KingVessel: Ladies and gentlemen... the Sachi chapter.
Chapter 05: Takamagahara
Venus Valley, Floor 022 (15:47, April 8th 2023)
"...?"
She blinked tiredly, trying to discern the features of the concerned person above her.
"...she looks awake..."
She struggled to speak, only for hacking coughs to escape her lips. Thankfully, the person soon used a Healing Crystal, her HP immediately rising from it's concerning red to a healthy green.
Fully healed, she immediately sat up in concern. "Please! My friends! They're in trouble! The monsters they..."
She paused as she saw the black-haired swordsman's expression turn sad, before looking around to find her guildmates missing. "Where are they? Where's everybody else?"
The swordsman grimaced before speaking forward. "I came as quick as I could when I saw the explosion... But I was too late... I only found you in there."
She looked towards where the swordsman pointed, his gloved finger indicating the very damaged well.
And just the sight of it triggered freshly repressed memories.
Keita suddenly demanded, his tone serious. "Sachi, you've got to get away from here."
"In here, Keita!" Ducker called from behind them, having just pulled open a well. "She can hide in here!"
"Why can't we all run away?!" Sachi protested as Keita began to drag her towards it, the sounds of Tetsuo and Sasamaru's battles almost drowning out the sounds of her boots resisting being pulled along. "I can't leave you guys!"
"There's not enough space for us all. Besides, out of us all, you're the only one who hasn't awakened her Dying Will yet." Keita flinched after he said those words, as if it hurt him to say it as much as it hurt Sachi to hear it. The definite proof of being too much of a coward. "If all of us blast it with our Flames, maybe we can stun it enough to get away."
Meaning that without her own Flame acting as a buffer, Sachi was being taken away to not end up as collateral damage.
"Keita, it's charging up that breath attack again!" Tetsuo shouted as the Field Boss began to summon a huge amount of Storm Flames in it's maw, resisting Ducker and Sasamaru's attempts to end it's action.
"Keep it there, Ducker, Tetsuo!" Keita shouted back before shoving Sachi into it and down the empty well. "Just stay here, Sachi! Please!"
"No... No, don't you fucking-"
Then a flash of crimson that swallowed Keita, along with that concussive soun-
*FWOOOSH-BOOOOM!*
"...no." It was too much for her. Too much of her to consider. Too much to understand. Too much to accept.
"Miss?" The swordsman gently took her hands. "I'm sorry that I was too late-"
Sachi, sole survivor of the Moonlit Black Cats, fainted again.
This time from overwhelming loss.
Takamagahara Guild HQ, Vindread, Floor 026 (19:07, April 8th 2023)
"Now, then... why do you want to join Takamagahara?" Tsuna, frontliner and Guildleader of Takamagahara, asked to his latest in a long line of applicants.
"Well, You look strong, and I, Fergus, don't concern myself with weak guilds." Fergus haughtily replied.
"...oh?" Tsuna felt his annoyance rise up a few notches. "And why not? There isn't a single guild in ISF that didn't start out weak."
"True, but this is the sole frontline guild that started out with a Sky as it's leader." Fergus replied as he struck a pose, fanning out his long blond hair to some imaginary wind. "Sure the others have their Skies as well, but this is a guild that Amber Asura built from scratch!"
Tsuna silently groaned at the sound of his epithet. It didn't help that he'd soon gotten a pair of gauntlets commissioned, having grown to prefer fighting with his fists.
"Besides, the sooner I get accepted into your guild and rise up the ranks, the sooner I can weed out the unsavory parts of my ideal guild."
"I was already wary of accepting you into my guild, but now this is a definite rejection." Tsuna made up his mind. "Takamagahara may have been initially born from Clearers like me, but is ultimately a welcoming spot for those who seek cooperation and security. Bullies like you who will just use our reputation and terrorize those below aren't permitted amongst us."
"Huh?! But I-" The man stated, only to be silenced by Tsuna's literally burning glare.
"Either walk out of this room before I throw you out... through the window."
"...you will regret this." Fergus hissed under his breath before stalking off.
