A/N: And we're finally at the end of this arc, boy, this has been a long one, the rest are more broken up in sections as you'll see in the future updates. Review Time.
To RubixJr: Haha, glad you liked it. And I'm grateful you feel this way about Misfits. Per your request, I shall do my best!
[Daora]: Hmph, someone appreciates quality storytelling!
[Nagi]: There are many great stories out there, we're happy you think highly of ours too!
[Artorias]: Considering how freakin' weird ours is I'm surprised anyone actually gives Misfits a chance...
Enjoy
|Jan. 22nd, 13:05|
|Sword Art Online, Floor 9, Snowflake Forest|
Snow kicked up from another small tornado conjured by Daora's two-handed ax, Skullshatter, as the glaring skull shaft slammed against the snow. With a chattering cry, Nautilus fell into deep snow, blanketed by his cloak as he huffed, sword sunk into the white texture. "W-will it kill you to s-slow down!?" His teeth were chattering, yet, Daora barely looked phased by the drop in temperature, dragging his ax through the snow.
Sitting by a tree with a warm cup of tea in her hands, Yuna smiled slightly to encourage her partner to try again. "You know he won't quit now," She sighed, sipping the drink to starve off the cold.
"What's the point of training if we only half-ass it!?" Daora bellowed, slamming his ax into the snow where Nautilus once laid.
"Wasn't Artorias supposed to be here for questing?" Yuna tapped her chin, wondering where the redhead could be.
|Sword Art Online, Floor 11, Town of Arcadia|
A great unknown of ninety floors remained in Aincrad, the first of which had been unveiled for not even a full day, the top players rushing to complete quests, connect the dots, and ultimately steamroll toward the twelfth floor above a blue sky. Of course, there was one glaring issue, the floor itself.
The main town to the northwest of the stairwell leading out of the tenth-floor labyrinth was a struggle in its own right to get to. Arcadia, and the smaller towns of the floor, we all divided by a gargantuan hedge maze that towered higher than players could physically scale with even the highest of agility stats. The thick, dark green walls lined the entire floor, the only known location seen was that of the labyrinth toward the twelfth floor in the center, a rising cone of buildings encircling the base.
Arcadia was styled to fit the architecture of a quaint town from the medieval ages of Europe, cottages lined the outer lip of the city where various entrances into the maze could be found, the three main, light-grey stone brick archways to the west, south, and east respectively. Homes were constructed of white brick with a hard spruce wood second floor and green tiled roofs. Many of the larger buildings on the first floor were open for shops, restaurants, and other activities with thick oak columns and colorful banners.
The roads were all pale grey slabs with fountains, parks, and trees dotting many of the open spaces in the circular town. A large mayor's office to the north atop a hill facing the maze where quests and the teleport gate resided. It was at the teleport gate, listening to the gentle, upbeat music of Arcadia where Nagi stood, tapping his foot anxiously.
"Hey," Two hands patted his shoulders, bringing him to face the fierce pink eyes staring into his soul. "Relax, boss, you'll be fine - well, finer than you are now," Artorias chided humorously, shaking him slightly. "Usual tropes. Act like yourself, have fun, get in a few laughs - who knows, maybe you'll be smitten when we're back." Her brow curved as her lips split into a sly grin seeing pink turn to red on Nagi's face.
"I-I don't k-k-know about t-that," He stuttered, making Artorias throw her head back in laughter, letting him go. "Please don't abandon me..."
She stepped onto the teleport platform, menu appearing as she waved in a mocking gesture, using her feminine voice in sing-song. "Byyyye~" For a guy in a girl's body, she sure loved to abuse the feminine charms. In a flash of blue and white particles, the Red Warrior vanished, leaving Nagi to slump against a small cobblestone wall off to the side of the road.
It had only been a day, but the words he and Artorias had spoken on yesterday were present even now. Who was Argo to him? Well, the obvious answer would be his best friend, someone he trusted to break taboo and speak not only of his real-life but shared his real name with the broker who could find even the tiniest bit of information. In turn, she told him hers and both kept that secret until the day the game was cleared.
Now, the more he thought about the many interactions they had, the closer they actually appeared, and the faster his heart pounded in his chest. It wasn't that Nagi never found the short, mischievous girl attractive, he just never twigged on to how he was feeling, how could he? This was a frontier he's heard of, read about, but in practice, he was a fish out of water.
