After Hiyori regained her senses and decided to head to the king, finally being able to meet him after about two hours of being in this world.
One thing she immediately noticed was how significantly warm everything was when she left the Hunters Lodge.
Now she couldn't tell if that was because it was colder in the Lodge, or the Coolers were done with their job.
"Alright, if you can kindly lead the way Afshin," she said stopping and letting him take the lead.
"Whatever you say, lady Hunter," Afshin said as he began to walk through the streets of Pheolas.
As they were walking, she figured she might as well do something productive. She heard a familiar beep, as she opened her [Status Menu].
What she found fascinating about this entire thing, was how easy everything was to access. It was nice, not having to spend most of her time searching for the things you wanted.
"Ha screw you the internet and your miss leading clickbait titles," but what she was most interested in was the help menu.
From what she could see, there were different aspects In the help menu. The one that stuck out to her the most was the Upgrade method. When she focused on it it made a distinctive sound.
When it opened and she looked at the contents, she found that it wasn't like the internet and found exactly what was advertised, a series of Upgrade methods.
The first one that she found and noticed was one called [Throwing Power]. While she figured it had something to do with throwing magic, she was completely wrong. Throwing Power adds a third bar underneath what she could assume is her health, mana, and, soul power.
"Hmm I don't think I've seen that bar before," She thought to herself, but more importantly this throwing power gauge fills up the more throws that land a hit on an enemy. But more importantly, when the gauge is filled, she can either use it to power up her next attack and cause a powerful throw, or she could increase one state by 5%.
While she thought that it wouldn't be helpful in her early journey, she could see it being immensely helpful later on.
The Second one she found useful was another powerup method called technique incorporation, it sounded simple enough, but from what she could understand from it, the basics of it being able to incorporate the techniques of other throwing weapons provides a better throw for the boomerang, which deals more damage and is more accurate it is, it also seems to ties into [Throwing power], it seemed that she gets a boost to the amount of throwing power I get, based on how good the throw is.
She also found this to be helpful, but she couldn't help but wonder whether throwing power is generated based on how well an enemy is hit, or if it's based on the damage it deals to the target.
"Hey, does either one of you have [Throwing power]?" She asked
Neither of them spoke for a second, and then Atossa broke the silence "No, High Hunter it would appear that [Throwing power] is a hero-exclusive ability, similar to that of SP, "
"But I would like to preference my companion's statement by saying people have something similar to it via Throwing magic," Afshin said as he kept his walking forward.
That made sense to her. if someone in the Hunters lodge were to try and reach or even surpass the boomerang hero. "So how does one do it?"
"It would take a long time to master it lady hunter, as I said before mastering one throwing form is tedious, mastering two is harder. But to pull something off like Pusedo form is something not many achieve." Afshin said as he moved his hands around while explaining it.
"As much as don't like to agree with him and his big head, he is correct, learning the Pusedo throwing form is a hard form to master, hell its hard to try and start to learn it," Atossa said, a mixture of frustration and disappointment evident in his voice as he began to nod his head.
He let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. The confident glint in his eyes was replaced with a look of dismay. "It's like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands," he muttered, his voice tinged with irritation.
"Hey, don't beat yourself up. If it's as difficult as you say it is, then there's no need to disquiet about it right," she said quickly trying to cheer and hoist his spirit, as he did for her. "Besides, it's not like there's a time limit to learning it."
He breathed in heavily again and let it go, "I guess you're right Hig... Hunter Miyazaki, Thanks for the words of encouragement," he said with his voice sounding more reassured of himself.
"Yeah, umm think nothing of it, just here to help people out," she said as she began to look around her.
She began to wonder what the rest of the world was like. what was Pheolas' history like, what were her predecessors like and what were the great calamities and disasters they faced?
Hiyori began to look around, thinking to her "This doesn't seem like a dream at all. The people and their struggles feel all too real," She saw a mother basket in hand and a child hand in the other.
"Even though I know I will have help, I still can't help but wonder what lies ahead of me." She began to hum a soft melody her grandparents taught her. She would always ask them to hum her to sleep to that specific tone when she would stay with them as a little kid.
She sighed and refocused still humming her melody. She began to look at the help menu once again.
"Alright, where was I," she thought to herself gazing at the already-seen methods. "found it," she thought to herself once again, feeling pleased with herself.
She read over the third and fourth ones, which she found to be fascinating to her. She would have to try those out at a later point in time. But first, she would have to focus on her current objective.
"Hold up, is that a blacksmith? Or is it a weapon shop?" Hiyori thought to herself. She couldn't tell, the only thing she could go by was a picture of an anvil with a sword on it. she couldn't read the text underneath it, it looked like a mixture of Hebrew, ancient Greek, and Cuneiform.
