Author's notes: Herein lies my first "fix", as it were. Even with SAO's perceived difficulty, I found it a little hard to believe that a bunch of people this psyched for a game could have such little knowledge of it as to be unable to find and defeat even the first boss. Instead, our heroes will be going up against Captain Hookah, an infamous roadblock for many players, myself included, back in the heyday of Dragon Saga. Otherwise, this reflects the second episode of the anime.
For the version posted here on AO3, I've decided to rearrange some of the scenes compared to the original FFN post, to improve on the suspense and make it flow better overall.
Chapter Two
Aria on the Starlit Sea
6th of February, 2022
Mantine's log:
[Mantine]
[Warrior]
[Lv. 20]
It's been exactly one month since the day we were trapped in the cursed death game, Dragon Saga Online. To say things aren't looking good would be a gross understatement. Out of the initial ten-thousand players that the server held, over two-thousand have already met their end. This game was leagues tougher than most players realized; even before our lives were at stake, DSO billed itself as a challenging, hardcore MMO that wasn't going to hold your hand. Everyone that just wanted to ride the hype train quickly found that they'd bit off more than they could chew. Several of them got overwhelmed before they could even make it to the next safe zone... were they any different than us, a bunch of would-be heroes?
The game's population is dwindling by the day. Those who weren't driven to suicide in the weeks following the announcement decided to accept their fates, settling down and starting lives in the safety of Odelia's walls. Others decided to make the deadly trek to the game's hub town, Port of the Winds, where resources were more abundant. They've long since given up any hope of returning to the real world. Even worse, we've heard rumors of sadistic player-killers out there, preying on the weak and unprepared.
Luckily, I fancy myself a quick learner, and I've managed to make it this far without too many close calls, thanks in part to my guildmates. You guys are the best. Once we had a solid plan, I recruited as many players as I could to help bolster the Mudkipz' strength. We're fifteen men strong as I write this, and I'm staying on the lookout for more. All isn't lost yet; far from it. We've already managed to take down both of the Great Wolves of Windia Plains, and the twin Ogre Chiefs that ruled high atop Traitor's Ridge, making the path to Port of the Winds much safer. These early victories gave our guild a solid foothold in building a reputation... and on top of that, I finally reached level twenty. Today I'll advance to the Knight class.
Aside from the Mudkipz, only one other guild remains actively fighting on the front lines. There were a few smaller startup guilds in the first week or two, but the ones that didn't get wiped out from jump street ended up consolidating into the other guild in question, as a sort of greater alliance to unite the smaller groups. Despite being a little behind the curve, I've done my best to pull my weight so far, but advancing to the second class will allow me to make good on the big game I've been talking up. Whatever it takes.
Hope my family's okay. Don't worry about me. You know how it is.
Probably gonna miss the Super Bowl. It ain't like the Cowboys were gonna make it anyway. Ah, fuck it, maybe next year.
Port of the Winds
As the dusky evening had descended, a set of makeshift sandstone 'bleachers' was set up near the docks of Port of the Winds, the largest town within DSO that effectively served as the game's central hub. Mantine, Kite, and Kindon took their seats alongside a handful of the Mudkipz' latest recruits, members of the other guild, and a handful of solo players, all ears for the important strategy meeting taking place within. Lorewise, the town was a central trading port thanks to its size and proximity to the seas. Courtesy of the Divine Dragon Lord's Blessing, the port was entirely safe from all monsters, as well as player-versus-player activity unless both parties agreed to it. In addition, the myriad of NPCs within the town offered all the basic services a player could need, and there was more than enough housing should any players decide to take up residence. Indeed, the Mudkipz had set up their base in one of the Port's inns, though Mantine had already been planning to save up for a proper guild hall the first chance he got. On top of all that, the port town's cozy, welcoming atmosphere and comforting music helped many players take their minds off of the fact that they were trapped inside a game.
"Ah-hem! Everyone, may I have your attention, please? You may call me Popcorn... and in this game, the class I play is a Knight!"
The man stationed in the center of the bleachers made this announcement with a loud, steady tone, and thrust his sword in the air triumphantly with an exaggerated pose. The gesture illicited little more than stifled snickering from everyone watching. "What is this, a roleplay server?! Hahaha, come on!" jeered Kindon, no doubt in an attempt to lighten the mood a little.
Popcorn, for all his goofy grandstanding, certainly cut a heroic silhouette with his toned build, adorned with shining armor similar to that of Mantine yet with a distinctive color scheme of white and gold. He looked to be a good few years Mantine's senior, roughly placing him in his mid-twenties. His cleanshaven, chiseled jawline set against his long, light blonde hair parted in the middle complimented his somewhat soft gaze, giving him a look of benevolence; he seemed like he could be a friend to just about anyone. His looks notwithstanding, he was also the highest leveled player here and seemed to have at least the faintest idea of what the hell he was doing to make it this far.