"I can see the smoke buildin' from afar, HerO," That unique pitch tore him away from his thoughts and to the road, and he swore his mind completely shut down. Since there was no reason to wear his equipment, Nagi opted to wear only a pair of black leather boots, his grey trousers, and the light blue shirt that came with his starter equipment, his haori tied around his waist. The white bandana was still around his forehead, the azure twin tails flowing in the wind.
Argo did much the same, brown boots, a light brown shirt with a tan vest-jacket, leaving her collarbone and shoulders bare, and a black skirt with a belt over the shirt. It was simple, clean, and showed off more skin than the Rat ever did on a daily. She looked nice, a fresh look with one hand on her right temple momentarily, the other hand on her hip.
She leaned closer, poking his chest with a flat stare. "Ya ever do somethin' like what you pulled against the boss again, and I'll out you to a red player, crystaL?" That cold hard stare made his face lose all color.
He nodded rapidly, then slumped his head. "I'm sorry I worried you..." He clenched his fist, raising his head before her two curled fingers could flick him. "I'll make it up to you, whatever you want to do today, I'll help to the best of my abilities."
She seemed to consider it, rolling the idea around in her eyes before landing on a soft smile, patting his shoulder in passing. "I'll keep that tabbed, but my info's all caught up so I can take it easy today, Hero, so let's get moviN'!" She stretched, waiting for Nagi to fall into step with her, eyes half-lidded. "Let's see what I can squeeze outta yoU."
With that, she boldly wrapped her arms around his left arm, pulling him along toward the town as his face tinged a little pinker in the sunlight, whisked away by the Rat eager to start the afternoon right.
The pair stood before a store clerk, inspecting the array of items on sale since it was the grand opening of the next floor. It was a brief window, but when a new floor unlocked, a small discount could be found at the stores. One item, in particular, was high in demand, a ring called a 'Wayfinder's Ring'.
Equipping it did nothing at first, but throughout the massive hedge maze, one could find 'Anchors' by coming into contact with an Anchor, the ring will map the marker and reveal the surrounding area on your map. Since it would be easy to just run around until the whole map became visible and locate the appropriate paths, these Anchors and Wayfinder Rings made a creative solution.
"Yer sayin' ya left Arty and Wolfboy to teach a couple of mid-level kidS?" Argo raised a brow, she knew who the two were but nothing really stuck out about them.
"They have potential, and they've done well to make it this far," Nagi replied, closing the shop menu with his arms crossed. "Artorias said there was something about Nautilus he wanted to look into then report it back once he confirmed his suspicions."
"Welp, that's tomorrow Argo to worry 'bouT!" She waved a hand and dragged Nagi elsewhere. The first portion of their day was Nagi being led around town with Argo doing some window shopping or genuine purchases, to which he paid for, he took his word seriously. She didn't seem to mind, in fact, he really enjoyed seeing Argo so engrossed in more than just her work, it was new, and he found it enrapturing. "Eh?"
She paused, thus, Nagi stumbled into her back as he peered forward and found the reason for the sudden halt. Walking up to them was none other than the resident Beater and Fencer. Asuna's expression lit up as she waved. "Hello again, Argo, Nagi."
"Sup," Kirito gave a curt wave of his hand to the pair as their two groups connected. By now, the two were well on their way to meeting the requirements to enter the Labyrinth, which could result in the next floor being accessed by tomorrow if the Frontrunners were progressing quickly.
"WhazzuP?" Argo spoke flippantly.
"I saw your name was on the floor, so Asuna thought it'd be a good idea to drop you the latest info leading up to the labyrinth now that the, hopefully, final field boss is cleared, what a pain," Kirito slumped. "We could've just sent a message but Asuna insisted." Said fencer then jabbed her partner's side.
"We haven't seen her since the boss meeting on floor ten, at least try and sound happy," She berated him but Argo was way ahead on the matter, appearing next to Kirito with her head popping up under his hand.
"Kii-bou, are ya sick of this cute face? Way to let a girl dowN," She faked a sigh, grinning up at him with a glint in her eye. "Guess we're not as close as I thoughT."
Nagi knew this angle, he felt bad for Kirito but this time, he was supposed to be treating Argo, the girl he may or may not have feelings for, to a nice day. "Gods, please look after Kirito for me." He silently prayed as Kirito's teeth were knit together, his face sweaty.
"C-come on now, Argo, I know your angle, you'd never get rid of me," He reasoned. "I'm a reliable informant from the frontlines."