[System error: The Cardinal Boomerang can't translate written language]
she stopped and stared at the message in front of her eyes. "The boomerang can translate written language? Does that mean it's actively translating every word spoken to me," she pondered
She figured that made sense, making her wonder why she didn't immediately start to question the fact that she could perfectly understand the language of another world.
"Hunter Miyazaki, is there something wrong?" Atossa said as Afshin stopped and turned around.
She would dismiss the warning in front of her. before answering Atossa's question. "Umm, what is that building is it a blacksmith or a weapons shop, I can't read the writing?"
Afshin would look toward the sign "Oh yeah this place is a Weapons shop? do you want to head inside?"
She hated making these kinds of decisions. On the one hand, she wanted to visit the king as fast as possible, but on the other, she wanted to go inside.
"Huh, if you can't read then will have to find you someone willing to teach you," Atossa said, stroking his chin.
"I'll visit the king first and then do some window shopping later," she said out loud to reaffirm herself.
...
...
She continued to walk for another half an hour, on the way she saw all kinds of shops that she was going to go to once she was done.
As she continued to walk she felt a subtly warm one replaced the constant chill. She didn't complain, since she was feeling slightly cold.
"Lady Hunter we are nearing the castle we are only one block away from the main palace," Afshin said as he stopped. "Now let us do the talking, from here on out."
"Now hold on Afshin, I'm sure we can let her speak for herself," Atossa spoke to Afshin.
Afshin tensed his shoulders "Need I remind you of the schism going on, and the problems, that it will cause for Lady Hunter."
"I guess you would be right, alright let's go meet the king," Atossa said as he sighed.
She found that this interaction was weirder than their previous interaction. Maybe she was imagining it.
The more that she saw in the city. The more fond she found it to be with merchants coming from far and wide, to sell their wares. It was inspiring to her. However, her pondering was to be cut short.
They approached a large gate, of a yellowish sand color kind of wood. The door seemed to have intricate engravings, that she swore looked like they were giving off light particles.
In front of the gate stood a couple of soldiers who looked like they wore scale-like armor, not metal plates shaped like scales, but legitimate scale armor that covered their chest and shoulders. These scales were brownish-red in color. What she found odd was the same engravings were on each scale, and these engravings were the same as the ones on the wooden gate.
Back to the armor, she noticed that instead of armor that covered their entire arm, it was similar to samurai-type armor, they just had massive concave shield-like armor pieces made up of the scales as their chest plate was.
She had to give them credit it looked like their armor could handle being shot at.
"Hello good sirs, we're here to see the king, on the behest of the Grand Council of the Hunters Lodge," Atossa said as he made the hand gesture that he did when she met him.
"Sorry, but I have to inform you that the king is currently busy at the moment, and is not expecting nor letting visitors in at the moment." The soldier said as he stood firm
"Hmm, how unfortunate High Hunter Miyazaki, it would appear that your wish to see the king could not be fulfilled. I dually apologize, it's best to get going we don't want to bother the king." Atossa said as he turned around and faced me, and began to walk towards me.
She could already see where he was going with this.
"Hold on, the boomerang hero has been summoned?" The soldier asked out loud as he looked past Atossa, quickly looking at me, then looked down at my boomerang.
The Soldier quickly began to panic and stutter. "W-wait H-hold on. I am sure the king wouldn't mind if we made the exception for the boomerang hero."
"No, my companion is quite right, we wouldn't want to be a burden for the king while he sure is handling some important business," Afshin said, quickly hopping on to Atossa's story.
"Now, wait let's not do anything rash. let me escort you three to the king personally," the soldier said as he approached me.
"Alright, if you say so umm, what's you're name?" Atossa said.
"It's Lieutenant Efalen, sir." the lieutenant said
"Alright, Efalen we'll take your offer," Atossa said, quite pleased with himself.
Despite his stoic demeanor, Atossa is someone she wouldn't want to clash with in a battle of wit.
"If you would follow me to the throne room," Lieutenant Efalen said while whistling a specific melody with the gates slowly opening up to reveal a marvelous place.
As she traveled through the halls, she found it quite the wonder that the armor statues wielded various weapons, ranging from spears to swords. and every door that she wondered through she noticed above each door had what looked like a mixture of a lion and a fox.
She also noticed these clay pipes all bunched up together. If she had to guess as to what they were, they seemed like they were for the sole purpose of cooling the inside of the palace without the need for Coolers.
The halls seemed to all so seemed to have several animal carpets. While she didn't like it, she wasn't going to openly say so while she was a guest in the king's palace.
