Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Log Horizon. This is a fanfiction used to help with my writing skills and the fact I enjoy writing stories like these. All I own is the ideas and sub-plots used to make this fanfiction and explore Log Horizon and Naruto in a different way. Also, don't own any of the games and anime I make reference to in this story, but still got to give homage to video games since this is technically a video game fanfiction as well.
I did not expect Shiroe-san to have company with him. Akatsuki thought trying h-no, its body. This is not my body. Must remember that. Or else I will really lose it. Akatsuki watched as the Enchanter Shiroe entered the building it was waiting in.
The armored man must be a Guardian. Why would Shiroe-san and Boss-san be working with him? Akatsuki pondered, trying to control h-its nerves. Shiroe-san and Boss-san are anti-social mages and capable of fighting on their own even with how the world is now. This is quite odd. Plus, I never seen that Guardian before. Is he from another server?
"Ah!" Akatsuki shifted, hearing footsteps as the three came into the destroyed restaurant h-it was standing in. Akatsuki gave a wary glare at the Guardian, not knowing who he was except his name was Naotsugu through the status menus. I need to be on guard. Even though I know Shiroe-san and Boss-san from the game, they might be completely different now.
"Akatsuki-san. This is Naotsugu, a Guardian. He's a reliable old friend of mine." Shiroe said with a reassuring tone. Akatsuki tensed when Naotsugu stepped forward, h-it's muscle ready to spring to action for combat.
"The name's Naotsugu. Nice to meet you. Whether you're an open pervert or closet pervert, let's get along together!"
He's an idiot, Akatsuki thought, watching as Las Boss bopped Naotsugu across the head with his fist. No, focus Akatsuki. You must finish this challenge or else stay cursed in this body!
"I've been looking for you, Shiroe-san." Akatsuki said, pulling down h-its mask.
"You have business with me?"Shiroe asked, making Akatsuki feel even more nervous and troubled.
Taking a deep breath to calm down, Akatsuki took the plunge. "I want you to sell me a Reset Appearance Potion." Akatsuki wanted to hide from the shock looks on Shiroe and Naotsugu with recognizing the gender of the body from the voice.
"A-A-Akatsuki-san… C-Could it be you? You're a girl?"Shiroe asked, getting blush on the male ninja who was a girl on the inside. "T-That's a surprise." Shiroe said, sheepishly blushing as well.
Or course it is. I been stuck in a male body for four days. Akatsuki thought before jumping and drawing her sword from the flash of green that appeared in her vision.
[YOU STILL HAVE AN APPEARANCE RESET POTION!] Akatsuki blinked at the transparent text box before Las Boss, pointing at Shiroe. Las Boss's angry face turned to surprise to match the others.
"Boss, you could do that this whole time?" Shiroe asked as the text box disappear. Akatsuki watched as Las Boss tried to get the text box back, doing odd faces and poses to bring forth new screen. "Guess not," Shiroe sighed as Las Boss got furious and pointed at Akatsuki.
[OPEN SESAME OIL YA SON OF A BUN!] An awkward silence filled the air. Akatsuki, however, could not control her body's laughter at the scene. Shiroe and Naotsugu joining in from the echo her body was hearing..
Ow! Akatsuki bit the her lips, finding an annoyed Las Boss had bopped all three of them in the head out of spike.
"Ah, I also have a Reset Appearance Potion," Naotsugu said before yelping when Las Boss hugged him.
[I AM SO GRATEFUL TO YOU! MY HERO, THE PANTIES FESTIVAL KNIGHT!]
"Get off, sadistic NEET!" Naotsugu growled, pushing the Druid off him. "And how did you make those screens appear?"
Text boxes, Akatsuki thought before focusing on her thoughts. [YOU MEAN THESE?]
"Akatsuki-san can do it to?" Shiroe asked, surprise in his voice before sighing tiredly. "Of course. You both used the text boxes all the time. Your bodies must remember it better than people who use voice chat."