Popcorn looked clearly embarrassed, but regained composure and continued. "That aside... on with the subject of today's meeting! As you're no doubt aware, the location of the next major boss has been discovered! The scouting detail I sent out to the docks returned last night, and as it turns out... the docks branch out further than we initially reported! The extension was in fact obscured by a some kind of strange mist... but now, the path is clear!"
Mantine raised his hand as though he were in class, confident that whatever he was about to say would be helpful to the group. Popcorn pointed to him and temporarily gave him the floor. "Yes, Mantine, of the Mudkipz guild! What is it you have to add?"
"Uhh, I was actually a day late to this game... sir?" he said, trying to give the man some level of formality.
"Popcorn is fine, really." he reassured with a smile.
"Right! I did manage to read up on some of the game's early bosses on the official website... oh, and my friends here actually got to play some of the beta. If my info's good, the boss we're after is called Captain Hookah, the Dread Pirate. Don't let the name fool you; he's a fearsome shark pirate with all sorts of crazy moves, but he's got a preference for ranged attacks... and he's known for fighting dirty. He'll be supported by a group of four Elite Starries. You know the ones I'm talking about. If you've been doing the quests around the Port, you probably already had to take down a few of the regular ones, so you know how much of a bitch they can be. Those little demons'll stunlock you til the cows come home if you aren't careful, and I've heard the Elite variant can adapt their attack patterns based on your movement. Hookah himself starts off with a blunderbuss, but at half health, he'll switch to a repeating pistol. I don't know anything more than you guys beyond that, but it might be a good idea to plan your attacks accordingly." explained the sky-blue warrior.
"Thank you, Mantine!" Popcorn responded with a thumbs-up. "We'll take that into-"
"Hold it! Hold it, hold it, HOLD IT!" called out a voice decidedly rowdier than the rest, jolting several of the players as its source wedged himself into the meeting. Crudely kicking up several clouds of dust as he slid down the sloped edge of the sandstone, planting himself firmly beside Popcorn. "Big fella... you aint' seriously gonna give this guy the time of day, are ya?!"
"You're late!" called out someone from the stands, no doubt trying to ruffle his feathers a bit.
A second voice followed suit, ribbing the man a little with a, "...nice wavedash, bro!"
He put his hand on the ornery man's shoulder, hoping the friendly gesture would calm him down. "Easy there, Saffron! What's all this about? He was just trying to help."
With a confused stare, Mantine sized the guy up; Like Popcorn, he looked roughly in his mid-20s, and fairly stocky and well-built, a little on the short side. Based on the colors of his armor, he must've belonged to the same guild. His hair was light blonde and spiked in the shape of a morningstar, with a matching chin spike goatee.
"...You! Don't think I'm not wise to what you've been up to! I know you ain't the real deal." he snarled, jabbing his finger against Mantine's chest.
Mantine backed away, appearing rightfully confused at the sudden attempt to slander him. "What? I-"
"Don't play dumb with me! I saw you AFK in the Port for almost a week! No way in hell you got to level 20 without some kinda exploit! Clearly you found somethin' that ain't been patched yet, boy."
"...better not go live, BOY!" Kindon's dry sarcasm resounded from above, clearly not taking this hothead seriously, quoting an old King Cobra meme.
"...shut up! ...and you never did say how exactly you got that sword! What, are ya so GOOD that you can play in your sleep?!" he further grilled the swordsman.
It took until now for it to hit Mantine that he actually knew this guy... sort of. The blade in question, sheathed securely on Mantine's back, was the Arcfire Sword, the best weapon a warrior could carry before reclassing. Unlike his previous weapons, it was a rare drop from the dungeons in Traitor's Ridge as opposed to a guaranteed quest reward. Its coveted status didn't go unnoticed; just yesterday Saffron approached Mantine unassumingly and made a friendly offer to buy the sword off of him. Saffron drove a hard bargain, but Mantine had ultimately turned the man down at the suggestion of Kite. It was also upgraded to plus-four, meaning Mantine had to find enough resources to fortify it at a blacksmith. That's to say nothing of the diminishing success rate that came with each stage of fortification. Admittedly, it might've appeared suspicious that a 'new' player would come across such a thing so easily.
The truth of the matter was, Mantine had found the sword through legitimate means while raiding the Ogre Chiefs' dungeons with his guild. Weapon enchant powder was a fairly common find, but even then it had taken most of the money he'd scraped together to pay the smith for fortification. As for the claim of him being AFK, he had actually fallen asleep without changing his character animation through the emote menu, something he often forgot to do.
Saffron would continue his unhinged tirade, refusing to let Mantine even get a word in edgewise. "That's what I thought! And ya know what else?! I think the Mudkipz guild should give half of their loot to everyone else, seeing as how they've already got the unfair advantage, AND on top of that-!"
Cutting off Saffron before Mantine could muster up a counterargument, another voice took the floor; a stern, deep voice with the slightest hint of a southern drawl that spoke out in his defense. "Ahem! Don't step too far outta line, Saffron. It ain't a good look."