"I've heard worse. And not even from this game." Tsuna rolled his eyes before calling out to his subordinates keeping the line in check outside the room. "Send in the next one, please!"
"Um... H-Hi!" The bard-themed girl waved shyly after entering, having pulled down her hat to do so. "I'm Yuna, a Sun."
"Nice to meet you, Yuna-san." Tsuna replied as he gestured to the seat before his table. "Just so you know, I don't judge by Flames or level, so no need to fret over those."
"I-I see." Yuna replied as she took the seat. "So it's really true? Levels and Flames don't factor into Takamagahara's guildmate inclusion?"
"That's right." Tsuna confirmed. Guilds in ISF tended to fall under two types: Friends or strangers. Guilds composed of friends would truly give little care for things such as Flames or levels, but would keep their numbers very small. Guilds composed of strangers however gave those things strong thoughts, the most famous ones choosing their members only amongst those strong enough or possessing a desired Flame type.
Takamagahara was unique in the sense that Tsuna followed the 'friends' mentality while leading a 'strangers' type, choosing to personally vet new entrants into his guild so that they all provided a welcome community to each other. The end result was the birth of a guild with ridiculously wider specializations but smaller numbers compared to guilds like Knights of the Blood and Divine Dragon Alliance, all led by one of the game's most powerful players.
Tsuna leaned forward. "So, let's begin. Why do you want to join Takamagahara?"
Yuna looked around in a bashful manner before answering. "Rather than fighting, I've always preferred to sing. I don't have much to offer beyond acting as a supporting buff to others, but... I've always wanted to be a part of a group that will welcome me. I-"
"Stop right there." Tsuna cut her off. "You're in."
Yuna blinked. "Eh? R-Really?!"
"Really." Tsuna assured her before sending her an Invitation and extending his fist, fiery orange licking his knuckles. "Welcome to Takamagahara. We will always welcome those who wish to help others, regardless of their capabilities to do so."
Yuna blinked at the offered fist bump before gladly returning it with her own, a shimmer of sparkling yellow meshing with his royal orange. "Thank you! Sir-"
"It's Boss, actually. Now go up a floor and ask for Irichi. He'll take over your initiation from there."
"Boss!" Yuna cheered as she rushed out, her HP now displaying their guild emblem. "I'll do my best!"
"I know you will!" Tsuna called out after waving her away. "Next!"
"Um, Boss?" The guard outside the room leaned in. "The applicants are finished for the day, but there is still another issue."
Tsuna blinked. "What is it, Billy-san?"
"Cloud Cadre Kirito's returned from Venus Valley with one pretty depressed girl." Billy replied. "It's looking like a serious Sitch."
"I'll be right there." Tsuna got up and patted his shoulder on the way out, paying him for his spent time he did so. "Thanks for the work and go get Annie-san something nice."
"Whoa, thanks, Boss." Billy cheered as he immediately rushed away to find his girlfriend.
As for Tsuna, he kept onwards until he reached Kirito's room. After being allowed entrance with a knock, Tsuna beheld the despondent girl sitting beside his friend. "Who's this?"
"Her name's Sachi." Kirito replied. "She's a sole survivor of a TPK of her guild."
Tsuna winced internally. TPK, short for Total Party Kill, was normally a cruel fate for a player of any multiplayer game. For a game in which dead players never returned... "I apologize for your loss."
Sachi gave no reply, not even a grunt or a shake of her lowered head. Naturally, a person who had experienced such loss really wouldn't be responsive to much. It was really a miracle that she'd at least managed to identify herself to Kirito.
"I know that this will probably sound meaningless from a total stranger, but you have our condolences." Tsuna stated after taking a seat on the chair opposite Kirito's bed, letting his Harmony gently seep around him to fill the room. He wouldn't try to force her to speak, but he could at least help her lessen the pain. "Can you please tell us the name of your guild?"
"...we were the Moonlit Black Cats." Sachi silently spoke up after a bit of silence, her voice hoarse from what was likely her previous tears. "We weren't a frontline guild... but the others weren't weak like me... Keita... Ducker... Tetsuo... Sasamaru... Why did you all have to die...? Why was I the only one...?
