Myth Spirits
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(Note: This chapter is longer than usual. But please, enjoy it!)
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-[Vyrethil Grove]-
-[Current Boss Encounter: Super Rare Monster - Emeraldian Experience Worm]-
Thick, glowing green mist hung low over the tangled roots and vines of Vyrethil Grove, the dense canopy above casting deep shadows as the ground trembled beneath the monstrous undulations of a colossal, glistening emerald worm. Its body pulsated with translucent bioluminescent veins, burrowing and lashing through the earth like a living nightmare.
And atop a far cliffside ledge—cloaked, masked, and calmly calculating—stood Hoshigari.
His custom Final Draw weapon shimmered with card sigils—he was already mid-reload, slamming a new cartridge into the chamber with an audible CLICK-KLACK.
"Fox Face! That sick scythe railgun weapon of yours sure packs one hell of a punch!" called Feihong from atop the worm's writhing back. Her blades sang with wind as she danced in ferocious arcs, daggers glowing with sigil trails of crimson and gold.
"Thanks, Lady 3rd! It's a custom piece I personally built!" Hoshigari replied, fingers flying across the weapon's mechanism as it clicked into place. A card-shaped icon on the barrel glowed with spade energy.
WHOOOOOM!
The worm's massive tail, like a verdant battering ram, lashed toward him with gale-force speed. Hoshigari's eyes narrowed.
"Final Draw Skill: Clubs Reversal!"
A holographic green club-shaped sigil burst into being, solidifying into a transparent rotating shield that blocked the oncoming tail with a resounding BAWOOOOONG!! The kinetic feedback discharged from the sigil, returning the full impact back into the worm's own body with a seismic backlash. The worm reeled.
Hoshigari backflipped, his white cloak fluttering as he fired Spades Rounds mid-air, each one tracing elegant trails of darkness that pierced into the creature's glistening flesh. The worm writhed, roaring.
Below, Feihong ran up the beast's length, using it like a chaotic platform. She sliced into its exposed glands, riding the rhythmic undulation of the worm's squirming mass with acrobatic finesse. Meanwhile, the rest of Lamp Lyte Clan's Exploration Team struggled—some getting swatted away, others tossed by violent spasms.
Hoshigari, observing keenly, furrowed his brow.
Too many are getting flung. They can't keep up close. That thing's shaking them off like gnats.
With one last spade shot, he flicked open his inventory. A shining icon glimmered:
[Pegasus Nano-Suit {Trinket}]
He pressed the white button on his wrist.
White nanomachines surged from his arm, wrapping around his body in a seamless cascade. In seconds, a radiant white battle suit formed—sleek armor plates layered over his limbs, etched with wing motifs. The boots shimmered with horseshoe-shaped energy runes, and a visor descended over his eyes, HUD flickering to life.
Behind him, small luminous mechanical hover jet wings ignited, softly humming.
"The heck?! Is this a battle suit... or am I now a ranger in a Super Sentai show?!" Hoshigari exclaimed, spinning mid-air in both panic and awe.
The moment he left the ground, a ripple of light surged around his body—
His Buster Feather Charm activated! Mid-air attacks deal increased damage!
His balance stabilized. The hover wings adjusted to his posture, shifting with AI-assisted grace.
He grinned. "Alright... let's test out this bad boy!"
He rocketed forward, twin jetstreams erupting behind him, spiraling through the misty air with a high-pitched SHHHHRRRRROOOM!
Pegasus Nano-Suit Skill: Hoof Driver!
He flipped forward, twisted into a diving kick, and SLAMMED into the worm's midsection. The impact released a radiant burst shaped like a celestial horse's hoof. The worm's body lurched, tumbling several meters as chunks of bark and stone were torn from the ground.
"HAHA! Nice ranger costume, Fox Face!" Feihong laughed as she double-slash flipped off its back and stabbed her twin daggers back in.