[THAT AND BEING ABLE TO THINK OF SENTENCES MORE LIKE LETTER THAN SOUNDS.] Las Boss pointed at his box.
"What does that mean?" Naotsugu snorted before Akatsuki's h-its body's eyes widen.
"Oh. I get it. For people who text to communicate. We begin to register letters more like code and in patches instead of individual letters and sounds to keep up with the dialogue of voice chat users. I think seeing the word like a picture than sounds is what Boss-san was referring to." Akatsuki said, looking away from the others.
"I see. Basically icons?" Shiroe looked at Las Boss, getting a nod from the Druid. Shiroe then knitted his eyebrows in deep thought only to frown. "It seems I can't do it. Though, it might be I don't have the practice like Boss and you."
"Probably because Las Boss is a trolling NEET… Okay! Okay!"" Naotsugu recoiled when Las Boss pulled out his spear, ready to fight. "Yeesh… You're as cruel as ever."
[GO GET THE POTION BEFORE I SEE HOW FAR COMBAT ACTION GOES, PANTY PERV.]
"S-Sure. Let's go, Naotsugu. Boss, can you stay here with Akatsuki-san?" Shiroe asked, getting a nod from the Druid. "Thank you."
[NO PROBLEM. NEED TO CALM DOWN.]
"And maybe work on that cap lock, too." Shiroe said before dragging Naotsugu off with him.
"Ah…" Akatsuki looked at Las Boss, finding herself nervous with the white hair man. He was taller than the body Akatsuki was in and seemed well used to his own avatar. Would I even be able to face this man if he tries something on me?
[SO, STILL USING THE SAME BUILD AS BEFORE?] Akatsuki jumped with seeing the textbox suddenly appear.
"Huh?" Akatsuki blinked in confusion. "What do you mean by build?" That really scared me.
[A BUILD IS BASICALLY YOUR PLAY STYLE. MOST PEOPLE STICK WITH A COMMON PLAY STYLE TO BUILD OFF OF, HENCE THAT PLAY STYLE IS CALLED A BUILD. I REMEMBER FROM YOUR PLAY STYLE THAT YOU USED THE SHADOW BLADE BUILD FOR THE ASSASSIN THE LAST TIME WE PARTIED TOGETHER.] Las Boss sighed, putting his spear away. The pole of the spear breaking apart in several parts to expose it all connected by a thick wire thread. This allowed it to be rolled up and put into a holster on Las Boss's belt, much like a whip.
However, Akatsuki got what Las Boss was telling her. She had done parties as a mercenary enough times to see certain classes using similar patterns of attacks and strategies to face enemies. However, I never knew they were called something. But, I am more of a casual player, so that might be why I never knew. "I am a ninja. I simply do as a ninja does and be one with the shadows." Akatsuki said before a blush covered the body's face. I accidentally let it out! My role playing side!
[THAT'S THE SHADOW BLADE BUILD. IT FOCUSES ON SNEAK ATTACKS AND BURST DAMAGE.] Las Boss found a chair in the mess and put it upright to sit on. [MY BUILD IS A HYBRID. I USE ABSORBER TACTICS TO RECOVER MY MP THROUGH MY SPEAR AND OTHER ITEMS I HAVE. HOWEVER, I USE THE OFFENSIVE MAGIC BUILD OF A SHAMAN ALONG WITH THE ABSORBER INSTEAD OF USING MY RECOVERED MP FOR JUST HEALING. BY COMBINING THE TWO BUILDS, I GAIN A SORT OF CROWD CONTROLLING TYPE BUILD THAT ALLOWS ME TO FIGHT ON THE FRONT LINE INSTEAD OF STICKING TO THE MIDDLE OR REAR OF THE BATTLEFIELD.]
"Aren't Healer and Mage classes weak in physical attacks?" Akatsuki asked, frowning at the Druid. I always thought his play style was one of a kind. I always was surprised seeing him in the front lines with me, supporting me with keeping the enemies from overwhelming me.
