Outcast lost in RuneMidgard Chapter 27: Bargain, a ragnarok online fanfic

Hi this is Benji Himura I am starting a new fanfic

Hi this is Benji Himura I am starting a new fanfic. I don't own Ragnarok online I also don't own the characters of that story or the plot; taking out the changes that I will make and the characters that I will create. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

Text: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

Text: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter twenty six: Bargain

Benji had to admit that Rachel wasn't everything that the thought that would be, sure it was a rather beautiful town, it had plenty of water there, he could smell it, but he was expecting it to be a harbor town, he learned that he would need two more days south to reach Veins that is the harbor town, from there he would have to get a boat to take him to Rune-Midgard, and that trip will take months.

And to make matters worse Benji was two weeks late to the departure of the boat, meaning that it would take two months for the next one to depart. On the upside Benji, the futanari and the guides managed to teach some English for the sacrifice girl, meaning that she isn't as unruly as she was, Benji even learned her name and the girl wasn't as scared of him as she used to.

Other than that Benji was left alone with his new charges in the capital, the people of Pentas fulfilled their promise of taking him to the capital, their responsibility ended there. With a sigh Benji fishes a letter from his inventory; Seri was kind enough to write a letter of recommendation for him, foreseeing him being stuck in the city for a while.

With no other choice Benji moves to the Freya's church to ask for asylum for a while, at least until he can find some job and can pay for a short term housing for himself and the two with him.

"I was expecting it to be fancy but this is way too much." The futanari commented when they enter on the church, Benji wasn't surprised, from what he learned that building was almost what the Vatican was on his world, fanciness was to be expected. "We are underdressed aren't we?"

"A little." Benji replied, sure he was still wearing his original clothes and cloak, now properly made cloak by Seri and the others of Freya's church in Pentas, needless to say that the clothes looked very worn out, Mai, the futanari was wearing Arabian like clothes for women and with the same heavy hooded cloak that she used when attacking Pentas, the torn parts were sewed but still looked old.

And lastly Aysu the former sacrifice, since her original clothes were taken by the people of Pentas Benji had to scare a lot of people and flex a lot of muscle to get it all back, but they were take apart and the mending together of the church didn't make up, in the end she was forced to wear a spare outfit from Seri with the addition of a cloak and a long headscarf to act as hood and mask to protect her from the scorching sunlight, and because of that she was the one better dressed of the trio, even though her clothes show how worn out it was from the long journey.

Taking out his not so new headgear Benji walks inside the church followed by Aysu and Mai. Benji greets the priestess that is in the entry, with a short explanation Benji and the two are taken to another area of the church. "Shousa?!" a feminine voice exclaimed. Benji's reaction was a shock to everyone.

His unnamed sword's tip is resting inside a dark blue haired girl slightly open mouth, ready to kill the girl at the smallest gesture. Benji's face was a mask of stone, not displaying any kind of emotion.

Benji's grip on his sword is firm, both hands totally still and the blade isn't wavering at all, because the horizontal position of the blade his wrists are crossed as his left hand is behind his right hand, and the sword hilt is directed to his right side.

With an explosive movement Benji's left hand let go of the hilt and Benji slams the back of his closed hand and fore arm against a blade, a mass of sparks flies in the air followed by the sound of metal against metal, one pair of blades erupts from Benji's forearms with a sword's edge between them. With a smooth, flowing and strong movement of his wrist, arm and shoulder Benji not only locks the blade between his, but tears the sword from the hands of the stunned wielder.

Snapping his left wrist Benji releases the sword launching it on the air before grabbing it by the blade and smacking the hilt on the top of the former wielder's head, and during all that his unnamed sword's blade didn't even wavered. "Gaaahhh umfoyr magaaahhh kkuuuzzsaaaa…" the girl with the sword in the mouth tried to say, frowning a little and pushing the blade with her tongue a bit, she repeats herself. "You got faster reflexes Shousa…" She said now legibly, but still hard to understand. "uhhh…when you last cleaned this sword anyway?"

"Who said that I ever did?" Benji replied in a cold voice. "Why are you here Luna? How in the world you knew where to find me?" Drooling uncomfortably Luna looks at him. "Mind in taking this out of mouth? Is hard to speak without cutting myself." She pleaded. "Do I have to mention the embarrassment?"

"As if I am stupid enough to let a songstress like you with freedom to speak." Benji replied icily. "If helps I have plugs here." Luna said pulling something from her pockets and offers to him, she isn't really surprised with Benji's reactions. Benji takes the plugs and puts them on with his left hand, his sword still held on Luna's mouth with his right hand.

"If was anyone else I would be really mad." Luna commented looking at Benji after he pulls his sword from her mouth. "Anyway I didn't know that you were here, I came on a contract with her." Then Benji pays more attention to the girl that he had hit earlier. "You know if she is an attacker, the level back there fell a lot since I left." Benji commented looking at the still dizzy young woman.

"Not everyone was blessed with a built as yours." Luna replied casually. "And Saya is good attacker; she got twenty seconds above of your best time." "Can anyone explain what is going on?" A priest asked to Benji and Luna. "It was just a misunderstanding among old acquaintances." Luna replied with a smile. "Nothing serious, this is almost like a greeting among our old group. Just give us few minutes father."

Aysu and Mai look at Luna, the girl wasn't wearing modest clothes, her short skirt was just centimeters away of not covering anything and her top barely covered her young body, her dark blue hair tied in a spiked style and her skin very white, even more than Mai's, Luna was very small the top of her head almost didn't reach the middle of Benji's chest, they couldn't understand why Benji held such a tiny girl as a threat, the girl in black clothes and with red and black two tone hair, wearing a light armor who was holding the sword, now that they could see as a threat.