This statement alone was enough to silence the spiky-haired blonde, if only for the moment. He shot a dirty look to the man who spoke up as he rose from his seat, casting a long shadow. He was a black man, certainly on the taller side and clad in similar armor to Mantine, albeit with that same white-and-gold adornment. His short fade gave him a well-groomed look, alongside his noticeable stubble that put him a few years above the Mudkipz in age. A two-handed blade rested upon his back; he'd clearly had his sights set on the Gladiator class advancement.
"Now, I'm not here to be this man's defense attorney, but I have no reason to believe that Mantine has been exploiting any sort of glitch or any of that nonsense. As for the info he relayed... well, if I recall, each and every one of you had ample time to read up on the early bosses before the game even released. It would appear that most of you used your free time on... other endeavors." his voice as smooth as his words were blunt.
Saffron didn't stay choked up for long, sliding right back into his own vitriol. "Y-yeah, well... Why should I listen to you? Who the hell are you, anyway?!"
"I go by Chocolate Desire." he introduced himself, coldly staring straight into Saffron's soul. "Anyways, we're burnin' daylight here. What's say we lock it down, settle any differences we might have and take this boss down together? That is, unless you wanna keep running your mouth?" he said, crossing his arms and baring his teeth at Saffron.
Chocolate's saving throw seemed to pacify Saffron for the time being, who reluctantly returned to his seat, folding his arms and grumbling to himself. The crowd murmured in agreement. Mantine was practically dying to put that punk in his place, but opted to hold his tongue for the sake of ensuring the raid was a success. Kite tapped Mantine's shoulder once he sat back down, noticing his anger reaching a boiling point. "Hey, keep your cool, man. What's that bloke's problem?" he whispered. "Ain't that the guy who was tryna buy your sword off you? It's like he's Mr Hyde all of a sudden!"
Mantine nodded. "Looks like him. I don't get it either, you tell me!"
"You nearly accepted the trade, too. It's like I told ya, most of you are stuck with your level 10 weapons until you reclass. Holding onto that thing's gonna do you a lot more good than the gold it's worth." Kite insisted.
Mantine gritted his teeth and gave a nervous smile. "I know, I know. Thanks, man. You're a life-saver!"
"Ahem! Moving on!" shouted Popcorn, gathering the crowd's attention once more after the small scuffle had subsided. "Let's keep things positive! I'd like to say I'm proud of everyone who had the courage to gather here! Let me introduce you to the valiant Mudkipz guild! And for anyone not yet familiar, the men trimmed in golden glory are my own guild, the Guardian Force!"
More stifled laughter came from the audience. "'Guardian Force'? What a weeb!"
"...Moving on. Your service means a lot to us. Looks like we've even got a few solo players joining us! Together, we should be able to bring down Captain Hookah, and those of you at the appropriate level will advance to a new class! How exciting! Now... as for the plan of action. At your levels, sword skills are limited, but I've figured out the best way to make use of the switching mechanic – we'll all pair off! Simply put, we'll spread out and engage the boss and his supports, one member of a pair switching when the other is injured." Popcorn laid out the basics for his strategy, leaning into perhaps DSO's most integral mechanic, the Switch. It was a universal skill assigned to every class once the tutorial was completed. As its name implied, it would allow two players to switch places with each other via instant teleport. It could be used in almost any situation, with a cooldown of only 5 seconds.
Immediately upon this declaration, the awaiting players began to pair off. Just behind Mantine, Kite and Kindon quickly formed a party. Kindon looked at the lone swordsman with a hint of regret. "Sorry, man. There's three of us, so one of us has got to pick another partner. I'm a melee-oriented class like you, so I synergize better with Kite." he'd say, noticing the growing look of disdain on his friend's face "...Hey don't sweat it, we'll have your back."
Mantine slid away from his friends. "We'll have your back..." he parroted Kindon mockingly. He eyed up his few remaining options, noting several players seated by themselves. Must all be solo players... great, I get the leftovers... wait a sec, who's that?! he thought, his gaze turning to a young woman dressed in cream-colored mage robes with stylized cat ears adorning the hood. Her face was partially obscured under the hood's shadow, but she appeared to be of Asian descent. Wavy strands of scarlet hair emerged from her hood and rested just on her shoulders. Whoa... now there's somethin' you don't see every day. Cute... and thicc! She really fills out those robes!
Drawing a deep breath and exhaling it as a prolonged sigh, Mantine shuffled over next to the lone woman, who hardly noticed his presence lost in her own world. "Hey, there. Uhh... did you get left out, too? Oh, I'm Mantine... wanna party up?"
Pausing a moment before looking up at him unassumingly as her red eyes crept from out of the shadow of her hood, the young woman quietly spoke. "...I'm Morana... and I wasn't left out. I was banking on Popcorn letting me do this by myself and get it over with... but fine. Just to warn you, I'm a mage class. Planning on promoting to cleric. You'll be doing all the up-close and personal stuff, is that okay?"