The worm roared and fired a barrage of glowing emerald energy spheres from its forehead vents. They soared like meteors, locked on Hoshigari's airborne trail.
He dipped. Twisted. Barrel-rolled.
He slashed one blast in half with the edge of his Final Draw, flipped over another, and weaved between a third with millimeter precision.
He dashed forward and—
"Final Draw Skill: Diamonds – Mark of Ruin!"
The blade flared electric blue as he slashed downward onto the worm's forehead.
KRAAAK-CHOOOOOM!
A glowing diamond-shaped sigil burned itself into the monster's head.
[Status Applied: Mark of Ruin – Target takes increased damage from all sources!]
Feihong and the others didn't waste a moment—Feihong's daggers slashed in rhythm with burst-elemental synergy, and spellcasters let loose streaks of searing light and shadow bolts.
The worm shrieked and thrashed violently. It surged forward, trying to fling off the attackers riding its spine. One after another fell, but Feihong dug her daggers deeper, anchoring herself in place as she roared through the wind.
Hoshigari kept hovering backward, maintaining range.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Spades Rounds rained in again, strategically targeting soft undernodes along the creature's wriggling side.
The worm suddenly screeched, its entire form coiling and contracting. Then—
It twisted toward Hoshigari and opened its maw. Inside, its throat pulsed with an ominous cyan glow, charging up.
Hoshigari's eyes widened.
It's charging a breath cannon—
SKREEEEEEEEEEEEE—
FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The beam erupted—a gigantic, hyper-concentrated energy ray of cyan light, scorching the air and vaporizing trees in its path.
In one fluid motion—
[Right Handed Weapon (Swapped) - Viridian Coffin]
A streak of viridian light crackled across the battlefield as Hoshigari perfectly timed the activation of his Viridian Coffin Skill: Gluttony Ghoul.
THWOOOM!!
The coffin swung open, and from its depths, a crimson ethereal spectral skull erupted—jaws wide, it let out a deafening wail before consuming the incoming beam from the Emeraldian Experience Worm.
The energy dissolved into spiraling red mist, and the Ether Bar of the Viridian Coffin surged to full.
"Go time," Hoshigari murmured, his eyes gleaming.
In a blur, Feihong shot in like a shadowed blur of menace, her daggers gleaming.
"Assassin Skill: Dual Dagger Flurry!"
SHING-SHING-SHING-SHING-SHING!
She danced up the worm's armored flank, her arms a whirlwind of black arcs and silver steel. A cascade of dagger slashes dug deep into the beast's side, causing it to lurch violently.
RRRRRRRAAAAGGHHH!!
The worm shrieked and began firing another barrage of emerald energy blasts wildly in retaliation.
FWOOOM! FWOOOM! FWOOOM!
But Hoshigari was already on the move—graceful yet calculated. He slid, weaved, and twisted his body mid-air like a dancer in a lightning storm.
Mid-dodge, he swapped weapons:
[Left Handed Weapon: Zeus]
He fired four high-voltage shots, each one dissipating an incoming blast with brilliant explosions of light.
"Zeus Skill: Boltstep!"
CRACK!!
A blinding bolt of lightning engulfed him as he transformed into a flash of thunder, dashing and phasing through the projectiles with a trail of electricity in his wake.
He reappeared mid-spin—
[Left Handed & Right Handed Weapon (Swapped) - Solstice & Equinox]
The twin golden pistols whirred to life.
RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!
Black and white bullets swarmed through the sky, each round detonating cyan energy blasts in chain reactions.
"Solstice & Equinox Skill: Eclipse Step!"
Like a dual-shadow specter, he flickered through space in a perfect silhouette of black and white, phasing forward with phantom grace.
Still clad in his Pegasus Nano-Suit, he rocketed through the air, curling into a somersault as he descended directly toward the colossal worm.
He swapped weapons again.
[Left Handed & Right Handed Weapon (Swapped) - Final Draw]
KA-CHAK!