"So what you are doing here?" Luna asked to Benji. "It took me three months to get here by boat to act on this contract." Benji sighed before answering. "An accident four months ago. I was transported to a desert months away from here." Benji points to Aysu and Mai with his thumb. "And I got two strays attached to me along the way."

Luna chuckled at that. "And now you are stuck here until you get a boat out of here." She commented casually, Benji nodded confirming. "So Shousa, if I offered you a ride back, what would you think?" "And what exactly that would cost?" Benji asked raising an eyebrow at the offer.

"Your services as front attacker." Luna answered with a smile. "While I am confident that Saya can deal with this, I want her to see her predecessor in action; she is after all the new promise of the clan." Benji eyes the still fallen girl. "I really don't see that." Benji commented. "She just got a little slap and is still out of service."

"Not everyone has a thick skull as you and the others you know?" Luna teased. "And I am offering you a free trip back home in a private ship, no fees at all, and let's add this, I won't tell this to the manager if you don't." "Now I can agree with that." Benji replied thoughtfully. "Junko is a pain."

"So we have a deal? You help us to kill this threat and we give you and your strays a trip back to Glast Heim city." Luna asked. Benji was going to accept, Glast Heim city was just three hours away from Glast Heim dungeon on foot, and that was two weeks away from Geffen, and Glast Heim dungeon has a Kafra that can warp them to Amatsu.

"As long Junko and the others doesn't hear about this we have." Benji answered. "That is easy, I can make Saya keep quiet about this." Luna replied with a smile, with Benji there the whole mission will be a walk in the park.

"So mind in dragging my partner or I have do suffer to do it?" Luna asked to Benji while pointing to Saya. "I guess that I can give you a hand with that." Benji replied grabbing Saya's right ankle and dragging her away, following the priests.

Twenty minutes later after Benji and his companions are given a room Benji visits Luna. "So what is the contract anyway?" Benji asked after Luna let him in. "There is a strong monster that is rampaging on the area between Rachel and Veins, a very strong monster." Luna answered. "We have to kill it."

"Luna!" Saya exclaimed angrily, she had recovered her full conscience few minutes earlier and wasn't supporting the alliance at all. "He is a traitor! You shouldn't trust on him!" Benji chuckled at that. "Junko is still pissed?" He asked casually. "Yes, and she isn't the only one." Luna replied.

Benji turned serious and sighed. "How did Shiranui take it?" Benji asked in a concerned tone. "Very bad." Luna answered honestly. "It broke her heart you know it? It wasn't even because you left her behind, but because you never asked her to go with you."

Benji sighed. "You remember very well how I was then." Benji said seriously. "I hardly had enough emotional condition to take care of myself, much less of others, the ones that followed me in the desertion did because they could take care of themselves."

"That might be true, but she is still a woman." Luna replied seriously. "That kind of hurt isn't forgotten by us. And don't you think that we haven't heard about you, it is kind of hard not to. It took you seven months after you deserted to find stability, why you haven't at least sent her a letter?"

"Hello? Having a guild isn't the same of having stability in my life." Benji said with a not so small dose of sarcasm. "And just when I thought that I would get some stability both mental and physical I am sent to the middle of a desert in the middle of the nowhere! You have any idea of how I hate deserts?!"

Luna knew, back in the days she heard him complaining about them, and he had reasons to. "And now you are months away from your guild, what you will do next?" Luna asked. "Longer you let things hanging more she will hate you." "I cross that bridge later." Benji replied flatly with a weary sigh. "Back to my original question about the mission, what is the intel available?"

"Not much, not many people lived after meeting the thing." Luna answered. "It is supposed to be some huge animal with a large and heavy blade." "Baphomet?" Benji asked confused. "This far from Rune?" "It might be a possibility." Luna replied. "But we believe that isn't, the odds is that is a unique monster of this region."

"Senpai!" Saya exclaimed. "Hush you!" Luna snapped at the bi-colored haired girl. "Listen closely, I have decided to recruit outside help, as the leader of this mission I order and you obey, so you will work with him, you don't know what happened then, Junko blew things out of proportion and because of that we lost one of the most amazing forces that ever came across the clan, not adding the others that followed him."

Saya looked away ashamed as she is scolded. "While many call him traitor Shousa is still my Shousa and no one will change that." Luna added, and then she turns to Benji. "Not ever a rude greeting and the fact that he is still wearing the filter plugs." "I reserve myself the right of being wary of a girl who has ultrasonic screams." Benji replied teasingly. "In the same way that I am wary of the girl who can kill using a dance."

Luna chuckled at his words, some things never changed. "Anyway the strategy is simple, you two attackers beat the crap out of it, I will support from the back with healing and boosting." Luna changed the subject. "Of course that we first need to locate the monster, can I count on your tracking skills Shousa?"

"I won't make promises." Benji replied with a shrug. "Sand can as easily erase tracks as it can make them, besides I have no idea of what kind of tracks that monster will leave." "We cross that bridge when it comes." Luna replied with a teasingly smile. "We will leave in two days so we can all rest, and Shousa I noticed that you were traveling heavy, so lessen your load, I need you to travel light and move fast."

"Hai, hai." Benji replied teasingly. "On the meantime see if you can get more accurate intel, I don't like blind incursions like this." "I will Shousa." Luna replied playfully. Benji leaves the room and Saya turns to Luna. "Why you are doing this?" She asked angrily to the songstress. "The orders were just for us to kill whatever it is."