"Hunter envoys we are nearing the king's throne room." Lieutenant Efalen said as he approached a door that looked like it would take the average person years to pay for.
"Okay Afshin, Hunter Miyazaki, let me do the talking," Atossa said as he got in front of us.
I nodded along to Atossa, as the Lieutenant walked up to the door and proceeded to knock in a specific pattern with three knocks and a series of small lite knocks.
The door opened with a small creaking sound, with the other side brightly illuminated by the setting warm sun, through the small opening on either side of the richly textured walls.
The king's throne is at the end of the grand hall, with exquisite images of stars and jewels, with the same symbol of the lion fox in the center, irritating like a sun.
On either side of the hall's center is a group of what she could assume to be the king's advisors.
Upon walking into the throne room, She would notice the king sitting on his throne, as well as the murmurs and whispers of the advisors.
The King himself looked like a man no older than 30 years old, with skin similar to that of Polished bronze. A well-kept beard, dark as the midnight sky, that would make Hannibal envious. Sharp hazel-colored eyes that were weighted with a wealth of lifetime of experiences, which gazed out of his penetrating stare, and the way that he carried himself, with pride and confidence, that was bolstered by an air of regality.
She could see that his clothes matched this king's quality. He wore a red velvet silk head scarf, which was affixed with what she could tell was a diadem with several small jewels embedded into the gold-like band with small pearl-like beads being trapped down from it. Around his neck, she noticed a golden chain, that led to an intricate insignia of the Lion fox. He wore a robe full of swirling patterns made up of the same red velvet silk material, with the edges of it being a bronze-like color, with an orange tunic underneath that looked like it was high quality, as well as beige trousers.
"What business does the Hunter's lodge bring me during my discussion," The king boldly spoke. He was followed by Atossa and Afshin prostrating themselves before the king.
She would soon follow suit, quickly prostrating herself with her only companions.
"Your Majesty, I Atossa, high sentinel of the Hunters Lodges wish to speak with your excellence." Atossa proclaimed.
Afshin would soon follow "Your Majesty, I Afshin high Diviner of the Hunters Lodge wish to speak with your excellence."
The room would remain quiet and still like a graveyard, only to be broken by the king's voice, "What about you, in the white cloak, why are you here?" The boisterous voice of the king.
her forehead began to sweat a little, and her mind began to race slowly filling with thoughts. What was she supposed to do, should she listen to her only companions in this world, that meant she would potentially disrespect the king in his throne room.
She thought to herself quickly and began to speak right when Atossa spoke.
"My.." was all Atossa could get out "Your Highness, my name is Hiyori Miyazaki of another world and the current Boomerang hero." She said as she spoke quietly yet firmly and confidently.
As soon as she finished, an eruption from the advisors of talking and whispering amongst themselves. She couldn't make out anything they were saying, or determine whether it was good or bad that she spoke out.
"Everyone settle down, silence now," the King said as the advisors' conversation betwixt themselves quickly died down. "Good, Now Lady Hiyori you may stand."
She did as she was told and stood up. She figured the charade was up and pulled down the cloak's hood, revealing her face towards the king.
"If I were any older, I would have surely thought that my eyes must be deceiving me. But it would appear that the boomerang hero has decided to grace us with her presence," The king made a grand gesture as he threw his arms and hands outward, with the robe matching the king's movement.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Lady Hiyori, My name is King Alfalin Amun Jera the second of the Jerin dynasty." He said as he touched his fingers to his forehead and then outstretched it, releasing all his fingers into an outstretched palm.
"The Feeling is mutual King Alfalin," She said as she mimicked the gesture.
"May I ask, why you have decided to grace us with your presence my lady." the king asked as he sat down on his throne.
"I thought that it would be better if I came and saw you, after my companion Afshin mentioned to come to see you, but mentioned that you were busy."She spoke in a carefree manner.
"Hmm did he now? Well, I was quite busy, in fact before you entered we were about to discuss what to do for the coming of the waves of Legend. But it would appear that the Lodge is ahead of us and summoned you." King Alfalin said with a bit of strain in his voice.
"You're majesty if you would allow me to speak," Atossa spoke up raising his head towards the king.
"Yes, you may now, what is it that you wish to speak about?" the king looking towards Atossa.
"High hunter Miyazaki wished to speak to you about getting engraved equipment," Atossa said.
She pondered to herself asking one question. When did she say that?
"Yes, Lady Hunter wished to inquire about you providing what the Lodge can not." Afshin joined in still prostrating.
The king sat on his throne quietly for a second before answering.
"If that is what Lady Hiyori wants then who am I to refuse to help her prepare for the waves," the king said "But that may take about a day to find the appropriate engraver to do the job. In the meantime... Zefan will bring you to the guestrooms, it's after all night is fast approaching, will call you down when dinner is going to be served. " the king said as Zefan began to walk towards. the door.