[DePeNDS ON The PLAYeR'S STyLe. OH. STARTiNg TO GeT CAP LOck.] Las Boss looked at the box, smirking at it.[MosT sTIck To The BUilDS, BelieViNG ThAT is The way TO Play.]
"Now that is getting annoying," Akatsuki felt the body twitch it's eyes while trying to read the text box. She watched as he made many smaller ones of various words before showing her another larger one.
[How's this? I think I have the Caps lock down excePt for a Few letters now.]
"Much better." Akatsuki sighed, Though, it is amazing he master that so quickly. Is he good with languages or is he a computer geek?
[However, you don't have to stiCk with a build. Hence hYbrids and new builds are formed over time. HeCk, PeoPle are still talking about the SPrinkler build I made for the EnChanter.] Las Boss let off a creepy chuckle, making Akatsuki shiver from the chills going down the body she was in. [MY video "What's tHiS? CRAAAAAAAZYYYYYYYYY EnCHanter!" Still getS a lot of viewS tHeSe dayS… Well, wHen I Still had aCCeSS to a CompUter.]
"You're the one who posted that video?" Akatsuki gasped. She remember seeing that amazing video. Enchanters were often rarely picked due to how weak their attacks were both physically and magically. Yet, one Enchanter managed to take her magic damage output well above a Sorcerer, the attack magic specialist of the game. She did it though almost constantly using one attack in rapid succession. Akatsuki remember seeing the video, hence always wondered if she could do the same with thrown items Assassins could use. "How does one do that with… Wait, you're not an Enchanter." Akatsuki pouted at the man. He tricked me.
[TeChniCallY, I am. I mUlti-boX all the time.] Las Boss noticed the confused look on Akatsuki's face. [Ah, I mean, I Use mUltiple CharaCters at one time instead of Just one to PlaY at one time. I was only soloing Las Boss at the time this Whole mess started.]
"You can do that?" Akatsuki asked, suspicious of the healer before him. He could be feeding me lies. He is known to be a trickster to others. Even I got caught up in a few of his pranks.
[Yeah. I made the system that alloWs YoU to aCtUallY mUlti-boX on Elder Tales, making it the onlY MMORPG with a sYstem in plaCe so You don't need mUltiple aCCounts to do it. Though, I reCommend not doing all the PlaYing on one CompUter as some PeoPle Found out real QUiCk hoW imPortant one's CPU is to the ProCess. HenCe I have mUltiPle ComPUters to do it on.] Las Boss shrugged, let out a sigh. [I work to play Elder Tales as an concept artist for the company. However, I had to learn my way with computers since where I live is pretty low tech. It's probably the reason that they made me a GM since I was fixing bugs before they realized I hacked into Elder Tales to play with Shiroe. Oh! Got the Cap Lock down!]
"Where do you live?" Akatsuki asked, a glint forming on the body's eyes. The more I know, the better off I am. The fact he is a developer and GM means he might actually be involved in what caused this whole mess! Akatsuki kept keen eye on the man before her. She was not expecting to get involve with such a power player so early with being trapped in this world. But, how to deal with him. He'll revive at the Cathedral is I just assassinate him. Also, if I torture him, I have no way of properly ensure I get the right information. Especially since he could get away with killing himself and reviving.
[Another world. I am technically an alien.] Akatsuki barely kept her serious expression on as the man continued to lie with text boxes. [Though, even I find it ironic the world Earth comes in contact with is actually behind Earth compare in technology and where ninja and samurai rule.]
"Ninja?" Akatsuki asked, No! Don't fall for an obvious lie. A ninja must see through illusions.
[Yeah… Oh, let me prove it.] Akatsuki tensed when Las Boss put his hands together. "Kawarimi no Jutsu." Las Boss said in a raspy whisper. Akatsuki suddenly felt a pull on her and her vision shifted.
"W-What?" Akatsuki barely kept the body she was in from falling off the chair she was now sitting in. Looking up, Akatsuki found Las Boss standing where the body she was in was before. "How did you do that?" Akatsuki asked, narrowing her eyes. It must be a cheat he had with this character.