"Fine by me. I'll rush 'em down, you watch my back. That's generally how it works. ...Please try not to die." said Mantine, taking a closer look at the magical staff on her back.
Morana sighed. "I know. The one big blind spot..." as dejected as her tone was, that last word carried the faintest hint of a smile.
After this brief exchange, Mantine and Morana opened a menu screen, forming a temporary party. Mantine noticed that on his HUD, Morana's health and MP were now visible underneath his own. Once everyone had formed pairs, Popcorn rallied them to march out to the docks. "That said... that'll conclude the briefing! Tell me... you think... no, you know we've got what it takes, don't you?!" he shouted. Met with a chorus of roaring fervor and determination, he couldn't help but smile. "Then we'll move out tonight, under the blessing of the stars! For those we must protect, we cannot lose!"
Bearded Whale Coast
Night had fallen upon the coast, its clear serenity blanketing the beautiful beachside with a bounty of sparkling stars that reflected off of the undulating waves. The trek across the docks was fairly light, much to the relief of the raiding party, who wished to stay in top shape for the looming encounter. The shark pirates, feral crabs, and starries along the way weren't much of a threat anymore, and could easily be passed with minimal aggression so long as no one lingered behind. The zone's nautical vibe spurred Mantine into loudly humming the Gangplank Galleon theme from the Donkey Kong series, with Kindon, Kite, and any others who knew the tune chiming in to boost the small army's morale, even if only by a little.
Before long, the wooden docks reached their terminus at a glowing blue portal that surely lead to the lair of the boss. Two by two, the players entered until all fourty-four of them were spread out and poised for battle. Each one remained close to their partner and clutched their weapon tightly, waiting with bated breath as they steeled themselves to fight their toughest enemy yet, with only the advice of the Mudkipz to go on. Indeed, everyone was cooking up their own strategy based on what Mantine had said before.
The raiding party were spat out into an instanced boss chamber; a shallow pool that reflected the twinkling stars hanging above, lighting the way along with a full moon. A hoard of gems and gold trinkets littered the floor, scattered amid soaked skull-and-crossbones flags, giving the place an obvious pirate motif. Open treasure chests dotted the room, their wood rotted and splintered, their loot plundered long ago. An eerie fog crept over the ground, and the air tasted strongly of sea salt.
"Listen up!" Popcorn's voice boomed. "Everyone on the left, you're with me!" he commanded, pointing toward the players who had teleported through first, on the leftmost end of the arena. "And everyone on the right side, group up with Saffron! I have only one thing to say to you all, and that is... that I won't wish you good luck... because we won't need it! We're going to win!"
A resounding cheer came from the group, ready to take on anything at this point. Much to Mantine's chagrin, he and Morana were two of the last ones through the portal, and had landed themselves on the right end. "Figures. Fine. Long as he doesn't bitch at me."
Saffron didn't dignify his statement with a response... not that he'd have the chance, nearly losing his footing as the floor underneath began to quake violently! Reacting to the group's presence, the boss awakened from his makeshift throne of gold on the opposite end, not taking kindly to the unwanted guests that had just wandered in!
True to his epithet as the dread pirate, Captain Hookah was a quite the gruesome sight to behold. Towering over the party at good fifteen feet tall, at face value he was simply an enhanced variant of the anthropomorphic shark pirates everyone had been cutting down without second thought over the last couple of weeks. That said, his imposing form appeared to have pushed the graphics to their limits to drive home just how horrifying of a creature he was! His scales, rough-cut and gleaming under the moonlight, took on a royal purple hue, many of them had been worn away revealing scars and a myriad of other wounds courtesy of his would-be killers, exposing raw muscle and tendon. Fitting for a pirate, one of his eyes was clearly gouged out, sporting a classic eye patch over the wound. His hulking humanoid body, rippling with layers of muscle, was draped in traditional pirate garb, tattered and soaked beyond repair. His elongated head sported an equally worn tricorn cap.
Though Captain Hookah had clearly seen better days, the deafening roar he loosed as a warning to the players did a fine job showing off his rows upon rows of perfectly white, razor-sharp teeth! Four health bars appeared above his head as he savagely gnashed his jaws at his opponents, drawing his old-fashioned firearm and taking aim! Just as Mantine said, a group of four minions spawned in his proximity, quickly identified as Elite Starries. The strange starfish sported royal purple skin to match their master, and stared their enemies down with eerily stitched faces before spinning up to speed!
"Listen up!" Popcorn shouted, using the length of his blade to direct the small army around. "Squad One, let's try and rush Hookah from several sides! No telling who those starries are going for! Saffron, can Squad Two lead them away?! I'm going in!"
Saffron nodded in accordance, looking back at his half of the party. "You hear that? Sounds like a plan, right?! It's no good if we're all clustered up, so let's try and pull these guys while Squad One wears him down! If you get hit, floor tech as fast as you can and use a counter skill!"