"Why needcha when I got A-Chan, Hero, and others willin' to barter with Lil ol' mE?" She made a sharp point that did more piercing damage than her claws. Argo shrugged, moving out from under his hand with her hands up in defeat. "Guess our bond ain't thicker than blooD."
His jaw slacked, losing ground in his argument before reluctantly opening his menu to a message tab. "...Just take the damn intel, Rat," He huffed as her eyes sparkled with Yen signs, shaking Kirito's hand with a chipper grin.
"Pleasure as always, Kii-boU!" She sang cutely, Asuna giggling behind her hand as Nagi smirked slightly at Kirito's crushing defeat. By now, Argo had slipped in beside Nagi once more, the gap between their arms nearly nonexistent as Asuna's eyes twigged on, causing her smile to turn more secretive.
"You said you weren't working today, which is rare for you Argo? What's the occasion?" The brunette asked as the pair glanced at one another, Argo sighed softly and Nagi smiled bashfully, scratching his cheek.
"I wanted to apologize to Argo for making her- oof!" Her elbow slammed into his side, and his face flinched, coughing from how strong her strike was. This action only made Asuna more suspicious.
"A-Chan's smart, she'll see through thiS," Argo whispered to Nagi who nodded subtly. Of all players, she was by far the sharpest.
"I see... that's sweet of you, Nagi, you worried a lot of us with what you did at the boss room," Asuna commented, not letting on she may suspect them. Then her eyes met Argo's, the short girl flinching from the calculating stare she received. "Were you worried he could've died?"
"Nyehehe, can't hide it from you, A-ChaN," Argo admitted, sticking her tongue out dumbly for a moment. "Now I got him workin' to make it up to his employeR," It wasn't a total lie, but it should suffice. Nagi hated lying.
The chestnut-haired girl lost that 'look' for a kind smile. "Well, sorry for interrupting!" She quickly grabbed Kirito by the shoulders, pushing the confused swordsman forward on his heels with a wave at her friends. "Have fun you two!"
"Huh? What? H-Hey, Asuna, wait-" Kirito's pleas went unheard, the girl dragging him away at lightning speed.
The two stood there silently, Nagi looked around awkwardly, while Argo did her best to appear aloof, a tiny tint of pink on her cheeks. "She saw through us, I could smell it."
"The nose knowS," Argo agreed with his assessment, walking forward. "W-well, where to nexT?" She decided it best to enjoy the inevitable line of questions while she had the chance.
That's when Nagi's face lit up, snapping his fingers. "I know just the place, all thanks to your scouting yesterday actually," That made her cock her head, a question mark bubbling out from her head.
"Mwah, sw gwwD!" Argo smiled with her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel as she chewed, a faint blush on her cheeks.
The small cafe Nagi had recommended was on the corner of the market street, several stone brick beams lines the outer edge to support the building above, the ground transitioning underneath to a wood panel flooring with several tables dotting the inside with lanterns hoisted onto the pillars. The bar was in the back, spanning the wall where the NPCs worked and severed customers. It was small but not overly cramped. Best of all, it severed a Victorian sponge cake that was to die for if you had caught wind of it like Nagi from a certain chestnut-haired fencer.
Nagi had his own piece, with a cup of tea in his right hand as he stared at his companion. Argo never showed this side of her; not that seeing her bubbly, happy, and overall blissful was abnormal. Usually, her antics were the source of her positive qualities, this was one of the rare few times it was just Argo being herself, no business, no informants coming with the latest intel, though he imagined her inbox was filling up. The newest expressions on her face caught him and didn't let go.
"Someone's havin' fun over therE?" Her cunning voice and charming smirk snapped Nagi out of his funk, his face feeling hotter as he downed some of his tea, though this did little to quell the fact she caught him staring at her. "Did my feminine charm enrapture yaH?" She then fluttered her eyelids, and Nagi turned his head the other way as she laughed.
"..." If Nagi was silent, that meant one thing, he couldn't lie so it must've been true.
Argo sat back, her smile relaxed as she took a sip of her tea. With her eyes closed, she took in all the other senses around her. "I am enjoying today with you, HerO," She answered softly, his head turned back to meet with her golden-hazel eyes. "You're tryin' to apologize, but I ain't one to fret over a frontrunner, I know you enough to know you're just lookin' out for others, it's in yer blooD."
"I still made you worry," Nagi added, scrolling through his menu for something. "You take risks too, and I worry, but at the end of the day, it's natural, right?"
"'CoursE," She agreed, then saw the item materialize on the table as Nagi offered it with a generous expression.