Point-blank.
Three rounds shaped like razor-edged spades slammed into the worm's carapace.
"Final Draw Skill: Diamond's Mark of Ruin!"
The scythe-head of his weapon flared bright blue. With a fluid horizontal arc, he slashed across the worm's face, marking it.
TING!
A glowing blue diamond sigil hovered above its head—the mark was active.
No hesitation.
[Left Handed Weapon (Swapped) - Ebonflame]
[Right Handed Weapon (Swapped) - Viridian Coffin]
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!!
Crimson leech rounds and molten magma bullets rained upon the beast.
The worm spun in fury and swung its colossal tail, shattering stone and flinging debris like a storm.
KRASSH!!
Several chunks struck Hoshigari mid-dash.
[Health: 149/175]
"Damn—!"
He activated Virdian Coffin Skill: Ethereal Shield.
A spectral barrier emerged from the Viridian Coffin, intercepting and disintegrating the remaining debris in bursts of violet light.
He rocketed upwards again, sailing high above the battlefield.
"Viridian Coffin Skill: Grasp of the Beyond!"
The coffin burst open again—this time releasing purple spectral arms that shot downward like reaching banshees.
BANG!!
They slammed into the worm's head, dealing massive blunt trauma and launching Hoshigari even higher from the impact's recoil.
Below, Feihong narrowed her eyes. She activated:
"Twin Black Skill: Black Blade Dark Enchantment!"
The twin daggers pulsed, veined with dark elemental arcana.
VMMM!
She then channeled into:
"Twin Black Skill: All Black Cross!"
Her arms formed an X, blades poised.
Meanwhile, at the apex of his ascent, Hoshigari leveled his coffin downward—
"Viridian Coffin Skill: VHALZAKYR'S WRATH!"
The coffin grew, enlarging to a proper coffin size, floating upright. Hoshigari slammed the back panel with his palm, pointing his finger forward with a devilish grin.
"HIT 'EM WITH IT!"
BANGGGGG!
The door flew open. From its void surged a spirit—Vhalzakyr, wielding his colossal blade.
"VHALZAKYR! SPLITTER SLASH!"
Like a meteor, Vhalzakyr crashed from above, slamming his greatsword down in a mighty arc across the worm's skull.
SSSKRAAAAAAAA!!
Simultaneously, Feihong struck.
"ALL BLACK CROSS!"
SHHHHRRAAKKKK!
A massive black cross slash tore through the worm's spine.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The two attacks collided into a symphony of destruction.
The Emeraldian Experience Worm trembled, screeched, and then burst apart into glowing emerald chunks, radiant particles, and shimmering EXP trails.
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Hoshigari descended.
His Pegasus Nano-Suit dissipated into fragments of light, returning to the buttoned module on his wrist. He pulled his Cloak of Concealing back over his shoulders.
Exhale.
"That... was certainly a fight."
He then activated:
"Fixer Skill: Quick Patch."
A green aura pulsed over his body.
[Health: 175/175]
He then dropped to the ground in relief, cross-legged, his breath catching up to him. A flickering reward Screen pulsed into existence in front of his eyes, bathing his weary form in digital golden light.
-[You Have Defeated the Super Rare Encounter Monster - Emeraldian Experience Worm]-
[Gained - +35,000 XP]
[Level 44 >>> Level 51 (LEVEL UP!)]