Luna sighed annoyed. "Honestly I don't think that going after an unknown monster with such small party is wise in the first place." Luna said seriously. "It has supposed killed everyone that met it, including trained guards, and let's admit it Saya, you doesn't have enough experience or skill to face a MVP alone, my guess is that this monster might be one, and if it is we will need Shousa with us, his hit point total is huge, and he is strong and fast. And you still can't turn tides by yourself."

"My level is much higher than he was when he deserted." Saya muttered annoyed. "True, but still you can't beat his times, and his level now is much higher than yours." Luna replied. "Don't forget that less than one hour ago you were rendered totally defenseless by him and he only used one hand and three moves against you."

Saya bites her tongue angrily at that, she remembered that very well, her pride was hurting even more than her head. "And as I said this is a good opportunity for you to see your predecessor in action, trust me you will learn a lot." Luna added with a grin. "For now rest, you will need the energy."

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After sparring with Alexis few times Layla started to realize something, the swift sword style that she is using is good in one against one battles and in open areas, but she began to understand that it was hard to use in crowded areas or in closed spaces, the arches that she is creating with her slashes are fast and vicious but required space to achieve the full potential. So using it in the WoE when in a tight rank with her guild sisters were a problem, she would hit them by accident, wounding them unintentionally.

And that was the reason that brought her to the monster crowded Orc Dungeon, because the late hour the dungeon was mostly devoid of adventurers, and her level was so high that being mobbed there wasn't much of a problem and she would be able to escape much before anything happens.

More she fights more Layla finds problems with her form, the slashes lose momentum in mid arch as she slashes three or four orc zombies or orc skeletons, she was unable to move properly between the mass of monsters around her, while dodging many strikes some still hit, the damage is minimal but is starting to annoy her.

"You are doing it wrong." An unknown feminine voice said to the silver haired knight when she kills the entire mob. Layla turns and looks at the offending commenter, she faces a tall girl with long black hair tied in a ponytail, with emerald green eyes and a very white skin; she is wearing a light armored altered version of the male assassin clothes mixed with female knight chain dress armor in black colors.

"And what I am doing it wrong in your opinion?" Layla asked defiantly, she can't believe that a total stranger would know more about Benji's technique than she does. "You are relying too much in speed for the swings." The young woman answered. "Since you aren't using your muscles your sword loses momentum and speed when cutting through the enemies."

That surprised Layla, the explanation was so logical and precise that she had to know about what she is talking about. "I use a similar style, unless you put power in those slashes you won't be able to do much." She continued. "Like this." She slashes an orc zombie in half with a clean, swift and smooth arch, and she only used her right arm for it! For that effect Layla was twisting her shoulders and swinging the sword hard for the motion.

"Unless you put more muscle on it, you won't be able to swiftly kill any mobs." The woman added. "What sword are you using?" Layla asked to the woman, it has to be the sword, just that swing couldn't be so brutally different than hers. "Then let me turn the question back to you." The woman replied. "Which sword are you using?"

Layla shows her bastard sword to the woman. "It isn't bad, but isn't a surprise to see you with such bad habits with this." The woman commented. "You are trying to run before walking, you need to use one of these." Then she shows to Layla her sword. "This piece of…!" Layla stops herself before making a total fool of herself.

The brunette chuckled. "Go ahead, I don't really mind it." She said casually. "How you cut that orc in half with this?" Layla asked shocked, she had every right to; the other woman's sword was nothing more than a sword, a cheap one hundred zenys sword that you can find in every city, the second most basic weapon of Rune-Midgard.

"As I said muscle." She replied seriously. "Speed is important but inside bodies there are bones, it isn't all muscle and other soft tissues, while speed alone can clean one bone or two, you need strength to cut three or more, it is a precise balance of speed and strength, large arches against multiple enemies evenly spaced around you require that, you will meet more than one bone if aiming for the thigh."

Layla nodded understanding, that logic made sense but still doesn't explain why using the cheapest one hand sword of the world and making it cut better than her bastard sword +10. "And the most important thing when training this, you need to downgrade your weapon." The brunette added.

"Downgrade my weapon?" Layla asked confused. "Use a weaker sword." She explained. "If you can achieve the same result with this sword as if you would with a bastard sword, imagine the damage that will be cause if you use the bastard sword. You need more strength to cut with this cheap sword than with the bastard sword."

It made sense, Layla admitted that. "And when you can do this." The woman said while walking to one of the barricades of the dungeon, then she dashes and with a graceful movement she cleanly slices six logs with the slash. "With this sword, you can do even more with a really good one, now if you can do this with a barricade you know what can be done with a softer target."

Layla stared in awe, for a moment she saw Benji's figure there as the unknown woman slashed the barricade. "One last piece of advice, train first on wood. Go to a forest; chop a tree with your sword, then start cutting off the branches, then start to cut the trunk in three meters tall pieces." The woman said while walking back to Layla. "After that is done bury the logs vertically one meter deep in the ground then slash away when they are firm, that will teach you to cut hard objects and to use your muscles to free the sword when it is trapped in the wood."

"And that really works?" Layla asked seriously, if does she will do it and do it religiously. "Yes, it works well." The woman answered. "If you feel that is getting easier to cut start adding more things around the logs, ropes, leather ropes, chain mail, you increase the hardness of that cover as you feel the need."

Layla nodded understanding, making sure to recall every detail. "Where you learned all this?" Layla asked curiously. The woman sighed and looked a bit depressed. "I learned from someone." She answered. "I don't like talking about that." Layla nodded understanding, it was a hard subject so she won't press it.