"I got these as the L.A bonus from one of the field bosses during the tenth-floor questline we handled, I wanted to give them to you since, y'know, claws are your playstyle, and I know yours are still from floor six," She opened her mouth, finger raised to make a point that wasn't there. Instead, she focused on the pair of claws before her.
They were attached to black gloves, much like her fingerless ones. A brass plating covered the backs of the palms, and three four-inch silver blades jutted forward from the knuckles, a handle to grip and angle the blades present. Inspecting the stats personally, Argo's eyes sparkled as she saw it had been upgraded not four but seven times already! These would last her all the way to floor sixteen, and it still had several enhancement attempts left.
"+4 Quickness, +2 Accuracy, and +1 Durability, what in the hell did ya do, NagI!?" She almost never called him by his name, and her hands slammed on the table, leaning over with shock as he just took a bite of his cake. "Don't start chewin', start spillin' the deetS!"
After swallowing, and chuckling slightly at her frazzled state, something she'd never let slip in front of anyone else, he pushed her head back down until she was seated, a flat frown on her face with her whiskers twitching like her brow. "W-well, Daora took me to see a friend of his, a blacksmith, she's really good too, and she helped to enhance them since they already had pretty good durability and I know attack damage isn't an issue for you since you're comfortable with hit and run tactics,"
He continued, motioning to the claws named Jagged Edge. "Cost isn't an issue, promise, but they're yours now, take 'em," Argo blinked rapidly between the claws and Nagi's persistent smile. She could refuse, say to sell them, or use them himself though she knew he hadn't any skill slots left to claw skills. Ultimately, she had no choice. Then again, her hands were already snatched around the tools.
"Erm... t-thanks, NagI," She murmured, accepting them as they disappeared into her inventory, pointing across the table until her finger nearly touched his nose. "I'll give ya that one, just onE."
He smiled brightly, "I'm glad you like them,"
Argo stared, a stupid smile twitching onto her cheeks as she tried to hide her gratitude behind another mouthful of cake.
Their final destination had been found. Secluded in one of Arcadia's many parks, overlooking the edge maze from a wood bench before a rounded flat pavement. The two were alone, surrounded by trees and bushes without a single player icon around. It was peaceful, and the music had quietened down for Nagi to produce a new creation he had a player create for him since he needed the skill slot.
"What's this, branchin' out, musical maestrO?" Argo cooed as the quena flute appeared in his hands, it was made from frostleaf bark from floor nine, and once handed to the right crafter, it became his newest instrument.
"Remember how I said my Dad used to be a carpenter?" He saw her gold curls bob for 'yes'. "Well, naturally, frequent clients would come for a new instrument or repairs, and my Dad actually learned a few things from them. Guitars, flutes, the shamisen, and some others," He quickly tapped his fingers over the holes, playing a silent melody to familaise himself with the song. "Then he taught me, and I did my best to remember."
"That's sweet of him, must've been fuN," Argo kicked her legs back and forth, nudging his side. "Are ya gonna play me that theme song ya promiseD? Got a few clients who'd pay big for their own catchy entrance themE," She wiggled her fingers to shadow play his own actions. Nagi laughed a little, shaking his head.
"Sorry, still working on it, but I think it'll be bold, mysterious, and a hint of adventure to suit the ever-so-beloved Argo the Rat," He proclaimed, filling her head with all the sweet-nothings she wanted to hear, her head bobbing left and right with anticipation. "This is an old one, but I think you'll like it..."
There was complete silence say for a soft rustle in the leaves, Nagi pressed his lips close to the flute, eyes focused on the instrument and where his fingers sat. It was tricky, and it took him hours of trial and error but he was certain his skill with a flute was better in part to the ambiguous NPC Shirayuki giving him the inspiration to try harder. Her own talent was beyond impressive.
The song was soft at first, rising and falling like an ocean wave. Its tune was loud but gentle on the ears, reaching down into Argo's bones. The tune was familiar, from the early 2000s as she found her head leaning against Nagi's shoulder as he played, he didn't notice, or simply accepted that as a reply to continue with the enchanting song that lifted high like a wind, and fell to soothe anyone fortunate to have caught the melody.
"Like a wave, huH? Ain't that somethin'..." Argo mused, closing her eyes as her body filled with warmth. However brief the song was, incomplete and lacking a few notes that Nagi wasn't confident in playing yet. The half-polished tune echoed in the Rat's head, leaving her with satisfaction that more was to come of this tide of notes, her heart picking up pace. "...you're amazin'..." She murmured.