Both boys stared awkwardly as Sachi began crying anew, Kirito gently patting her back. Tsuna couldn't reciprocate her feelings. By some miracle, while there had still been some people who had died as the months passed, Tsuna's growing guildmates had stayed alive through it all.
For someone like Sachi, their very presence was probably like a painful slap to her psyche.
"Why..." Sachi suddenly spoke, her face shadowed in her hair. "Why are our lives at stake when it's only a game? What's the point?"
That was the question basically every player had asked at one point, especially the Beta Testers. Tsuna still remembered how Argo had run herself exhausted when chasing a lead at one time, nearly dying if not for Asuna's timely intervention.
"There's probably no meaning to it, I think." Kirito quietly answered.
"Many of us have wondered Kayaba's reasons for creating ISF, but none of us could ever reach a conclusion." Tsuna added. "But now, our main goals have shifted to just clearing the Floors so that we can all go home."
"...I was afraid of dying." Sachi suddenly confessed. "Ever since that day in November, my friends and I had to deal with an environment we weren't able to completely accustom ourselves to. The only reason we didn't split up back then was solely because we just didn't know anybody else. Above all else, I'd only ever joined the game just to check out it's VR environment. I had no intention or inclination to ever even play it... That's why..."
Sachi curled into herself more. "I held them together as much as I could as a girl... I played up my weaknesses... A flirting touch here... An enthusiastic hug there with my armor happening to be off... Added to our past history as clubmates, I all but made myself the true leader of the Moonlit Black Cats... But still..."
Sachi's shoulder started to shake. "Why did they have to die...?"
"...even if we keep asking such questions, we will never receive an answer that will satisfy us." Tsuna eventually spoke up. "Death is something we're better off never pretending to understand."
"You're surprisingly philosophical today." Kirito commented.
"I went through 58 people today who wanted to join Takamagahara today and only accepted two of them, Sasha and Yuna, both Suns. Being diplomatic is mentally exhausting." Tsuna sighed at the memory. He was almost tempted to either put an end to Takamagahara's recruitment or leave it to others, but he really didn't want any problems to crop up where he could stomp it out immediately.
The idea of a subordinate allowing a troublesome person into his guild just because of their level, Flame or their closeness seriously worried him enough that he had feared that Irichi's constantly complained stomachaches to actually be contagious at one point.
"Anyways, Sachi, we at Takamagahara can ensure that you do not die." Tsuna promised.
"Really?" Sachi stared in disbelief. "How can you be so sure?"
"Takamagahara covers many niches with it's wide range." Tsuna answered. "You could easily pursue other venues of a livelihood if you wish. However, if you hate yourself for your weakness, put yourself under my Cloud Cadre's guidance."
Kirito choked and gawked as Tsuna beheld Sachi's full attention, his jaw dropping.
"I guarantee you..." Sachi quietly gasped at the sight of the Flames that blazed to life upon Tsuna's forehead, the room practically dripping in warmth-suffusing Harmony as he looked her in the eye. "You will become strong."
"...will I really survive?" Sachi turned to face Kirito now. "Can I go back to the real world someday?"
"...yeah." Kirito answered after sighing. He then gave a clearly awkward smile to Sachi. "I'll make sure you can someday. This game won't be the end of you."
Personally, Tsuna wouldn't have been convinced by Kirito's slightly unsure tone. But for Sachi who had just lost all of her friends and had been assured some means of salvation from what had seemed like certain death to her?
Tsuna shrugged at the sight of Sachi glomping Kirito hard enough to knock him down to the bed before leaving the room.
South District, Zantleaf, Floor 049 (09:23, December 24th 2023)
"Isn't Christmas great?" Tsuna noted as he surveyed the changes that had come over Vindread, being accompanied by Chrome and TakeSushi. The entire town had slowly become holiday themed as the month grew closer to Christmas Day, and the mood seemed to have infected both players and game.
Earlier, many had been shocked when ISF would often show references for the passing holidays, slowing down monster rates while creating unique monsters with one-of-a-kind rare Item Drops.
Now, it seemed that another Christmas had come, marking over a year since the start of Incarnation of Swords and Fire.