[The Kawarimi no Jutsu is one of the first jutsu taught to ninja in training. It is more of a sleight of hand technique, but seems I can use it to change places with a comrade now in this world. Very useful in a party when two positions need to switch.] Las Boss smirked at Akatsuki.
"Are you a real ninja?" Excitement filled Akatsuki even though her face was serious. A true ninja! It's like a dream come true if he is telling the truth. But, he can still be lying. If she even learn one ninja secret, she would be happy to die for any lord she served! She loved ninja legends and even did martial arts. It was one of the reasons she played as an Assassin in Elder Tales. Becoming a real ninja would be the highlight of her life.
[Sadly. No.] Akatsuki glared at the Druid. [I can't call myself a ninja when I dropped out of the ninja schooling.]
"There's a school for ninja?" Akatsuki asked, somewhat shocked at that fact. Aren't ninja suppose to be secretly? A school is a bit to public.
[In the village where I live there is one. Not so sure about other ninja villages.] Las Boss shrugged, oddly relaxed and carefree for a drop-out ninja. [I quit with realizing was wasting my time and trust thinking becoming a ninja would change things. The instant I dropped out, I began working full time with Elder Tales's companies and even made the first branch of it on my world. At least, till the shit game was replaced with this better one. Oh, I can cuss! Yay!]
"So, you have no idea what caused this?" Akatsuki watched Las Boss as he frowned at her question. "Have you gotten in touch with other GMs?" Maybe he is role playing. With all that has happen, he could be trying to escape this world into another.
[Sadly, no to both. And I am not going to theory build out loud due to lack of details. At best, I know the biggest key is the fact Elder Tales and internet is the biggest connections between everyone trapped in this game. There is some expansion content that does worry me, but it is too early to tell if it is important to this or not. The Alpha Server for the larger Moon Server as a test. It' the first of the mini-servers for the Noosphere server my world will be using. But, it never went up due to bugs when the expansion launched, hence some content won't run, or at least I think it won't run.]
"I see. Is that why you join forces with Shiroe-san and the idiot Guardian?" Akatsuki asked, raising an eyebrow at the chuckle from the Druid.
[Naotsugu is an idiot at times, but would not trade him for another idiot. He's skills at being a Guardian far exceeds his I.Q. level.] Akatuski smiled, realizing the Druid agreed with her. [But, no. Even though I am curious, I am happy with living in this game. It is broken with bugs and glitches, but this game is a hell of a better than the shit game I was trying to work around playing. The reason I partied with Shiroe and Naotsugu is so I can always be there for my comrades. Shiroe is the only friend I have, even if he was over the computer all these years. Naotsugu is warming up to me, but got a ways before he earns my trust like Shiroe.]
"You did not have any friends or family in the other world?" Akatsuki asked, now wary of the Druid's story. He only trusts Shiroe-san? Why would only one person only trust one person? Even I trust my family. Plus, he has been only using text boxes, not speaking at all. Dammit! Don't tell me he's playing me for a fool with my dream!
[I have no family since I am an orphan. It's actually commonplace to lose family in my world at a young age.] Las Boss noticed the frown on the face of the body Akatsuki was in and smirked. [Don't be sad. My issues comes from the fact I am way too observant and perceptive of my surroundings. I have no problem understanding I am related to something bad that caused the villagers to hate me. Though, I also never really gave them a reason to change their perspective on me when I tried to become a ninja. In fact, I probably worsen it and hence I got out of the shit game before I made it worse.]
"So, you dropped being a ninja because of peer pressure?" Akatsuki could not hold back her sneer. She always wanted to be a ninja, even doing martial arts and studying up on old legends and history on them. However, there was no need for ninja in her world. Yet, this guys is giving up his dreams due to people hating him! He's the lowest or the low of garage.
[No. Not a soul pressured me to drop being a ninja outside I was horrible at being a student at such a school. I learn through doing more than taking notes.] Akatsuki raised an eyebrow at the man. A somber smile on his face even though he was relaxed.