When the shortened song slowly wound down to a drawn-out conclusion, Argo gave a short clap as Nagi's face was a little red from having to regulate his breathing, or he was flustered, she liked to think it was the latter. "Th-thanks, I'm better with a flute than other wood instruments," He replied sheepishly, putting the flute away.
"Now I can't choosE," Argo tapped her chin, rubbing it thoughtfully with her head tilted back. "Do I want a flute or a shamisen as my theme coveragE?"
"I can't really play both at once, please don't make me..." He sweatdropped, enjoying her infectious laughter and a wide smile with a small one of his own.
"That was quite the performance," Someone else had overheard Nagi's song, prompting the pair to turn in the voice's direction. "A little fine-tuning, but a nice melody nonetheless."
The man was muscular, and tall with sharp scholarly features and steel-gray hair that had a strand hanging over his forehead. He wore a red robe that reached down to his black boots, the hem, cuffs, and seam line all decorated with white lines. A black vest shirt was visible from the collar. Attached to his left hip was a white scabbard, housing a silver sword with a straight guard akin to a cross.
/Heathcliff\
His name was visible below his cursor, and he offered a calm smile, "I apologize for intruding, but I have been meaning to speak with you in particular, Nagi,"
"Ah, fancy meetin' you agaiN," Argo waved, leaning back on her hands. "'fraid I'm off the clock, but I didn't expect ya be askin' for my shinobi so sooN."
"You know him?" Nagi blinked.
"Yep, meet a risin' player behind the scenes, HeathclifF," Argo was no stranger to odd players off the frontlines, Heathcliff had come to her for various questions on players clearing the floors, scouting for a party. Of course, Argo kept her firm code on giving away player info to just their user, what they fought with, and basic knowledge of events. "He's been askin' for yA."
Heathcliff raised his hand down to Nagi, to which the boy shook respectfully. "O-oh, um, nice to meet you too."
"Likewise," He replied, letting go as he scanned the open environment. "I'll get straight to the point, seeing as you both are busy, I wish to extend an offer to you," That prompted a curious gaze from the pair. "An invitation to join my guild, rather, a place when I've acquired the necessary steps to form and maintain a functioning guild; your skills are excellent, and to unlock the Katana extra skill in only the first month of SAO is remarkable."
This wasn't the first time a person had stepped forward to ask for Nagi to join their respective guild after a combined effort in the field. Even Kibaou had swallowed his pride to put the question out there, despite Nagi's reputation as a Beta Tester, and partnered with Kirito often. But this was the first time he had been extended an offer with Argo around. Her expression was... unreadable like she was stuck in a trace.
"Sorry," His answer made Argo's head perk up, and Heathcliff probably felt disappointed but never showed it. "But I'm Argo's shinobi, plus I have my own party I like to work with, they're great people, but I don't think they'd like joining a guild either, I know one of my friends offered me a place in his guild too but I declined." He didn't see the subtle surprise on the Rat's face when he declared that.
"I understand," Heathcliff closed his eyes briefly, his lips curled tighter. "Very well then, what about a small duel?" Now, this excited a surprised look from Nagi, meeting the swordsman's challenging eyes. "I want to see that strength firsthand, a selfish request, but I can't help but stave my curiosity, of course, this isn't to force you into accepting my previous invitation."
Nagi hadn't dueled anyone since Floor Eight with Kirito, nor did he have that misfortune of confronting PKers like the Beater and his partner had. This might actually be a great opportunity to broaden his skills against a different opponent. However, before his mind could race to accept, he spun around to the secretly sweet girl he was out with.
"A-are you sure? I could postpone this if you want, we are out for the day after all?" He didn't want to bail on her, he'd sooner jump off Aincrad.
Argo gave him a quick grin, waving as she got comfortable. "Aw, such a sweetheart for Lil ol' mE," She cooed, booting him in the rear to step forward. "Give a girl a show, HerO!"
"Heh, I guess... I'll accept," Nagi nervously smiled as Heathcliff nodded, taking several steps back to use the open space in the park as their 'arena'. Flat ground meant no one held a distinct advantage, on Floor Eight's main town of Frieven, the arena had a few slopes of wobbly planks since it was a suspended area between trees on branches so one could use that to throw a player off their balance. This was no longer the case.
|Duel Request|
|The match will end when one player's health drops into the red|
|Time limit is five minutes|
|Accept?|
|Yes / No|
Accepting the invite, the white number appeared in the sky between them, lines forming a circle enlarging to indicate a clock countdown. "I look forward to our match, Nagi," Heathcliff replied as the younger boy clasped his new katana in the sheath, it was a quest reward from Floor Nine, since he, Artorias, and Daora had partied up with Kirito and Asuna after getting wrapped up in the Elf War Questline, in the end, Kizmel had actually extended a reward to them.