"Why don't we have a guild-wide party tonight?" TakeSushi suggested, the Rain Cadre beaming at the food stalls.
"Is there a specific food theme to be observed?" Irichi mused, the bespectacled boy humming at the idea. "Last year, we weren't nearly as large as we are now. We'll also need to account for who will paying attention to the children."
"Good point." Tsuna agreed. Sasha may have all but stated herself as their caretaker, but she really shouldn't be the only one watching out for them. "Even if we'll be celebrating in our HQ, our members still tend to hang out with their original Parties, right? I'll give the order for every group that isn't a couple to be assigned some kids to look after."
"Will they have to keep watch all the time?" Kirito asked, the last member of their four guys ensemble.
"No, not like that." Tsuna shook his head. "They just need to make sure that no kid leaves the safe zone unaccompanied along with using the tracking option if they get lost. Distance is never really a problem until it suddenly is."
Tsuna still remembered how one of his subordinates who was a parent with his son here had often commented how glad he was that a convenient Skill like 'Search' existed for him to always follow after his mischievous child.
"Now, then!" Tsuna clapped his hands, shaking head free of unnecessary thoughts. "Let's get to enjoying ourselves!"
"""Yeah!"""
Takamagahara Guild HQ, Zantleaf, Floor 049 (10:01, December 24th 2023)
"U-Um, isn't this a little too short?" Chrome muttered with a pink face, her gloved hands futilely pulling down on a rather short and snug black Santa dress. "Can I at least wear this with tights?"
"But legs are the whole point of wearing Santa dresses!" Haru exclaimed, the armorsmith looking her over as she circled her. "And the only one with better legs than you is Kyoko-chan!"
At the mention of the Sun Cadre, Sachi turned to regard her. Kyoko sat in discussion with Kuroha over something, the girl wearing a reindeer version of what would've normally been a bunny girl outfit.
Sachi quietly envied the girl's ease at pulling it off, which only made her more attractive in it.
"Oh, you want one, too?"
Gah, she'd been caught staring! "N-No, I'm fine, Haru-san."
"Don't be ridiculous, Sachi-chan!" Haru shook her head, already pulling her up from her seat and dragging her to the nearest closet. "I have just the dress for you, especially since I did the fitting for your armor and got your sizes!"
A minute later, a blushing Sachi stood beside Chrome, adorning in a sea blue version of the Santa dress, unfortunately without tights like Chrome had used her Mist Flames to conjure up.
"Lovely!" Haru then made a motion that suspiciously looked a lot like a- "Hahi! Let's see how Boss-kun and Kirito-kun like them!"
Did she just take pictures?!
South District, Zantleaf, Floor 049 (10:06, December 24th 2023)
TakeSushi and Irichi stared in surprise as Tsuna and Kirito choked on their drinks, having reacted to the same things.
Then as he was cleaning up himself, Tsuna got surprised at the arrival of another picture from Haru.
["Two Babes for one Guy's Very Merry Christmas" Picture received!
Description: Two girls in revealing Christmas outfits pressed close against each other's front.
Would you like to save Screenshot?]
Tsuna's face grew hot at the sight of Kyoko hugging Chrome close, the former cheerfully beaming while the latter appeared as red as Tsuna felt. It didn't help that in their outfits and current pose of their breasts , the imagery it evoked as reindeer Kyoko had all but pushed Santa Chrome down with the intention to...
Of course, he saved the picture.
Takamagahara Guild HQ, Zantleaf, Floor 049 (10:07, December 24th 2023)
"When will you stop acting like such a monkey?!" Kuroha declared over the kneeling Haru, the latter whining as she rubbed the top of her sore head. Next to them, Kyoko whispered something into Chrome's ears, the two Cadres locked in heated discussion about probably serious matters.
("Do you think Tsuna-kun liked them?"
"Why did you do that?! What if Boss thought- What if...?!"
"I know boys like that kind of thing. Tsuna-kun's nice, but he's a boy, too."
"I... I know that Boss respects us, but do you even... like him that way?"
"...I don't know. Tsuna-kun's dear to me like my Onii-chan, but somehow different... TakeSushi-kun and Irichi-kun are dear to me, too, but Tsuna-kun's just... above that? I think I just like seeing blush a lot. Especially if either of us are the cause."