With these words, both sides charged their respective targets! The starlit chamber had become a warzone! Hookah himself opened with a relentless volley of bullets firing the blunderbuss as though it were a modern-day machine gun, targeting several players at once! Mantine and the other warriors rushed forth to block the round bullets with their shields, while Kite managed to shoot down a handful of them with his crossbow! Still, their homing properties meant that a few found their marks!
Kindon saw an opening to go on the offensive, nodding at Kite. The assassin dashed toward Hookah, too fast for his gunfire to keep up! Joining his side was Chocolate, who had switched with his partner just moments before! Kindon viciously dug his katars into Hookah's scales, making sure to target the open wounds just to spite him! Hookah flailed around until Kindon was flung off, and Chocolate got a brutal sword slash in just before the dreaded shark recovered! Several other players rushed his legs in the chaos before being flung off by a magical barrier!
Hookah wasn't about to take this lying down, however. He turned his gun skyward and blasted a staggered volley of glowing green bullets! The strange projectiles left contrails of light as they arced back downward, homing in on several players! Just before hitting the ground, they'd explode in a wide AOE, and release several magic nets! They cast themselves wide, capturing clusters of players underneath! Though not indestructible, it took many hacks and slashes to break free from the sinister nets, and simply touching the net left each player feeling weakened for a moment!
The nets had mostly affected Popcorn's group, as those following Saffron were doing a fantastic job of keeping the Elite Starries busy. They'd engage one until they took a hit from their spin attacks, taking advantage of the ability to switch during hitstun! Their partner would teleport in their stead to get in a cheap shot, chipping away their lengthy health bars. A dazzling barrage of fiery orbs sailed just past Mantine's head, lighting up the watery surface in brilliant amber as they found their mark, frying one of the Starries to a crisp as it shattered! He looked over his shoulder to see Morana close behind, a trail of smoke coming from her staff and a faint smile on her hooded visage. She was able to keep Mantine and the others healed without losing any momentum! Look at her move! It's like she's skating across the water, my eyes can barely keep up! She must be a natural... I mean, as if there was any doubt!
Curiously, Popcorn hadn't let up for even a moment since beginning his attack, committing to an all-out offensive against the towering foe. He wasn't just all talk after all, the man's bravery on full display here. Not one of his men had a doubt about his worth as a leader any longer! His eyes grew shifty, glancing over to Hookah's health meter every few seconds. Just perfect. We're already halfway there! Just need to chip it down a bit more! Come on... Just need to get the last hit, and I'll be everyone's hero! Not to mention, that last hit drop'll me all mine! "So far so good, men! Chocolate, can you draw his aggro just a little longer? Kite, give the man some cover fire!"
"Sir, yes sir!" both men shouted as they followed the command!
Indeed, the valiant heroes hacking away at the towering shark pirate eventually brought it down to its halfway point. When he next took aim with his blunderbuss, all that followed was a hollow, resounding click! If there was any cue they needed, this was it! "What's the matter, Jaws? All outta ammo?!" taunted Saffron just as he sliced a Starry clean in two and shattered it. "Looks like the info was good, boys! Let's bring this one home!"
Another watery pulse of magical energy knocked Hookah's attackers on their feet just long enough for him to safely enter his second phase! Hookah spat out a few bloody teeth, angrily slamming his gun into the ground with enough force to break it!
Here I go! As soon as he takes the first shot, I'll send all that damage right back where it came from with my Mirror Reversal! Then I can finish him off with my trump card! I'll save everyone! "Maximize sword skill: Mirror Reversal!" he called out, his buckler set aglow! "All right, men! Fall back and regroup! Leave this next one to me! I've waited a long time for this... Luminous Blade!" he cried out, cloaking his sword in a blinding white aura that seemed to triple it in size! Holding the glowing weapon aloft, he took his position and dug his heels in! However...
"POPCORN, GET OUTTA THE WAY!" screamed Mantine in sheer desperation as the dreaded captain reached in his bag and drew something much larger than a pistol! "It's not a repeating pistol! He's got some kind of a... a cannon! You can't block it!"
It was just as Mantine said, Hookah now brandished a colossal iron cannon slung under his arm! It lit up with an aura of its own, charging its barrel with deadly force! Before Popcorn could heed Mantine's warning, Hookah viciously stomped the ground, stunning the entire party for a moment and taking aim at the closest player – Popcorn! The valiant leader struggled to move his legs as a volley of three cannonballs rocketed toward him! With no other choice, he went through with his initial plan and raised his shield and activated his shield's skill!
Though he was indeed the highest leveled player here, his Mirror Reversal skill was a few levels shy of being able to reflect a barrage of supercharged cannonballs! The first cannonball slammed into Popcorn's shield, knocking his arm away! Freeing himself from the stun effect, Popcorn took to his feet and made a run for it!
"Popcorn! Regroup with me, quick!" Saffron cried out! Kite readied his crossbow and fired, while Kindon and Chocolate rushed the boss as fast as their legs could carry! "Hang on, I'm coming!"