Nagi's new katana had a scabbard a deep shade of blue, the grip was black with a clear, ultramarine undertone through the wrapping, with a thread connected to the pommel, a decorative purple and white quill on the end. The blade, concealed in its holster, was a clean, silver blade, almost like moonlight.
Its name, Blade of Nevermore. Or just Nevermore. And with some blacksmithing from the Dark Elves, the blade had been tempered three times, +2 Accuracy, at the smith's request that the blade didn't need anymore sharpening, and +1 Durability. In truth, Nagi had never acquired such a fine blade since Yozora. The remains still in his inventory.
{5, 4, 3}
Neither showed any clear indication they were itching to move, not yet, both pairs of eyes locked in a hard stare with two golden-brown orbs following them rapidly, jotting down notes with her left hand without so much as a blink. Heathcliff's sword was thinner than most broadswords, but it was also just scratching the line between it and a longsword.
{2, 1}
Water gathered from the gap between Nevermore and its sheath, the water artistry of Nagi's haori billowing as his feet left the ground, assault Heathcliff head-on. Two parallel lines left the sheath, colliding with the broadsword that with a great deal of finesse, split between the water blades, slicing a clean cut across Nagi's cheek.
"That reflex!" Nagi quickly pounced against Heathcliff's chest, vaulting over the man's Horizontal stroke as it grazed the bottom of Nagi's left sole. Landing, he doubled back and almost gasped as he found Heathcliff already upon him, even after using a Martial Arts skill to evade. In a haste, Nagi spun around, a water wheel carved across the edge of the man's blade. "Whirlwind Slash!" The second spin struck a little harder, pushing Heathcliff back.
Not wanting to put distance between them just yet, the ravenette charged off one foot, blade clasped high as a powerful torrent of waves slammed against the guarding broadsword, water and wind ringing in the air. Nagi grimaced, feeling his stomach twist when Heathcliff pivoted on his right foot, bringing his left forward with unnatural speed against the boy's stomach, sending him sprawling across the dirt. Heathcliff's heel slowly lost its cherry red glint.
Heathcliff lunged, blade-tip scarlet and coned as it honed in with Vorpal Strike, the edge grazed the dirt, pivoting toward Nagi's shoulder. "Parry and counter, come on!" Forcing his hands to grip the sword still above his head, Nagi's body was swept up by a current, spinning around parallel to the ground as his sword slammed against Heathcliff's, the velocity twirling the shinobi back onto his feet after a brief glide through the air. "Waterfall!"
Panting, he watched as the older man didn't even break a sweat, his health had gone down slightly, but compared to Nagi's, which was already in the yellow, it was a startling difference. His sword, whatever it was, must've been upgraded beyond even +6. Nagi hesitated, could he even beat this guy?
"No," He shoved that thought down, to his left, Argo was watching them, specifically, Nagi. Her expression remained as neutral as ever, but her brow was creased in thought, she wasn't doubting him, nor did she cheer. Her silent acknowledgment spurred the young shinobi onward, "Don't go down in defeat, fight back, burn hotter, keep moving forward!"
Sucking in a long breath, Nevermore glowed, merging into a stream behind his head as he held his blade back, the hilt against his hip. With another sprint, Nagi watched as Heathcliff drew his sword toward his right shoulder, scarlet coating the face. "Improvise, wait until his skill motion's in effect!" He waited, applying pressure to his legs for the bold play he had. The blade inched forward, if only out of reflex. "Now!"
Heathcliff blinked, bewildered when a small puff of dirt and dust was kicked up toward his face. It didn't halt his blade's descent, striking twice through the air with Vertical Arc. However, he utterly missed his target who, to his surprise, was descending toward him, two large gashes across both of Nagi's thighs.
Ever since Nagi and Klein obtained the Extra Skill, Katana, the Cardinal System had implemented a patch that went unnoticed by most players. Since the proficiency of a skill increased with the more you used it, that meant every connected strike with weapons added one point. That's one out of one thousand. It was very tedious and took hours of hard work for the pair to complete.