"...if he blushes at others?"
"Then we clearly aren't in his mind enough.")
Very serious stuff it seemed, given how Kyoko's eyes glimmered gold for an instant.
Sachi watched it all before quietly making her exit and wandering the HQ. Around her, Christmas thrived in both her surroundings and her guildmates.
"Yo, Sachi-chan!"
Sachi turned to regard Klein and his guild, Fuurinkazan, known allies to Takamagahara and all war samurai enthusiasts. "Klein-san..."
"Come join us!" Klein waved from the table he was sitting at with his guildmates, a pot cooking beside it. "Plenty of oden to go around!"
"It'll be done soon." Dale spoke up as he stirred the pot, slightly drooling. "Take a seat if you want some."
Normally, Sachi didn't think she'd have minded, but the idea of spending Christmas without the Moonlit Black Cats as she'd done last year... "I'm fine... Thanks for the offer, though."
"Huh?" Dale looked up from his pot in befuddlement. "There's plenty of space, though. Although, if you don't wanna sit next to Klein, I guess I can understand it."
"Huh?! What's that supposed to mean?!" Klein immediately protested.
"It means that you're chick repellent." Harry One snickered.
"It means that babes don't like you." Issin added with a solemn nod.
"It means that Yuna-chan only shook your hand and took a selfie with you as a pity gesture-" Dynamm choked as Klein suddenly tackled him.
"You take that back! You're just jealous that you missed Yuna-chan's Halloween Haunt!"
"Of course, I am! How dare you taunt me with that selfie while we were literal Floors away?!"
Sachi only felt more of her appetite fade away as all of the Fuurinkazan guildmates sans Dale soon got dragged into the mock brawl, easily making her getaway. As she walked away and started to feel the flare of heat from behind her, signifying that Flames had started to get thrown about and would require serious intervention, Sachi once more cursed the empty feeling within her.
Despite her various improvements since being trained by Kirito, she still hadn't awoken her Flames.
Holly Park, Zantleaf, Floor 049 (21:32, December 24th 2023)
"What can I do to awaken them...?"
Sachi didn't know how long she'd been walking about the town, but she finally settled down upon a park bench, staring up at the (fake) starry night above while snow wafted down softly from the huge Christmas tree at the center of the park.
"'Tis too jolly a night for a maiden like you to be upset."
Sachi blinked and turned to her side to see a person who had absolutely not been sitting there a second ago. Wearing a dark-colored hooded cloak that covered almost all of her body, Argo the Rat grinned cheekily at her gobsmacked expression.
"What's wrong?" The information broker teased. "Rat got your tongue, Sa-chan?"
"...what is it, Argo-san?" Sachi settled back down, no longer caring for her presence. "Am I not allowed to mope on my first Christmas without my friends?"
"Hmm, too bad." Argo crossed her legs, looking over the Santa dress she still had on. "You're certainly dressed nicely enough."
"...is there anything you're here for?" Sachi finally questioned. "Or is there new information you believe me to be a sucker for?"
"There is some new info that I know you'll be a sucker for, with only a charge of 2,000 Col." Argo commented.
Sachi's eyes narrowed. "That's a lot cheaper than I thought your rates were."
"Impressive that you know that, considering that you've never directly required my services before." Argo rubbed her fingers together, which soon prompted Sachi finally paying her. "The info's about a surprise event that's supposed to be tonight. The source isn't credible, but at midnight, a special boss called Nicholas the Renegade will spawn right under a certain fir tree. Every big guild that isn't Takamagahara is in a frenzy searchin' for it."
"Why?" Sachi asked. "What's special about this monster?"
"The special thing about this boss... is that it's item drop is something that can potentially revive the dead."
What?
"What?"
"Like I said, not credible in the slightest, which is why I'm chargin' so cheap." Argo shrugged at Sachi's dropped jaw. "For all I know, the reward itself might not be worth it even if it's even real."
"That's for you to believe..." Sachi immediately got up and dusted off the snow that had gathered on her laps and shoulders. "...and for me to confirm."