Morana readied her staff and motioned over at Mantine! "Come on, we've got to get to him before Hookah does!"
Impressive as Popcorn's sheer speed was, able to outpace Hookah for the length of the pursuit, he couldn't have been more out of his element! The colossal shark threw his entire weight forward, diving toward the swordsman! He'd land on his belly, sliding across the water as though he were swimming, even using his tattered tail to steer himself and cut Popcorn off at every turn! Thinking quickly, the guild leader would apply a speed buff and try to make as much distance as he could!
Even at his top speed, the man was no match for the aquatic terror that assailed him! Another explosion rang out through the chamber, and the second cannonball found its mark! Popcorn had the wind knocked clean out of him, sending him crashing to the ground! Seizing the opening, Hookah swam the shallow seas at a breakneck pace and opened his gaping maw wide, rending Popcorn's arm away with his vicious bite! Though he felt no pain, his screams of pure terror made everyone's blood run cold!
Throwing caution to the wind, Mantine and Morana rushed to Popcorn's aid as the others returned to the battle! Saffron was hot on their tail, but the last of the Elite Starries blocked his path forward, spinning up to attack! "Outta my way! Get offa me!" he roared, tearing into the angry fish with his sword!
One last cannonball made its mark, tearing through the defenseless Popcorn's chest! His health now flashing red to indicate critical levels, he found himself in the arms of Mantine! "Hang on! Stay with me!" Morana demanded, casting a heal spell onto Popcorn's limp body as his consciousness wavered.
There was no effect... nothing happened. Mantine propped him up with his arm and thrust a red health potion into his hand... only to have the glass phial pushed away. Mantine felt blood rushing to his head. He was dumbfounded by the man's refusal of aid... and the realization sunk in that he had been too late.
Then he noticed that Popcorn's sliver of health continued to decrease gradually. The 'Bleeding Lv. 5' status flashed next to his name. "Guess I... a little too got in over my head there, huh? Figures... Forgive me, it's too late now. Mantine, Morana... give me the honor of a hero's death."
Mantine embraced Popcorn's fading avatar and fought back tears. The realization sunk in that he was witnessing the first death he'd seen in person. "By the way, I believed everything you said... A shame, I think we could've been such good friends."
With his final words, Popcorn's body shattered into a glimmer of blue light fragments, signaling his demise.
"Popcorn! No, you can't...!" roared Saffron the moment he had room to breathe! "No... POPCORN!"
Feeling the weight lift from his arms, the man he'd held moments ago reduced to light... Mantine felt his body begin to quake, his expression of sheer horror mirrored by the rest of the raiding party. However broken they were by the loss of their commander, not a single one of them dared to back down. To the contrary, their burning resolve was only strengthened, as they all fought even harder than before, their collective desire to avenge Popcorn's death overtaking any fear they might have harbored!
Mantine was no exception, his raging conviction grew even more violent than the rest! Hookah's health had been taken down significantly by this point, and Mantine saw an opening. With fire in his eyes, his sword took on a gleaming glow as he sprinted toward the shark pirate! The last remaining Starry broke off from its engagement with Saffron and tore across the water in pursuit of Mantine, but a crossbow bolt came sailing from afar and skewered the starfish! It lost its balance completely and crashed onto its side, giving Kindon the chance to finish it off with a rolling uppercut! "You're all clear!" he signaled, with Kite giving a thumbs-up as he reloaded.
"Nice going! You ready, Morana?! Let's finish this thing off together!" On his signal, Morana held her staff high, delivering a constant stream of healing magic! The moment he closed the distance, Hookah would claw at the swordsman viciously with his hook, but it wasn't enough to outpace his partner!
"You're doing great, everyone! This is our last shot, so let's end this now!" roared the blue-haired swordsman, his emotions reaching a fever pitch! "I ain't letting anyone else die, you hear me?! Now, Morana!" he shouted behind him! "Here goes nothing! Maximize sword skill: Storm Blade!" he called out, holding his sword out as his body began to rapidly spin around the wounded shark! The shallow pool beneath him whipped up into a whirlpool!
With Hookah trapped in the tempest, Morana swapped her healing spell out to call forth a barrage of flaming meteors to pursue the pirate! The jagged, fiery rocks were drawn into the spinning torrent, and soon Hookah found himself in his own personal blender! Again and again, the captain was shredded and scalded as the magical onslaught made its rounds on his body! When the storm finally subsided, he found himself helplessly dazed! Calling forth the rest of her MP, Morana summoned a great orb of crackling lightning, surging the shark with thousands of volts! One final strike from Mantine's blazing blade finished the job, landing a clean cut across the behemoth's convulsing form! He made an intentionally stylish landing, and a great thud echoed throughout the room! The dreaded pirate Captain Hookah had fallen before the party at last!