"I am really thankful for your advices." Layla thanked the woman honestly. "May I ask you name? I am Layla." "I am Nemu." The brunette answered. "It was nice to meet you Layla, but I need to keep moving, I already got what I was looking for down here." Nemu chuckled casually. "I have been hunting for that damn card for three weeks."

Layla could understand that, card hunting is a very frustrating thing that requires lots of time and patience; it wasn't a shock to find Nemu still in the dungeon at that late hour. "We might see each other some day." Nemu said with a smile. "I hope that by then you have improved some more, we might spar that day, it would be fun." "For sure it would." Layla replied smiling back. "I will try meeting your expectations on that day."

Benji throws a leather bag over this bed in the temporary room in Freya's church, with one more day to the departure for the monster hunting Benji needed to adapt few things, his armor was heavier and bulkier than the required, after all when he worn that one he was facing humans, a little extra defense even if meant more weight was an okay trade, but for the unknown monster Benji agreed that was better use a lighter armor, better mobility and speed will be better off than higher defense.

Once again Benji had to face the fact that his larger and taller than average build made buying stuff hard for him, Benji ended buying chain mail, not the ready armor, but a whole sheet of it, as well several metal cutting tools and other smaller ones, fitting the damn thing on him would require a lot of work and some time, since he didn't had anything better to do anyway it was a welcomed distraction.

Having a grandmother that sewed clothes for everyone in the family, not having many choices of entertainment in his childhood and watching part of the process of designing clothes allowed Benji to know how to make a mold, it panged a little to recall of his childhood and the family that he might never see again, but the pang was bittersweet.

Tracing the outline of his shirt on the mail with chalk Benji has an idea of where to cut, he purposely adds one extra inch in the outline, knowing that the 'sewing' would be the weakest part of the armor if done wrong. While Benji works on that Aysu and Mai are in the middle of an English lesson, with the futanari teaching the former sacrifice more English with the aid of a picture book borrowed from the church.

"That 'ching ching' noise is really annoying." Mai commented while Benji is moving the mail, then her hairs stands in the ends when he starts to cutting the mail with a large and thick pair of scissors. "Now you are missing that one, aren't you?" Benji asked teasingly, he wouldn't stop anyway.

Mai clicks her tongue annoyed and pulls Aysu away; if they can't study there they will do it another place. Mai stops in the middle of the hall, Luna and Saya are there, Benji haven't explained what happened so the two strays were wary of the duo. "Don't get so tense around us." Luna said to the two. "We won't do anything to you or Shousa. What you two saw are nothing more than some harsh past between us, thanks to a third party."

"Right now I just have one question." Mai said to Luna. "Why you keep calling him Shousa?" Luna chuckled at that. "It was his rank in our clan." Luna answered. "Seven weeks, that is all that it took for him to get that high, the best front attacker that we had, and that before he got this far. His build is just perfect for that." "I am even more lost now than before." Mai replied. "What exactly does front attacker means? What is that clan and build thing?"

"Front attacker means the person who rushed deep on the enemy lines without any kind of support or defense other than what himself can provide in order to destroy the structure of the enemy, or in certain cases fully wiping out the enemy." Luna explained in a matter of fact tone. "His build I mean his body build, his build gives him naturally superior strength and vitality, however Shousa's body is also fast, and quite surprising flexible and nimble for his size, so he can not only endure an type of abuse that would stop others, but he can also move faster and dodge better than many, girl you would be shocked in see how he can twist some of his joints."

"I am getting quite curious." Mai commented about the flexibility part, she could imagine some very interesting things with that particular trait in mind. "The clan is a group that Saya and I belong to and that Shousa used to for a short while." Luna added. "He cut ties with the clan after an aggressive conflict of opinions with our clan leader, they had very different opinions in a certain subject, a touchy one, I won't get in more details on that."

"And you want us to believe that just that is enough reason for him to put a sword on your mouth?" Mai asked to the songstress. "Considering that when he left, he took some rather extreme measures that really enraged our clan leader, that is utterly enraged at him." Luna answered. "And that she also lashed out on him quite badly as well, anyway she is angry at him and as you can notice on Saya, the newer members who weren't there when it happened think about him as a enemy, adding to the fact that a group of people that were there disliked him, isn't surprising that he reacts like that, after all he doesn't know who will attack him on sight or not."

It kind of makes sense to Mai, Benji was just protecting himself. "And you don't hold any grudges at that?" Mai asked surprised. "It offended me a little, seeing that he suspected of me, but he was always wary around me." Luna answered casually. "Besides I knew that he wouldn't hurt me unless I gave him a reason to, I knew that he was skilled enough to not hurt even with the tip of his sword on my mouth, which was made certain by the fact that he smacked some sense on Saya and I even got a scratch on my mouth."

"Why you have that much trust on him?" Saya asked a bit disgusted at that. "Because I know him." Luna answered. "I know what happened, plus he saved my cute ass enough times in the past, I waged war along him, you got lucky that it was over when you joined."

"Why is the darker one so silent?" Luna asked to Mai while pointing to Aysu. "She doesn't speak English all that well." Mai answered. "Most likely she makes forty percent of what we say if that much, Benji and me are still trying to teach her more English, which is the reason that we left the room, he is cutting this metal ring fabric and is making an annoying noise."

"I see; then it is okay for me to drop by." Luna commented. "I got some things that I want to speak with him." Luna and Saya walk towards the room that Mai and Aysu left, while the other two move to a quieter area of the church.