"You've got an idea of where it's gonna be, don't cha?"
"Maybe. If others are looking for it, I best not be wasting time-" Sachi paused as she noted the now empty bench, only a few wisps of indigo Mist giving evidence to the person that had been sitting there. "Uh, why do all Mists always like to do that Batman vanishing act?"
Nevertheless, Sachi already began moving while adjusting her attire, with her thoughts almost putting her into autopilot. In this world, resurrection was impossible. However, Nicholas the Renegade might be able to allow Sachi to subvert that rule. She didn't really fancy her chances, especially without having awakened her Flames yet.
Still, that may be a fate she deserved. Her cowardice had killed all of her friends. If only she'd tried to get stronger along with them, instead of selfishly manipulating them to always protect her worthless self.
If she managed to defeat Nicholas by some miracle and gain a reward that was truly as it was said to be, she'd be able to resurrect Keita at the very least. No matter what took, even they were all to have nothing but curses for her.
Forest of Wandering, Floor 035 (23:48, December 24th 2023)
Sachi exhaled a long sigh through her mouth, her breath coming out as white mist in the cold air.
Compared to before, she was now adorning battle-ready gear above her Santa dress. The chest piece, greaves and gauntlets were all midnight blue and scaled, like that of the scaled monster that it had been made from. As for the Santa dress itself, Haru had made it to be extremely cold resistant for some reason, which was immensely helpful as the entire ensemble fit snugly against her figure.
The Lightning Cadre may have been weird, but she really was the best armorsmith Sachi knew.
Reaching the suspected spot, Sachi breathed heavily before rushing forward through the snowy night.
However...
*BOOM!*
Sachi came to a slow stop as a violet meteor slammed down a few meters away, kicking up a blast of snow and steam. "You tracked me down, Kirito?"
"Well, I am responsible for you." Kirito replied as he stepped forward. Sachi once more found herself jealous of that {Flame Propulsion} Skill Boss Tsuna had invented. Despite it's popularity, the total number of people that could use it to basically fly didn't even extend beyond a total of three excluding him. "Also, Argo was actually worried enough to sell me quarter-priced information of you buying information about this shady event."
The worry in Kirito's eyes almost made Sachi feel like wilting. "Don't risk your life for something that might be a sham. The moment our HP drops to 0, our IRL selves-"
"Do you think I don't already know that?!" Sachi yelled, cutting him off. "I've been aware of that over a year now! Do you know painful it is... to be a survivor?!"
"...no, I guess I don't." Kirito's honest answer mentally slammed into Sachi like a hammer. "But that's no reason to leave you alone, especially as you still haven't achieved your dying will. Also, along with being your mentor, I'd like to also consider us friends, because there's no way in hell I'm letting you rush to your death."
Sachi grimaced, hating how reasonable Kirito was sounding. Just as she opened her mouth to give another rebuttal, they were both distracted by teleportation lights preceding the arrival of a whole horde of white armored players surrounding them. "It looks like you got followed, Kirito."
It looked like they were all members of the Divine Dragons Alliance, the game's largest guild with it led by a Guildmaster who hated Tsuna's guts, and Takamagahara by association.
Sachi herself was getting irritated at this increasing rate of meddling.
"I guess that's what I get for flying straight towards you." Kirito sighed before addressing their imminent opponents. "I'm guessing that you're all here for what I think you're here for."
"Yo, Black Swordsman." Yamata, a Lightning warrior-type player Sachi had personally seen cross blades with both Kirito and TakeSushi, raised up his katana at Kirito. "Even you can't fight this many of us at once, can you?"
Yamata's eyes flickered over to Sachi. "Especially if you've got a cute little girlfriend to worry about."
"G-Girlfriend?!" Sachi squawked, suddenly remembering that for all of it's protections and high quality, she was still wearing a Santa dress.
"Bold of you to think I came alone." Not reacting to that with more than a small blush, Kirito snapped his fingers, causing Sachi and the others to gasp at the sight of a few more teleportation flares around her. When the light faded away, Sachi gasped at the sight of Fuurinkazan forming a defensive circle around her and Kirito. "Klein and the others were quite worried about Sachi, after all."