She didn't find that to be a problem, before she followed Zefan she spoke to the king, "Thank you for being this generous." She said as she bowed her head, then turned around and followed the Zefan.
...
...
He watches as Zefan leaves the throne room with the cloaked Boomerang hero in tow.
Alfalin thinks to himself, "She seems quite the naive hero, that will most surely change in time, as she experiences our world," His gaze fixed on the leaving hero, like a hawking fixating on its prey, "She will fall on hard times when it comes to looking for allies in the Lodge."
His gaze finally broke free from the hero as she left the throne room, with her so-called companions getting up to leave.
"Everyone in this room except for Evato, Felkin, and the royal guards is dismissed for the evening, our discussions will be postponed until tomorrow afternoon, close the door on the way out." He ordered as the small group of advisors and noblemen left the throne room.
"You two of the hunter's lodge, you stay. I have some questions for the both of you." He said as his demeanor shifted, as he watched as the two Hunters stood still, and turned to face him.
"What is it your Majesty," The High Sentinel said as he spoke to him
he rose from the throne taking off his Headscarf and diadem and placing it gently and neatly before beginning to slowly walk towards the two Hunters.
"Just to clarify, and set things straight so there is no confusion between us. It has been little more than a day since the Hourglass started to drop its red sands again. During that time, the Hunter's Aspects decided to summon the sole protector of this world, would that be correct in my assumption so far," He locked eyes with the High Sentinel
"It's no wonder you are known as the Keen-eyed Sovereign," The High Sentinal said as looked into my eyes, with a smirk across his face. "According to tradition, we, The Five Aspects of the Hunters Lodge are to call upon the High Hunter in the face of great change." He said as he held up five fingers.
"Yes, while it is not my business to interfere with the lodge and its matters," He said as he paused
"I can not overlook the fact that there seems to be only two aspects present at this point." He said while briefly looking at the two in front of him, before looking down upon his hand with five outstretched fingers.
"Of course, there are only two of us at the moment, The others are..." The Sentinal is interrupted by Alfalin,
"Rumor has it the Aspect of tracking is currently vacant," he said as he lowered one finger down. "It would also appear that there are rumors that the Aspect of Armory is in another lodge in the desert nation of Nayogera." he lowered another finger down. "With the Aspect of Slaying being in the merchant republic of Metliona," Alfalin said as he lowered another finger down, with two standing fingers.
The Sentinal began to look nervous, as he gazed upon the two remaining fingers, before quickly looking at the diviner.
"Are these mere rumors? Most certainly, and as king, I wouldn't make accusations based upon mere rumors," He said snarkily "But it is to my understanding that to make a monumental decision such as bringing a new High Hunter into our world, would require a unanimous agreement between the Five Aspects, Would I be wrong Diviner Afshin?" He said as he locked his gaze at the diviner.
"You wouldn't be wrong, your Majesty." The Diviner said as he looked at the ground.
"See, such simple things as Common Ground and truths is such a beautiful thing, it allows us to see each other eye to eye." He said as he paced back and forth before stopping and turning to both of them, with the Sentinal glaring at him.
"Now, Felkin answer me this, if someone in the Hunters Lodge wanted more influence how would one go about it?" He said while looking at the sentinel.
"If I were to guess the best and fastest way to do that was to introduce and announce that they successfully brought The High Hunter back into the world," Falkin said.
From what he saw, the diviner began to fiddle with his hands.
"Now, If they did bring the 'High Hunter' back, why would they deliberately keep it a secret," he said as he noticed the sentinal flinch for a second.
"If I were to guess based on my understanding of the lodge. If the 'High Hunter' in question were in direct violation of one of the rules, due to their mere existence would be more reason enough," Evato joined in with a neutral tone.
"So what you're saying is Two of the Aspects are trying to hide the high hunter." He said as he looked into the sentinel's eyes once again.
"Yes, your Majesty," Evato said.
"Now let me tell you two something." He walked up towards the two Aspects and began to tell them something.
...
...
[Database: Entry two "Feyojerin"]
{Feyojerin is said to be one of three major powers, with one of its most prominent monikers being the Master of the Northeast, due to the fact its stranglehold of influence of the nations of the Northeast, Such as Kyonaga, Ragner, Nayogera, and Elmnegar, with these nations being in some form a vessel state.
Feyojerin is most notable for being the home of the Hunters Lodge. The kings and queens of Feyojerin sponsored and funded the Lodge to help maintain the monster population, of the country.
Its key feature is the Arid zone that stretches across most of the northeast, stopping at the Strum mountain range. }