"So you are crafting a new armor." Luna commented when entering on the room and seeing Benji cutting a circular hole on the mail. "When I said travel light, it didn't mean to you to not use your current armor." "That armor doesn't have the amount of mobility that I like when dealing with large monsters." Benji replied casually. "And I needed a new chain shirt anyway, but you aren't here to tell me that."

"Nope." Luna answered sitting in one of the free beds. "After visiting a lot of places and talking to a lot of people I got a bit more of information for us." Benji puts the tools and the mail down and listens to the songstress.

"The thing is supposed to be huge, the rumors aren't accurate but, we should expect at least to be as big as Baphomet." Luna said seriously. "As heavy too, I am not sure his defenses or weaknesses, but based on this environment and type of monsters around I am guessing that fire and poison won't do any good, and we should also consider that it might be an MVP and that he has slaves."

"The slaves aren't my concern here." Benji replied. "But attacks like quake, I can minimize the damage with precise jumping but still is a lot of damage." "Based that earthquake is an rare attack is safe to assume that he doesn't have it, but be wary anyway, is a whole new monster, it might have new ones."

Benji nodded understanding, he had also thought that. "Lastly how we share the loot, if it drops any." Luna said casually. "Well I call first for card and weapons." Benji replied. "But we decide that after we kill it, not before, and in the end I don't care much, but if it interests me I let you know." Luna nodded, it mostly how she wanted things to be.

Benji ties his boots tightly, the rim of his pants are tied over the boots, Benji did that to prevent sand from entering on the boots, as well from any unwanted insects or snakes from climbing in on his legs, next Benji puts on and tightens the chain armor, using small metal hooks Benji fasten the open sides of the mail, covering one side with the other, the same technique is used on his arms, then he puts on a stripe of mail on his neck and fastens it close before fastening it to the chain shirt.

Over everything Benji puts on a shirt with some clothe stripes hanging on it, using the stripes Benji tightens the shirt on his body, almost like a kimono. Lastly he puts on his combat gloves and picks his unnamed sword; he straps the sword on his back and on his belt for support.

Then he grabs a broad leather belt with several venom knives on it, he wraps it on his chest over his left shoulder and fastens it together, he pulls two smaller belts and puts on his right and left thighs, with secondary straps holding it to his belt. "And women were supposed to be the ones who take time getting changed." Luna commented teasingly from the room's door.

"Unlike you who are barely dressed I need some time to put together my gear." Benji replied without being fazed by Luna's comment, and it was the first time that Saya nod in agreement with Benji, front attackers need to be sure that everything was in place and right, after all they are normally unsupported units and need to be self sufficient in battle.

"Hey is your hair longer than before?" Luna asked noticing that Benji's hair is reaching on his shoulder blades. "Yesterday wasn't like that." "Actually it was." Benji answered. "Since I am not cutting it for almost one year it is longer, normally I just keep the extra length hidden under my clothes."

Benji lightly combs his hair with his fingers before holding it together with his left hand; with an elastic band Benji ties his hair in a ponytail at the base of his neck. Benji shoulders his cloak and headgear before wrapping his coat around his other weapons and most of his items, tying it tightly together around the muscle cutter, in a tight and long bundle that he places next to his bed.

"Okay I am ready." Benji said while putting on the cloak. Luna nodded and they leave the room. Benji had already told to Mai and Aysu that he would be returning in three days. "It has been a while since I last worn a single layer of armor." Benji commented as they walk on Rachel's streets, partially empty by the early hour.

"Considering the sheer power of multi layers isn't a surprise." Luna replied in the same casual way that Benji spoke. "You can stack several light armors and get a better defense than one heavy armor of the same weight, and that not adding the pluses. But most adventurers fail to realize that."

Benji nodded agreeing, he knew that it was true, most people were so unimaginative that they don't even consider wearing more than one piece of armor, garment or accessories, Benji normally stacked the three of them and normally wears six layers of armor, three or four garments, and at the very least ten accessories, when not more as he can add extra platings to any part of his body when needed increasing even more his defense, and all that hardly weighted more than a full plate.

Of course that also allowed Benji to stack up effects, card slots, defense, and many other benefits of each individual armor of his regular set. Of course that it required extra time to get dressed or change clothes, but it was a small price to pay for defense 89, not adding the VIT defense. It could be a bit bulky with the wrong setting but if done right wouldn't be any bigger than a regular armor.

"And are you sure that you want to walk on the desert like that." Benji said to Luna, she wasn't wearing more than her regular clothes, Benji knows very well how unforgiving the desert sun can be. "Saya is carrying my cloak and hat, but I don't feel like wearing them." Luna answered. "It is too hot, I feel hot just by seeing you all wrapped up like that." "Ditto." Saya added.

Benji was indeed nicely wrapped inside his cloak and headgear, with very little skin exposed to the air, but he wasn't only used to that by now, as he was feeling quite refreshed, he wasn't even sweating while both Saya and Luna are sweating, and it wasn't even five in the morning.

"In this way I lose less water, plus the moisture inside the clothes helps me to remain cool too." Benji said to the two. "Not to mention that I won't get sunstroke or any other sun related problems, trust me you don't want to feel sunburn and start peeling on the middle of the desert, it will only make things worse."

Benji knew from experience that after a whole day in the summer sun would make his skin sensitive to heat, pain and rubbing in the other day, and it would hurt too, as well make him feel much hotter than the air around him, he learned that when a kid, so he wouldn't risk that in the desert, specially without any kind of sunscreen.