"Chin up, Sachi-chan." Klein drew his katana with a grin, Storm Flames burning menacingly off it. "There's still a bowl of oden back there with your name on it."
"Sachi!" Kirito shouted as he drew his own sword, Cloud Flames blazing into prominence. "We will hold these fools back, so get going already!"
Kirito turned to look at Sachi, his black eyes now vibrant amethyst. "Beat Nicholas with your dying will!"
A little hesitant, Sachi accepted his order and ran away from the battle. The fir tree in question was one that Kirito and her had stumbled upon a while back, it being unique for it's bioluminescent nature and the times it randomly flickered with Christmas light colors.
True enough, a bell chimed just as midnight struck. Following after was the sound of jingles as two parallel lines of light shot across the sky above the fir tree, causing Sachi to suddenly note the falling figure.
Jumping back and bracing herself just in time, Sachi regarded the monster that slammed down before her, it resembling a monstrously distorted and creaking Santa Claus.
Above the monster's head, four HP bars rose up into existence, along with it's name.
Nicholas the Renegade
"Come on." Releasing them from her inventory, Sachi held up her pair of daggers before charging forward. Dodging it's initial left punch, Sachi slashed at it before swiftly twisting about to slash at it's side.
Good news: It seemed that Nicholas didn't seem to have any Flames.
Nicholas roared and slammed down with it's axe, shattering apart a good part of the ground while Sachi hastily dodged with a somersault.
Bad news: It seemed that to make up for it, Nicholas had unfair amounts of STR to go along with it's Floor Boss-level HP.
'Don't go upfront against it!' Sachi thought desperately as she landed in a crouch, eyeing Nicholas as it lumbered towards her. 'As long as I steadily whittle down it's HP, it should be fine- EEEK!'
Sachi went low as she charged forward, missing the axe that nearly decapitated her. Rushing around it, Sachi moved to slash at it's side again-
*CRACK!*
"UAAH?!" Sachi choked as Nicholas's knee powerfully dug into her stomach and rocketed her upwards into the air, a full quarter of her HP instantly lost just from the impact. Then a bit more was lost when she landed on her back.
Incarnation of Swords and Fire may have had a pain absorber, but nothing could make Sachi deny the horrible sensation of having her lungs forcefully emptied as she struggled to get up.
Nicholas's creaking snapped back her attention, causing her to look at it's approaching form in terror. It was no use. All of her training hadn't been enough for a monster boss of this level. Added to her lack of Flames, what could Sachi do but shamefully retreat?
It was impossible to win. It hurt. She was scared. She wanted to run away. She wanted to hide. She didn't want to die.
"Somebody... please save... me..."
Save...? She wanted somebody... to save her... again? Her?
Again?!
Sachi stilled as the horrible train of thoughts suddenly careened into new tracks. Grimacing, she rolled away from another of Nicholas's powerful chops. Growling to herself, Sachi forced herself up.
How many more times did she need to be saved?! She couldn't bear such a shameful thing happening again! She absolutely didn't want that! She absolutely couldn't stand that! Her fright had no place here and now! If she didn't change now, when would the right time be?! If she didn't step up here, where else would she do it?!
"I am..." Sachi felt her mind get overwhelmed in a wave of azure, all of her self-loathing and fear disappearing underneath an ocean of unflappable mania. "...going to win!"
Sachi charged forward as Nicholas did, smoothly evading the axe by a hair to slash at it's throat. The action was enough to immediately destroy one of it's four HP bars. Unsatisfied with this, Sachi started to twist before she'd even begun landing, landing a powerful roundhouse kick into the side of Nicholas's head.
Sachi didn't know how much of a haze she'd fallen into as she continued to fight on equal grounds against Nicholas, her previous weakness a dim memory.
All Sachi focused on was her opponent as her world burned scintillant azure. Nicholas's great size meant nothing as Sachi flipped over it's wide swing, twisting about so that she could stab into it's eye and neck simultaneously.
"OOAAAAAAAHH!"