Since Floor One was cleared, now, that proficiency had been altered. 100 took 100 strikes, 200 was now 300 hits, 300 was 600 and so on until the max of 1000 proficiency would take a combined total of 5500 connected hits with a weapon. Due to this, Nagi had only recently clocked in at 355 for Katana skills, so the ones he had were simple but effective, with the exception of Rushing Water Undulation which unlocked at 150 with a 100 mastery of Rising Tide.
"But, that skill Shirayuki rewarded me with, there's something different about it," He couldn't quite understand why, but every time Nagi used it, his attacks felt stronger, they hit higher than any other skill in his arsenal. It felt right in his hands. His glare hardened to Heathcliff, a cyclone of water gathered from the tip of his blade and circled his body diagonally. "Hidden Skill-!"
The blade made a 'shiiing' sound as a fountain of water sprayed the area, leaving a large gash in the ground. "-Rising Run!" Heathcliff was taken back by the force of the attack, almost as if he never expected to see such a skill in his life. But that moment of hesitance vanished, Nagi didn't even blink, he couldn't breathe before the cool force of metal burnt against his chest, plunging two wide lines from one end of his torso to the other. Horizontal Arc left him gasping, landing on his backside.
With an inhuman reaction, Heathcliff had spun his sword down and left a sizable mark on Nagi, his health dropping into the red while Heathcliff's remained in the yellow, not walking away unscathed by Rising Sun. But that ultimately resulted in Heathcliff's name being displayed as the victor.
"That skill of yours, I've never seen anything quite like it," Heathcliff announced, sheathing his blade with a stratified smile. "You've certainly held up your title, though your reaction time still needs work, but nonetheless, you've impressed me, and thank you." With a short bow, Heathcliff took his leave rather abruptly, so Nagi sat up, groaning from the recoil still.
"Let's fight again!" His request brought pause to the grey-haired man. "When I get stronger, let's duel again, please!"
Heathcliff didn't show it, his back to Nagi, but his head dipped in agreement as he took a leisurely stroll through the park. With business concluded, Nagi huffed, collapsing to his back to stare at the amber sky and the ceiling of Floor Twelve above. Closing his eyes, Nagi couldn't wrap his head around it, how was one player that quick to react to a sword skill like that? Was Nagi just slower than he realized? Or was this the beginning of another frontline prodigy?
When he looked again, only the curly golden hair, big, curious amber-brown eyes, and those red whiskers greeted him. Argo wasn't smiling, but she didn't look sad either, just another plain face though Nagi never could get bored of seeing her face. "Yer quite reckless, a bad habiT,"
"I know," He murmured. "Sorry..."
Her fingers clicked his nose. "I ain't mad, big red really kicked ya while you were dowN," She wasn't blind, that reaction time was something only Kirito could perform, or she expected of the black swordsman at least.
"I don't think I want to fight him again for a while," Nagi countered his own words, laughing lightly as Argo joined in, whiskers twitching. "What's up?" He knew she had something on her mind, when didn't she? But Argo didn't respond, staring toward the trees. He tried again. "Tomo?"
"It ain't easy work, info brokers tend to make a lot of bad calls, some of which I ain't proud oF," Argo began, her hands resting on Nagi's shoulder gently. "I'm afraid to make more, some that'll haunt me for a lifetimE. Then, along came you, that overwhelmin' optimism made me stick around, and I wanted more of that but I was afraid it'll lead to me makin' a big mistakE."
"Argo-"
"Just a sec, I need thiS," She asked gently and so Nagi stayed quiet as she stared straight ahead. "When I messed up, you encouraged me to do more, you lightened my mood, had this strange sorta vibe I couldn't put a pin to, heck, even now I'm spoutin' off all these odd thoughts I'd never say out loud or ever, but I don't feel outta place sayin' theM," Her right hand tightened at his shoulder. "Am I wrong? Feelin' and thinkin' these thingS?"
Having her so close to him now felt like the world got a lot warmer, the events that brought them closer unintentionally resting in his mind as he stared at the clouds. "Not to me."
She shuttered a breath, "...same here," Her odd twang was gone monetarily. "Is it alright for me to stick by you, even if I cause troublE?"
"I..." Her face, those eyes were hesitant, Argo was biting her lip slightly. She was anxious. Nagi relaxed in her hands. "Yes, even if you brought the world against you, I'll still be here."
"DittO," Her eyes were lit by a fire he had seen many times, only now he felt his heart skip when it showed, Argo's hand brushed against his right cheek unconsciously, neither noticing. "Then... bein' a bit of a hypocrite, I'll take a risk toO."