Not only aware of the negative effects of the sun and heat, Benji also struggled a lot to find a pair of sunglasses in Rachel, while not his favorite type, the reddish tinted glasses was better than nothing, what really bothered Benji it was the red tint on everything, similar to when he got blood on his eyes, it made his eyes tear lightly and also lured his bloodlust, with a sigh Benji knew that he would have to get used to that, he can't be tearing all the time, it would waste water.

However heeding Benji's warning both Saya and Luna wrap themselves in their cloaks, hats and masks, some discomfort was preferable to pain, more severe problems later on.

"DON'T DO THAT!" Saya exclaimed startled by a venom knife that hits the sand just half meter from her left foot, burying itself deep on the sand. "Why in name of heaven you did that?!" She asked outraged. "Because of this." Benji answered while pulling the knife from the sand, on the blade, nailed by its head is a snake.

Saya paled while looking at the snake, it wasn't a snake monster, but a snake; and she could tell that was poisonous. "And we got lunch." Benji commented with a smile, while pulling the knife from the dead snake's skull. "I am not going to eat that!" Saya exclaimed in horror at the idea.

"More for me, roasted snake is delicious." Benji said while stashing the snake on his inventory, in the desert you always take whatever food it gives you, being that whatever it is, Benji knew that very well, even with two weeks worth of food and drink in his inventory he wouldn't just throw away fresh meat.

Luna really didn't cared about that, at the least she would try before making an opinion, and she knew that by now Benji had more knowledge of survival in the desert than most people, that being the reason that she didn't complained about Benji being carrying over ten kilos in his inventory while she and Saya are together carrying only six, not counting weapons and armor.

"Anyway." Benji said while turning to Luna. "Are you sure that this monster is in this area?" "The intel says that it lurks in the fields between Rachel and Veins." Luna answered. "It is a lot of ground." Benji sighed at the idea of walking even more; his feet had barely recovered from walking on the desert for months.

"I have a question that is bothering me for a while." Saya said. "Go on and ask." Luna replied. "Not for you." Saya replied. "For him." Benji looks at the dual colored haired girl. "Why you are carrying your sword on your back like that?" Saya asked pointing to the hilt that is poking thought Benji's cloak over his right shoulder.

"It is easier to carry like this." Benji answered. "Carrying on my side would be a bother, and it would keep the cloak open letting more heat in, while unsheathing like this is a bitch, carrying for a long time is much more convenient and easy like this. Most of the sword is covered by the cloak and it isn't bothering as much as is with you."

Saya looks at Benji's finger pointing at her sword strapped around her waist, more than few times the sword got tangled with her cloak, it was weighting on her left, and as he said it was letting hot air and sand in. While still wary of Benji, Saya makes use of his knowledge that he was sharing with her.

"I have to admit that it feels better like this." Saya commented, her side felt light, she wasn't even feeling the weight of the sword on her back as she was when it was on her hip, it hitted her thigh and rubbed against it, and as she lowers her arms now the cloak fully drapes over her body, neatly wrapping her body covering it from the sun and wind.

Luna smiled under her mask, Saya was starting to accept Benji, otherwise she wouldn't take his word and change the position of her sword, it was good for the younger attacker to get along with Benji, if she did, then she had great chances of survival in the future, with the very tangible threat of Junko waging war against Benji, being friends with Benji would ensure her mercy when others would only get death.

Luna knows how easily Junko mood swings, she is a girl of extremes, and when losing her temper would easily send them against Benji, Benji would defend himself, and the ones around him would defend him. Luna wasn't as good as Junko in seeing battle potential in others, but she could tell that Benji grew much since the last time that she saw him.

While it is clear that he lost a good amount of weight in the desert his body was still strong, while she could detect something wrong with him, a unfamiliar pressure and a unfamiliar darkness around him, she detected best was the self contained power that he kept in control, unleashing it only when needed, keeping it compact and concentrated.

She knew that if Benji was being serious her head would be in the floor when he thrust his sword on her when they met, the same was with Saya, if Benji really wanted to, her skull would be either crushed or slashed open. Counting her blessings Luna thanked the gods once again for making Benji essentially good, while with evil moments Benji in the end was good and wouldn't kill without a reason.

Atsuko looks at Helen worried. "What you mean with we are to be spotted?" Atsuko asked seriously. "I mean just that." Helen answered. "You know what I mean, you people attracted a lot of attention, being invincible is a serious attractive, King Tristan himself is thinking on making the legions one of the regulars."

Atsuko bites her lower lip in frustration, she knows that Benji won't accept being just a pawn for a king, being used for politics and other interests, even if most of the time they would be acting as guard of the realm, fighting monsters that are invading cities and things like that.

For many guilds becoming a regular contracted of the crown is not only a honor but a ticket to a easy life with luxury, in exchange every once and a while the guild would have to send members to deal with troubles as powerful monsters invading cities or villages, it not only paid well as it gives good experience and fame.

Atsuko knows that Benji was pissed enough about the guild being forced to the War of Emperium, becoming a regular would give them free time from the war based in how many members are sent to fulfill royal requests. The Kingstone guild has built over ten years of peace, but never used them, preferring to fight every month.

Atsuko has absolutely no idea of how a refusal would be taken by the king and the court, specially the court, while the king would respect the decision when given an explanation, the court would think of that as an offence as if saying that they are too good for working for the crown, the implications of it are enormous.

"Helen you know as well as I do that this isn't a good time." Atsuko said seriously. "Benji isn't here and even if he was he wouldn't want that, he would be used as a political tool, so would the rest of us, you know that." Helen knew that all, she was in the game for years now.

