Franklin quote?" Janx asked. The three without thinking went for the north path that was designated as "Bed". They came into another room with another NPC.

Question: Samurai of Yojimbo

The three stood motionless for a few moments. "Uh, what's a Yojimbo?" Bob asked to no one in particular. Janx scratched his head and looked to Silver HeArT who was all starry-eyed. "What's up Silver HeArT?" Janx asked to the girl who seemed ecstatic. "I know the answer." She said with glee and a wink. Janx was taken aback by the look of her face as was Bob. "What's up?" She wondered. "Did you guys not expect me to know that answer?" She continued.

"Uh. No. Not at all." Janx stated as did Bob. "Maybe you should answer it so we could continue." Janx continued to say and Bob didn't. She nodded in response and looked to the closed door ahead. "Well, the character was Sanjuro, but the actor was Toshiro Mifune." She stated as the path opened up ahead. She went for the path and the two followed.

* * *

Flora was at the grunty shop in the Theta root town of Dun Loireag. She was playing around, and taking care of a baby grunty there. She was laughing and smiling and the grunty was having fun too. Jaga had stopped over on the wooden bridge and watched her. He didn't see how she would help him against that strong monster. She didn't seem any bit stronger than him. She actually looked pretty weak from where he stood. He turned away and walked back for the rest of the town.

* * *

Silver HeArT brought the two boys into the final room. The contest dungeons are only three basements, and have three question rooms and one monster room usually. So far Janx and Silver HeArT are the only two who have answered any questions. Bob really didn't do much of anything but fight.

Question: ---- is the sweetest side of drama.

"Ah." Janx began, but stopped. He looked to Silver HeArT thinking she knew the answer. She shrugged and shook her head. Suddenly Bob was laughing. "You know the answer then?" Janx questioned. Bob gave him a smirk and a nod. "Boss, the answer is romance." Bob stated as the final passageway opened. The two looked at him surprised. "Let's go get our prizes then TB." Bob said running off for the door. The other two glanced at one another and followed.

They entered the next room to find a magic portal. It opened up and from it come two hovering coffin monsters. Silver HeArT stayed to the back as Bob ran at the one and Janx at the other. "Thunder Coil!" Janx shouted striking the monster with his attack. The beast kept alive and used magic on Silver HeArT practically killing her. "Silver HeArT!" Janx shouted and hit the beast with his Saber Dance. "Do I need to use Rip Mean?" Janx asked after killing the beast and turning to her.

"Not needed." She returned as Bob was using a healing potion on her. Janx faltered and fell to the ground. "Are you poisoned?" Silver HeArT questioned as Janx picked himself up. "Uh, no. Must've nodded off or something." Janx replied nervously and used a spell to paralyze the monster. Bob ran over and struck it multiple times killing it. The field is cleared and battle mode is off.

The three regroup. "La Repth!" Silver HeArT heals the group. The two give their thanks and walk to the other end of the room. "So what did we win?" Janx questioned. "Oh hey! That outfit is adorable!" Silver HeArT exclaimed as she took the robes and hat. The two guys let it slide and Janx snatched a Long Arm weapon and a Golden Grunty. Bob was left with two Rainbow Cards, and a Heavy Blade weapon.

* * *

The three came back to the Lambda server soon after and while Bob and Silver HeArT were excited Janx wasn't all that much. "What's up Boss?" Bob asked to the Twin Blade. Janx snapped out of his thoughts. "Huh? Oh nothing. See you guys later." Janx said running away into the town. The other two looked to one another and shrugged. "The Boss is acting weird. Anyway" Bob coughed. "I hope to see you again miss." Bob said logging out. Silver HeArT stood by the Chaos Gate and looked out into town to see Janx just standing about. "That was weird of him." She commented before logging out as well.

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Thanks again to Dark Stri(Thanks for increasing the score) and to Kadros Minion of Time(I know of the past/present switch thing, and I can't seem to find where you told me it should be Janx questioned so either I may have fixed it on my side)