An uncertain silence fell over the raiding party at first. Still processing the rollercoaster of emotions they'd just been subjected to, it gradually sunk in that they'd achieved victory at last. There could have been no more comforting a sight than the "CONGRATULATIONS!" screen that manifested on the far end of the room, a staircase of light cascading down from the blue exit portal that now beckoned the adventurers. For a moment, everyone rejoiced. Excited cheers of victory erupted from the party, eager to celebrate taking their next step in saving this doomed world. Kindon and Kite joined at Mantine's side, congratulating him, with others who witnessed his finishing move following suit. Humble as he was, Mantine couldn't help but take in the moment, basking in the glory of his accomplishment. Chocolate was just about to shake their hands, when one voice silenced the rest. A strained, tearful outcry of anguish and sorrow came from one man.
"HEY! HEY, WHY ARE YOU... WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ALL CHEERING FOR?!"
A hush fell over the group, silenced by Saffron's words. "Why'd you do it, huh?! Why?! He's dead now... he's dead! You shouldn't be celebrating... You guys aren't seriously sadistic enough to be cheerin' for the guy who got Popcorn killed, are ya?!" he'd cry out, his tears trickling into the shallow pool below.
Mantine gasped, a distraught look of confusion crossing his face, murmurs from the crowd giving mixed reactions to the man's words.
Saffron's anguished sobbing gave way to an enraged resentment. "Come on! Don't act like you don't know what the hell I'm talkin' about! Mantine and his boys over here gave Popcorn bad info about the boss' weapons!"
"Wait a second! Now, I... I- di-didn't know-" Mantine stammered, desperately trying to clear his name.
"Shut up, just shut up! We're sick of all your excuses! I bet you did it on purpose, too. Yeah, hear that, everyone! Mantine lied to Popcorn on purpose so he could get the last hit bonus for himself! Greedy son of a bitch!" growled the spiky-haired man with dogged resentment. "See? I told you, he's a cheater anyway! Way to prove my point! It wasn't just him, either! That lousy Mudkipz guild was in on it all along! Hmph, must've wanted all the glory to themselves. If it weren't for you guys, Popcorn would've stood a chance! He'd still be here! He's dead, and it's all your fault!"
"But I didn't know! There's no way I could've-!"
"I knew him... we... we went to university together, dammit! Now I'll never see him again! What are you gonna do about it?!" he screamed until his throat was raw, tears streaming from his face!
"HE'S DEAD, MANTINE!"
"You hear that, everyone?! The Mudkipz guild don't care about anyone but themselves! They got Popcorn killed! You'll never get away with this! I knew there was something off about you from the jump!"
Though questioning of Saffron's logic at first, these impassioned words gradually began to sway the crowd in his favor! "Yeah, come to think of it... those bastards did it right under our noses!" one player called out. The same men who were singing Mantine's praises moments ago were now deriding his guild with crude insults and a chorus of boos. Kite and Kindon were overpowered by the Guardian Force before they could even speak up, ruthlessly shoved to the floor by the angered mob and kicked repeatedly! The handful of Mudkipz Guild members who'd joined the raid found themselves surrounded and subjected to the same fate, pummeled as the guild's vengeful flames were stoked by Saffron!
His heart sinking, Mantine felt short of breath, collapsing to his knees and staring hopelessly at the results screen he should've been happy to see. Morana and Chocolate turned their gaze to him, their faces showing looks of genuine concern. They were among the few players not condemning the Mudkipz nor taking part in the brutal beating.
I don't understand at all... what the hell is this guy's beef with me?! Of course I didn't give the guy bad info! The boss index... hell, the whole bestiary must've been going off of the beta build! Oh, this is some bullshit... His thoughts raced frantically! As the rowdy Texan inside him replaced the passive, apologetic mindset he'd worked so hard to maintain, he was forced to his decision! ...It's no use. At this rate, there's no convincing him. No point in arguing with a brick wall. If anyone else gets hurt... if they don't appreciate me, then so be it...
At his wit's end, Chocolate put a hand on Saffron's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. "Hey, now... be reasonable. You've gotta simmer down and think about the-"
Drawing the longest breath of his life Mantine rose to his feet... and curled his lips into a sadistic smile... and he laughed. He laughed indeed, his maniacal cackling echoed all throughout the boss' chamber as the lights fell dim. The rest of the raiding party were silenced, ceasing their attacks for the moment. All save for Saffron, who glared at him with contempt through his sniffles and sobs. "Y-you! What the hell's so funny?! How can you...!"
The blue-haired swordsman cracked his neck and met Saffron's glare with a crooked smirk. "Oh... you know. I just think it's hilarious how quick you are to assume things about me." he said, as he sauntered toward Saffron with a swagger in his walk and hands casually sunk in his pockets. "Gotta hand it to you... You were close. Was I going for the last hit bonus? Of course! How could I pass that up?! Hahaha!"