Politics is a dangerous game, things hanged on a thin tread, under veiled lies and false truths, alliances were made and unmade in shadows, allies of the present might be enemies in the future if not just a stepping stone in the path of a ambitious politician. Guilds became private armies, decorations of one's power, muscles to be flexed or used against enemies.

Helen was quite aware of Benji disdain for politics, but she also knew that while despising the whole thing he also knew it's power and value as tool, being that the reason that Benji cooperates with Amatsu's emperor, it was mutual benefiting, the emperor had not only a famous guild in a WoE castle in his city that attracted more tourists than ever, with that money, but he also has a powerful fighting guild that would help him in times of need, of course as a favor that can be collected in a later date.

She couldn't see any other reason for Benji accepting the Silver Moon castle, and not that she knew Mutsumi. However Helen knows that sooner or later the legion will be approached by royal envoys, one of the advantages of being a regular for so long is that she was almost part of the court and knew about rumors on them. She was letting Atsuko know that before hand so she could get ready for it, if Atsuko was going to deny the offer then she would have time to make a good excuse to be used as reason.

Atsuko knew that she would have to tell that to the others, it was a information too important to be kept secret from Layla and the others, it was as much their decision as it was hers, at least while Benji isn't there. Atsuko's comfort is that it will take months before the visit, that kind of official thing requires a huge amount of preparation, things that will alert of the immediate 'threat' of the visit.

"Whatever made these is very heavy." Benji said, crouched next to a trail of footprints. "And based in the recent weather the tracks are fresh, less than one hour old, we got lucky, if it winded after noon then these would be erased."

"So we are close?" Luna asked seriously. "Closer than before yes." Benji answered standing up and dusting his hands. "But the footprints are canine related; it could be quite far by now." "Still better than nothing." Saya commented. "If we press hard we should be able to catch up."

"If we force the march it will only make us tired." Benji replied seriously. "Running here is dangerous, and facing an unknown monster when tired is a recipe for trouble." Luna nodded agreeing. "However we can't just ignore this either." Luna said. "We will move faster, but we will not run. Benji you take point." Benji nodded and starts walking on the direction that the tracks are leading to.

"You know Bapho is starting to sound more and more friendly." Benji commented while looking at a large monster from distance. "That thing must be twice bigger than Baphomet." Luna said, agreeing with Benji. "Taller than Baphomet, and clearly bulkier too, it must weight two times what Baphomet does."

"Look at the size of that sword!" Saya exclaimed afraid of the large sword in the monster's hands. "Two hits of that I am gone." "I think that I can take many of those, but this armor won't." Benji commented with a sigh. "I knew that I should have stayed with the heavy armor. I am so having your ass for this Luna."

"Later you can." Luna replied, if she was alive for Benji having her ass later she would be happy. "What we do? We can't just let it walk freely, we might not find it again, and it might kill innocent people again."

Benji sighed and stands up; he takes out his cloak and headgear, wrapping the two together in a tight bun with most items of his inventory. "Drop everything that you won't use to fight." Benji said to them. "We will leave them under those rocks over there and we will fight it. Luna you brought a spear or javelin?"

"Yes I did, just in case, but Saya sucks with them." Luna replied following Benji's actions and removing her own cloak and unneeded items. "Hey, everyone has something that they can't do!" Saya exclaimed while doing the same thing as Luna. "I will be using it." Benji answered. "You won't mind a breaker will you?"

Luna sighed at the idea, the spear was expensive, but she knew the sheer power of a breaker. "While I do mind there isn't much that we can do." Luna replied while handing to Benji a black spear. "But I will be mad if you miss." "I won't." Benji said with a smile. "What is a breaker?" Saya asked confused.

"You will see." Benji answered with a grin, it was kind of sad that Saya wasn't well training, the clan's level fell a lot, at her current rank Benji had learned everything that a front attacker needed to. "Charging a spear class weapon with a huge load of energy and hurling it hard against the target." Luna explained to the younger attacker. "Upon contact all the energy inside the spear will react with the spear and will explode in a vicious blast of shattered steel and energy, the damage is absurd."

Saya looks at Benji who is whispering something while holding the spear horizontally. "It is almost like he is praying isn't it?" Luna asked casually. "Yeah." Saya answered. "Of all attackers Benji's style is the only one who resembles anything, others hardly seem to be doing more than holding the spear, with Benji is almost like he is thanking the spear."

"I can hear you." Benji replied while resting the spear on his shoulder, he was done chanting the spear. "Here is the plan, I will break the spear on him, and then Saya and I will charge at it, Luna you use the song of heroes on us, followed by a verse of protection." Luna nodded acknowledging the orders. "When we make contact use an aria of suppression on him, after that is up to you."

Benji ties a black bandanna on his head, covering both his hair and forehead that will keep both his hair and sweat from getting on his eyes. "Saya, you do your best to not be hit." Luna said to the bi-color haired girl. "And watch Shousa closely, you will learn a lot." Saya nodded acknowledging the command.

Benji takes a deep breath and walks over the rocks that are covering them and hiding them from the monster's sigh; then he runs down the hill holding the spear ready to throw it. Benji stomps hard on the ground and shouts "Storm BREAKER!" The thrown spear cuts the air in an impossible speed, glowing in a dark light before impacting on the monster, impaling it before it explodes in mass of shrapnel. And even before the smoke cleared Benji had reached the monster, with his sword ready to strike the howling beast.

Saya was too stunned to actually follow Benji as he slashes the still stunned monster, she saw the sheer amount of damage given, it was over seventy thousand points in one single attack, it was more than anyone that she knew could take. "Move your ass Saya!" Luna shouted to the stunned attacker, just then the bi-colored haired girl charged to attack.