Hmm? She was doing more damage now than before. Weird. Sachi made a note of that before blocking with her forearms as Nicholas chopped the snowy ground again, blocking their view of each other-
*SWISH!*
*SHAKRAASH!*
Sachi winced as while having dodged back from the surprise swing, her left dagger hadn't survived the glancing blow, it's durability giving it out and causing it to shatter into polygons. Refusing to falter, Sachi charged forward and slammed her remaining blade against the blocking axe.
Unfortunately, that also shattered the blade while at least forcing Nicholas back some meters. Immediately reaching into her inventory, Sachi pulled out her remaining weapon and-
She took a moment to stare at the spear in her hands. {Pinpoint Pike} was the weapon Keita had bought and gifted her just a week before his demise, Sachi rarely being able to stand the sight of it afterwards. Unwilling to throw it away or sell it, Sachi had switched to all kinds of spears as the months passed, even if she'd recently tried to start with daggers, hoping that the closer danger w̷o̷u̷l̷d̷ ̷k̷i̷l̷l̷ ̷h̷e̷r̷- trigger her dying will.
"This must be a sign, Keita." Sachi breathed as she clutched {Pinpoint Pike} more securely and immediately stabbed into Nicholas's shoulder and ripped it downwards, tearing away digital flesh and the second of it's HP bars. "Let's get to it."
Strength flowed into her from the spear(or was it the other way around? Was it supposed to be shimmering like that?) as she thrusted at Nicholas's neck as it charged. However, the monster creaked as it immediately dodged about and punched forward with the intention to pulverize her side.
Sachi saw the incoming blow and easily danced around it, flexibility she never knew she possessed allowing her to dance around Nicholas and deliver many more thrusts and slashes until-
Nicholas roared as it fell upon it's final HP bar, it's sheer volume causing a small shockwave as it threw away it's axe and slammed it's fists together.
Sachi gave no care to the din and fell into javelin thrower's position. Immediately, she launched forward and flung {Pinpoint Pike} forward almost as soon as she saw a chance, scoring a {Critical Impact} as it slammed home into Nicholas's mouth.
*SHAKRAASH!*
However, as sentimental as it was, {Pinpoint Pike} had still been a spear bought and used by lower-leveled players with it's durability never having been upgraded. Still, it was enough to Nicholas back some steps and allow Sachi to nimbly climb up and grab both jaws after securing herself.
Nicholas's screamed it's loudest yet, her HP actually taking damage. However, Nicholas's HP dropped just as fast, especially as the scintillant azure world seemed to be seeping into the monster as well, it's hands just shy of being able to rip her off and crush her.
"Just... DIE!"
Sachi efforts finally became rewarded as Nicholas finally split apart in her gasp, the fake Santa slain by the maiden in the Santa dress and finally shattering apart into polygons.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Sachi paid no mind to the other messages that came, immediately reaching for the reward she'd come for.
[Congratulations on your attainment of the {Divine Stone of Returning Soul}. The item can be activated on the player's shortcut menu or by holding the materialized item and uttering «Revive [Player's Name]». The effect will only work during the time frame between the death of the player and the disappearance of item's effect light, which is approximately ten seconds. Usage Rate: Unlimited]
Ten... seconds...? All of that, for an item with a 10-second limit? If ISF had been a proper game, then Sachi supposed that the {Divine Stone of Returning Soul} would've been priceless, even if tricky to use.
But for this game... for the deaths that had been months ago...
"Pft... Haha... Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
This was the scene Kirito and the others later came upon, the sight of Sachi kneeling while laughing and crying as hard as she could while a crown of Rain Flames danced upon her forehead.
"Ah, Klein-san." It was the strangest thing. That even as all of her effort had been for naught, Sachi felt like all of the past months of anguish were finally beginning to wash away. "If it's all the same to you, I think I'd like to have that bowl of oden now."
[Congratulations on your Awakening, Incarnate of the Rain! As one bestowed with the attribute of Tranquility, you possess the capability to reduce and decrease the quality of all that exist within your Court!]
KingVessel: I'll be honest, it was a real toss-up if I'd have ol' Nick have Snow Flames just like it was presented in that KHR game, but I soon decided against it, seeing as Kirito mentioned it to be already very strong in Canon. So, gimme your thoughts!