{Myth Spirit - Available, head back to Clan Building to meet the Myth Spirit Gifter}
[Gained - 150,000 Creds]
[Credits: 1,994,776,560]
[Gained - +30 SP]
[Gained - 20 Arcanic Emerald Chunks {Boss Materials}]
[Gained - 10 Emeraldian Worm Teeth {Boss Materials}]
[Gained - 15 Emeraldian Fluid {Boss Materials}]
[Gained - 20 Emeraldian Worm Scraps {Boss Materials}]
[Gained - Emeraldian Worm Core {Boss Material}]
[Gained - Ranger Enhancing Eye Implant {Trinket} (Rare)]
[Gained - Damnation (Exotic)]
[Gained - Emeraldiac Shard (Epic)]
[Gained - Shatter Dusters (Epic)]
[Gained - Titan Stone Charm {Trinket} (Epic)]
[Gained - Platinum-forged Crowned Helmet (Rare)]
[Gained - Gravitadt (Legendary)]
[Gained - Feathering Tome (Uncommon)]
[Gained - Inkspitter (Rare)]
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"HA! HOLY HELL! You weren't lying about the mass amounts of EXP and loot!" Hoshigari said between heavy exhales, arms on his hips as he admired the glimmering loot field around them.
Feihong, still walking off the adrenaline, flipped one of her twin daggers upward casually. It pixelated into digital mist, signaling it had been withdrawn.
"Told'ja, Fox Face!" she replied with a smirk. "Also, I was real impressed with your skills back there. Didn't expect you to flow like that mid-chaos. That Boltstep into Eclipse Step sequence? Mwah. Basically a chef's kiss."
"Well, ya know," Hoshigari grinned, brushing off the edge of his cloak dramatically. "We players gotta be ready for everything."
Then his grin sharpened a bit as he held out his gloved hand with a beckoning motion. "Alrighty… how about your end of the deal, Lady 3rd?"
Feihong blinked, a small sigh escaping her lips as she put her hands on her hips and shook her head.
"Sigh… I thought you'd forget about it during the chaos of the big worm fight. Jeez…" she muttered with a wry, amused smile. Then she flicked her wrist and a glowing menu interface popped in front of her.
She tapped through a few windows before pulling out a shimmering token, etched with intricate lines of pure golden data and a burning core.
"Alright, alright, here you go!"
[Player Feihong 601D3N handed over a Class Ultimate Skill Token {Item}]
Hoshigari raised an eyebrow as he caught the floating token in his gloved fingers, inspecting its glowing inscription.
"So I'm guessing this gives me an Ultimate Skill for my chosen main class?" he asked with a slight head tilt.
"Correctamundo, my fox-faced friend!~" Feihong answered with a playful double finger snap.
She gave a brief bow, sweeping her arm toward her exploration party that was already gathering loot and inspecting their supply cart.
"Again, thank you for blessing us with this haul, Fox Face. We'll be heading off now. Have a great day to ya, see ya!~"
"Alrighty. I've accomplished what I needed to do here as well anyways. See ya, Lady 3rd!" Hoshigari stood back up and patted off the dust on his pants, turned and waved with both arms before relaxing back into a wide stance. He exhaled deeply and leaned his head back.
He brought up his menu. A blinking notification pulsed under his level bar:
{Myth Spirit – Available, head back to your Clan Building to meet the Myth Spirit Gifter}
His eyes widened in delight.
"So it's finally time!" he whispered to himself, pumping a fist excitedly.
From his inventory, he pulled a glowing crystalline key with a shimmering celestial hue.
"I'm gettin' pumped!"
[Used Starlight Recoil Clan's Building Clan Key]
A vortex of amethyst light spiraled into existence beneath his boots, forming a swirl of arcane geometry that rose into a dome of pure shimmering light. The swirling tendrils wrapped around him, lifting his body gently.
Across the way, Feihong had rejoined her exploration team.
"Everything intact?" she asked one of her party members, who nodded while inspecting a reinforced crate strapped to the back of their cart.
Then, a sudden flash of realization struck her. Her pupils shrank.
"Wait… wait, wait, wait… the gloves on that Fox Face… and his hair when he was wearing that weird-lookin' Ranger suit… and that weird-ass username… H05H164R1… that's like a code… and he was a Ranger Class… specializing in pistols… and hand… held… cannons…"
She froze.
"WAIT! NO WAY! NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY—NO FLIPPIN' WAY!"