Luna resumed the song, it was her power, her skill, unique and beautiful, and if she wanted deadly. Songstress, it was an old and forgotten class, eradicated from the past by fear of its power, with her voice she could sooth any pain, make the hopeless gain hope, make the weak strong, make the strong even stronger.

However its true power isn't only soothing, healing, comforting and strengthening, that was only half of it, the true power was in using her voice to inflict pain, her songs could kill, curse, make the brave cower in terror, make the healthy ill, make the strong weak, make even the most positive person lose even the last shred of hope.

And now she is singing for the strength of her allies, making their bodies disregard pain, move faster, strike harder, last longer, all that has a toll on their bodies, while the effects last they won't realize the extent of their wounds, they would fight even after their hit points hit zero, that only while the effects last, when it is over they would die, not the safe death, but the final death, if not healed until a minimal number of points are achieved.

Luna never hid from herself why Benji doesn't stay near her without ear plugs, Benji had every right of being wary of her, if she wished she could make him fall madly in love for anyone, for a short time, and that was only one of the things that she could do. It wasn't that Benji didn't trust her, he just doesn't trust in the fact that she is a woman, he is quite aware of how dangerous women can be. And she doesn't blain him for that, she wouldn't trust in another songstress too.

However while trusting on Benji she couldn't help in being afraid of him when he let's out his killing intent, it wasn't energy or anything, it was just his eyes that seemed to lose every trace of warmth and would suck her soul out from her body if she even glance at them, as if the kid person that she knew and cared for just disappeared and he turned into someone else.

A someone else who is barely avoiding being hit by the massive sword of what now know as Atroce, Benji's sword was already stained with blood, she couldn't even see the silver color of the metal of the blade anymore, everything was covered in a sheen of red blood.

Benji was focused on Atroce, the slaves he just dismisses and kills them when they get too close, and always using the same slash to hit the massive blade wielding beast. He is also aware of Saya's position, it isn't that he doesn't trust on her, he just doesn't trust on her, and losing sight of an ally in battle is dangerous, you don't want to hit an ally by accident.

Saya was surprised with everything, she knew that she was outside her level, far off it to make things worse, she had absolute no idea of why the clan thought that she was ready to fight such a monster, it was stronger than everything else that she had ever fought against. Her sword was barely giving more than two hundred points of damage while Benji's was over two thousand points and he was striking faster and harder than she was. Her only lucky break was that the monster was focused on the biggest threat and that means Benji, she knows that once she is the target she will be dead in the first hit.

But now Saya understood why Benji's reputation in the clan was shrouded in fear, respect, jealousy and by some anger, Benji's slashes weren't only viciously strong, they were fast, and not only fast in ASPD fast, but fast 'I know what I am doing' fast, very different from knights and other attackers, the accuracy was stunning, Benji was hitting precise areas that are reducing Atroce's strength, speed and endurance.

Benji was only hit twice, and both times Benji blocked the entire damage and the brunt of the attack with his sword, before countering hard, scoring hits in Atroce's stomach, both hits were deep and are bleeding profusely, the insides almost getting out by the cuts. And above anything else, Benji haven't even broken a sweat, and one full minute of combat has already passed. And Saya never noticed that a massive blade was coming her way.

End of the chapter twenty six:

Songstress: One of my original classes, as described in the story, it was an old and forgotten class, eradicated from the past by fear of its power, with her voice she could sooth any pain, make the hopeless gain hope, make the weak strong, make the strong even stronger.

This class is closer of the bard class in RPG, not MMORPG, or RO, the bard class in classic RPG, that uses his songs to boost the companions or against the enemy. Here Songstress is part of what I call "Forgotten Classes" (or abandoned classes, depending of who speaks about it), those are classes that by passage of time, lack of interest of people, or even fear from people, were forgotten or abandoned, replaced by other classes (official or newer classes).

The effects of songstress is similar to the classes bard and dancer, but as we all know those two classes are much more limited in range and effectiveness, those two have a range of few 'meters' around them, the songstress has a range limited only by her voice's range.

Skills/songs:

Song of heroes: Every fantasy world has songs about heroes of the past or something else inspired on heroes or to inspire the listeners when singing about heroic deeds, plainly is a song that boosts the fighting power of the allies.

STR, DEX, VIT, AGI, ATK, ASPD, DEF and HP are doubled for 30 minutes, for ASPD it means a 20 percent boost of speed, the cost of the boosting is a constant loss of HP during the skill duration, 1 percent of the maximum boosted HP every minute.

The safety of the affected people will be disabled and during the skill duration final death is nullified and a negative amount of hit points can be stacked, but at the end of the skill effects the person with negative points will literally drop dead right then, unless healed to at least one third of the original maximum hit points.

Verse of protection: As the name says the effect is boosting the defense of the targets, both magic defense and regular defense, no side effects, lasts for 5 minutes.

Aria of suppression: It suppresses the use attacks and skills that rely on SP of the targets for 3 minutes. It can't be casted again in the same target for 5 minutes after the effects of the previous aria ended.

Front attacker: It can easily be confused as any melee class that specializes in close combat (knights, crusaders, monks and others), but is a class itself with several branches on it, each branch being mostly related to the main weapon of the attacker. The function is simple, break through formations and bring chaos to the enemy's ranks by killing officers and attacking the troops.

In orders to do that it needs to be independent of rear support of the main forces, as well being fast, strong, accurate, having a high defense and hit points, not only experts in close combat front attackers can also have magic related skills to enhance their independence of support from the rear.

For the moment no more explanations for this forgotten class.

Clan: More details are secret for now.