Saffron was absolutely fuming, baring his teeth at the swordsman. Mantine's harsh words clearly did their job of getting under his skin. "Oh, Saffron... Saffron, Saffron, Saffron... baby. I'm downright insulted that you'd even think of grouping me in with those... second-rate amateurs! Those absolute noobs you call the Mudkipz?! They didn't suspect a thing! See, the truth is... I'm nothing like those guys, man. That's right, this entire plan was all me, baby. If you're gonna hate, give it all to me! It makes me stronger!" he boasted with cruel conviction, his hands placed proudly on his hips.
"I've gotta hand it to you though, puzzling me out like that. Guess it wouldn't do me any good to lie to you... so yeah, I did find a juicy exploit that helped me gain a level or two. Ol' Eugene can't exactly patch it now, can he? Full disclosure though, I know a lot more than that... way more! Gotta keep my lips sealed about all that, you know? After all, I can't let these stupid Mudkipz have a chance of being wise to my plans! Hey, credit where it's due though... they made damn good pawns! Ahahaha!"
Kite and Kindon couldn't believe what they were witnessing; their jaws dropped in unison. What was Mantine's angle here?
Mantine gingerly walked over to the slain Hookah just before he shattered into pieces, taking a closer look at the results screen floating above him. He tapped his finger against the interface, reaping the rewards all for himself.
Knight
"Hey, wouldja look at that! I completed the quest! You folk can turn yours in whenever you're ready! Here, take a few of these!" he taunted further, tossing a large stack of teleport crystals into the crowd. "Wouldn't want you to have to pull a hamstring on the way back! Ooh! And check it out, the last hit bonus! It's my lucky day!" he said condescendingly. "Maybe if your leader hadn't been such a reckless tryhard, he would've been the one to claim it!"
Saffron and the rest of the Guardian Force all glared at him with deadly intent. "How dare you...! Don't speak his name!"
"Know what I think? You didn't care about him that much either. You were just hoping he'd get the last hit so he'd share with you. After all, you were just as capable of saving him as I was... but you didn't. Ooh, yeah, all six pieces! I'm a big-time player now, eh?" Mantine wasted no time equipping the full armor set, now resembling a proper knight with thick, layered metal plating and a prominent helmet plume, the helm disappearing as per his set preferences to show his head.
"It's been real, but... I'm sure you're all sick and tired of me running my mouth. Unlike some people here, I know damn good and well when to shut up."
Several members of the party gasped; Mantine had actually made good on his claim and left his guild, his shiny new armor turning from blue-and-orange to a standard metallic black and silver. Just as he was about to turn away, Saffron called him out again. "...you're bluffing! Something's up and I know it!"
He'd pause for a moment before turning on his heel and meeting the man's gaze. "Think so?" Mantine asked coldly, turning around to face him one last time with a glare of death. Walking casually over to Kite and Kindon, who still lay on the ground from the earlier fracas, he retrieved his Arcfire Sword from his back. "You wanted this sword pretty bad, huh? Well... once I go turn my quest in, I won't need it anymore... so go ahead and take it. I'll just leave it here with these two goons." he casually said, holding the blade in a reverse grip and waving it over Kite and Kindon as though trying to choose between the two.
"Y-you wouldn't... you don't have the balls, dammit!" Saffron snarled, wiping his tears away to maintain his tough resolve.
"What's wrong? I'm just doing the same thing as you guys. Yeah... Come to think of it, you guys treat guilds with no more respect or honor than a street gang. You know how they get new people, right... you should know! ...how they prove they're the real deal?" venom dripped from the young man's words.
"THEY JUMP 'EM IN!"
Without so much as a second thought, Mantine held his blade high in the air, running it clean through Kite's back with enough force to embed it into the cavern's floor! The Englishman braced himself as his health bar chipped down into the red...
...only for the sword itself to shatter into light shards the next instant!
Mantine rolled his eyes and shrugged to himself. "Awwwwuh, I broke it. Oops. Maybe if y'all would've pulled your weight, I wouldn't have had to use it so much." he said, twisting the knife a bit with his words.
Saffron's body quaked, his fists clenched tightly as he stared daggers at the swordsman. "What the hell... what the hell are you thinking?!"
"Tough break, no pun intended. Now if you'll excuse me... I'm outta here. Your voices are all so grating!"
He thought to himself for a moment as he approached the exit portal, turning back to face Morana. "You, though... Hey. Morana, was it? Credit where it's due, you're really good at this. Maybe even better than me. The way you move with the agility of a wrestler... You're breathtaking. I don't want you running around with a bad influence like me, but if you want my advice... don't roll with a crowd like this either. It'd be a waste if you got yourself killed, y'know. Not to mention... you're actually kinda cute."
Morana covered her mouth and lightly blushed. "See ya." Mantine said plainly, bidding the raid party farewell and waving as he exited the portal, leaving the victorious group to their own devices.
...and of course, Popcorn's secrets had died with him. Just as he desired all along, Popcorn had died a hero's death, revered by the men he lead into battle that day.
"I was... I was wrong about you. You're no hero."