Las Boss crossed his arms before looking up at the text box he made above his head. [I just realize my purpose of becoming a ninja was all wrong. I thought becoming a ninja would be an awesome game where I could finally find friends and actually make changes to the world around me for the better compared to the last playthroughs. Then I realize that it was still the same shit game I try escaping through other games like Elder Tales. That this time was no different than the last. Even if I become a ninja, I would just be another pawn in the ever confusing game that is my world. Though, it seems luck is finally on my side as I am now in a world I understand quite well outside what got us here in the first place and some other things.]
"So, that's the reason you quit the academy," Akatsuki jumped, turning around to see Shiroe and Naotsugu had returned. "Is it really that bad? Your world?"
[Yep. In fact, I am amazed my village was saying we were in peace before I was stuck in this world. That's why I decided to try and bring the same games that saved me from depression and agony the shit game that my own world caused. Though, I am happy with my current conditions.] Las Boss smirked, smug and confident.
"Then you don't want this potion?" Naotsugu grinned, holding a bottle with a craving of a man and woman on each side to serve as the handles. The liquid inside was orange in color.
[GIMME! GIMME! GIMME!] Akatsuki stared at Las Boss, a grown man, acting like a little kid. He was trying to get the potion from Naotsugu. The Guardian was having trouble keeping potion out of Las Boss' reach.
"You're age is showing." Shiroe sighed, getting a confuse look from Akatsuki. "Ah, Boss is twelve years old. We believe his current speech issues is cause by how different his current body is to his height.
"But, I am a good foot or two over my original height and I can speak just fine." Akatsuki said, shocked at what Shiroe meant. He's been mute the whole time? Is that why he was practicing with those boxes by speaking with me through them?
[Well, there goes my body being the cause of the voice corruption.] Las Boss let out a huff. [I still want to get to my original height. Being a kid in an adult's body kind of sucks.]
"Isn't being an adult a kid's dream?" Naotsugu chuckled before finding Las Boss trying to get the potion. "Alright! Alright! Have a chill festival!" Naotsugu shouted. However, both men found themselves falling down due to Las Boss pushed Naotsugu too far. "Ow!"
"The potion!" Shiroe shouted in a panic as both men saw the potion up in the air.
"Got it!" Naotsugu said only to hit Las Boss in the head when they both reached for it. "Watch-Oh, crap festival." All four of them watched as the potion had hit off their hands and right out the window near them. Both men rushed to the window and looked down. "Oh, good it did not-Hey! Don't take… It's gone. Potion number 2 taken by a young dwarf below."
"Oh, my," Shiroe said with a bit of pity as Las Boss sat again the wall, going into the fetal position from despair. "Akatsuki-san, hurry and use this one before something happens to it as well."
"Hai." Akatsuki nodded in agreement, now understanding Las Boss's pain. But, still, why would a twelve year old give up on the dream of becoming a ninja? Akatsuki pondered as she went behind a paper screen wall for some privacy. She popped opened the bottle and drank it down as fast as she could. Seconds later, she found herself regretting it, unleashing screams as her body twisted and contoured in directions she never knew was possible. She just focused on the form she wanted, hoping for the pain to end quickly. Though she also noted her body glowing bright orange, blocking her from seeing her body.
"Is she alright?" Naotsugu whispered as Akatsuki found her hearing coming back to her after a few seconds as the light died off her body. The searing pain turning to a dull ache.
"I-I think this potion causes a lot of pain from the sound of it." Shiroe sheepishly said as Akatsuki looked back over herself. Her body was to a petite girl, the same body she knew all her light. Her clothes pooled on her body due to such the change. "A-Akatsuki-san? Are you alright?"
"She had a lot of her own problems…" The Guardian spoke while Akatsuki gather her clothes up enough on her body to slightly tie it to keep it from falling off.
"Troublesome." Akatsuki sighed, frowning at her small figure. Even though she did not like being a man, she also did not like the fact she was a short girl. But at least I can use the bathroom normally again.