Nagi's eyes widened as his chest clenched tightly. Since his chat with Artorias, Nagi had been looking at Argo differently all day, the way she smiled, laughed, had a glint of greed or mischievous idea in her eyes. How she expressed herself through hand gestures or the way the sun hit her face, defining all the small features Nagi had taken for granted. He was completely infatuated by Argo, that wouldn't change.
Her breath teased his lips, and before he could reply, a soft, gentle warmth pressed to his left cheek. Her lips were gentle and sent a heatwave throughout his body, not that sense of fireworks exploding, but like a summer heat washing over him. When she pulled back, she planted another quick kiss on his cheek.
Argo turned her head from Nagi, but without her hood, she could barely withdraw the sight of her scarlet face, a foreign sight never before seen on the Rat's face. But her lips twitched into a tiny smile. With how Argo positioned herself on the ground, Nagi found his head residing on her lap, staring up at her with red dusting his cheeks, his hand brushed against where her lips left a lingering sensation.
"I second that," Nagi found his voice, clearing it quickly when her eyes caught his. He smiled, the sight infecting the girl's chest with those feelings again that made her head turn to static. "One step at a time, our way, 'cause I like making mistakes and risks with you."
Her eyes widened a little, then she giggled, not like her boisterous cackle that painted the impression she had everything in the palm of her hands. It was sweet and kind, making Nagi enjoy it all the more. "...I'd like that, HerO," She teased, leaning down to hide her red face by placing her forehead against his, content to stay like this a little longer. "But... I'm kinda out on the whole understandin' what we are myselF,"
"Oh, so we're both clueless," Nagi enjoyed her unique embrace, feeling her laugh tickle his hair.
"Pretty mucH," Argo admitted. "Ya sure 'bout this - u-us I meaN?" Her voice was thin and filled with anxiety.
"W-we'll learn together," Nagi replied, "A-and if things don't work out, w-we won't lose what we already have, I... just like being around you," He admitted shyly. "Everything about you, Argo, even if you make my head spin I can't stop thinking about you."
Her head rose, a bashful expression on her face. "...s-same herE," She played with his haori a bit. "That optimism is part of why... I like you, don't be thinkin' otherwisE."
"Yes, ma'am," He gave a two-fingered salute, chuckling with her. "So... I should probably get up now, the dirt's digging into my clothes."
"Nah, I like thiS," She grinned, arms hooked around his head, resting against his collarbone.
He wasn't going to say no. "Sure." This girl had him wrapped around her finger, he was okay with that.
Nightfall bathed Frieven in a dark blanket of clouds, rain thundered from the lid of floor ten above, drowning noise as a few streams of water pierce the thicket of the treetops above the houses. Lanterns lit the bridges and walls aside from the occasional dark alley or shadowed corners between buildings.
"So... how'd it go?" An oddly chipper but no less curious voice chimed from against the side of an inn, arms crossed as their face remained obscured behind a charcoal hood, his smile plastered over his face. Above his head, an orange cursor could be seen. "Told ya my intel was on point."
"Correction, it was misleading," The one asking, a man with a purple and black katana, stepped forward, staring straight ahead. Their hood was down, revealing long black hair cut just below the chin, his locks damp from the rainfall, both teal eyes facing forward with a permanent scowl on his face. "However, your directions were fruitful,"
"See?" The orange player waved. "All according to plan, hey-hey, turn that frown upside down, I'm reliable," He pretended to nudge the stoic former orange player's arm from a distance. "Between you and me, heard they're plannin' something big, not yet but soon, so keep your head down, hear me? I'll drop the hat when it falls."
The man said nothing, nodding once before continuing to stroll further into town, absorbed by the thunderstorm as the orange player tucked his hood closer, head snapping in both directions before he sped off in the opposite direction. He needed to seriously find a Karma Restoration quest.
Next Arc - Midnight Hour
The Sixteenth Floor is open, but trouble broods under the endless night of the nocturnal floor. Someone plus the strings, a web of deception that leads Nagi and his friends down into the darkness of the Death Game...
And they're a thing now, slow burn for Argo's and Nagi's romance but I think I did alright, balancing Argo's antics with her more girly charms. Also, freakin' Heathcliff appears! This does mean the second arc is over, and a new, exciting chapter awaits, the next two arcs are really fun plotting out. I hope you enjoyed it, I appreciate the support as always; seeya in the next arc, Players!
026 - Consequence
Atop Floor 14, the main questline of the floor is coming to a delightful close, but with an unexpected outcome...