She spun around sharply, eyes locked on the swirling amethyst dome where Hoshigari was mid-teleport. The swirling light burst into a flash—
—and he vanished.
Feihong's jaw dropped.
"FOX FACE WAS ACTUALLY THAT HOSHIGARI!? AND HE'S ALREADY A MEMBER IN A CLAN!? WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?"
The rest of her team stared in confused silence.
Feihong clutched her head.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE I JUST GAVE AN ULTIMATE SKILL TOKEN TO THE HOSHIGARI! I BASICALLY HELPED A RIVAL! UGHHHHH—!"
As her shout comically faded out.
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-[Hidden Oni Kingdom of Yomotsuhana (Starlight Recoil Clan Building)]-
The silence in the dim lobby floor of the Starlight Recoil Clan Building shattered as a ripple of light pulsed through the central teleportation glyph. A shimmer of radiant flux swirled outward, followed by a burst of static light. In the center of the sigil, Hoshigari phased into view, his Cloak of Concealing fluttering down like a dissolving veil.
He turned on his heel immediately, the moment he laid eyes on his crew—Yukinox pacing with soft anxious steps, Makidon sitting on the ground in her new full Black Steel Armor with an exaggerated yawn, and Sushi Slice munching delicately on a crustless sandwich—he knew he'd kept them waiting.
"Boss! Took ya long enough!... What's with the weird get-up?" Makidon called out, one brow arched with exaggerated skepticism.
With a smooth motion, Hoshigari removed his mask and cloak.
[Face Equipment (Swapped) - Spotter Goggles]
"My bad, it's my disguise," he said, adjusting the goggles.
Yukinox stopped pacing, head tilted. "Disguise? For what?"
"Anyways, while I was testing out my new weapons on some random mobs, I stumbled into a mid-clan skirmish," Hoshigari explained.
"Oh? Which clans?" Yukinox asked.
"The Lady 3rd and her Lamp Lyte exploration team. They were under assault by Bloody Veil's PK squad—led by that annoying Little Dragon."
Sushi Slice looked up, her hair swaying slightly. "Lady 3rd? Do you mean Feihong 601D3N? That precision assassin?"
"Yeah, her. So... I eliminated Little Dragon again. Afterwards, thanks to my ridiculous luck stat, a Super Rare Encounter Monster popped out—an Emeraldian Experience Worm. We managed to down the big green squirmy bastard. Loads of loot, tons of exp—bam, I'm now level 51."
His voice trailed off as his eyes locked onto the serene figure sitting cross-legged on a bench to the side.
It was robed in layers of mythical embroidery, four arms each held in a distinct hand sign, and an otherworldly air shimmered around her. Red and purple eyes glowed faintly from behind a porcelain-like veil.
Hoshigari pointed. "Anyway... is that the Myth Spirit Gifter over there?"
"Indeed, seems so. Forum posts say just interacting with her triggers a cutscene. She'll evaluate you and assign your Myth Spirit accordingly," Sushi Slice explained between bites.
Hoshigari clapped his hands together. "Alright then—who's up first?"
Makidon sprang to her feet, cracking her knuckles. "I'm gettin' tired of waitin', Boss. Lemme go first."
"Alright, but!" Hoshigari held up a finger. "Let's not reveal which spirits we got until everyone's done."
"Okey dokey!" Makidon gave a cheesy thumbs-up before striding to the Myth Spirit Gifter.
The robed entity slowly opened one eye, her upper right hand gently extending.
Makidon blinked. "Uhh... what do I do?"
"Place your hand on hers?" Hoshigari suggested.
"Eh, sure."
Makidon's armored glove met the Gifter's ethereal palm.
The cutscene began.
The Myth Spirit Gifter raised her other right hand and gently tapped Makidon's forehead. In that instant, swirling runic circles flared into existence. Screens of golden light orbited them, displaying every major battle Makidon had fought—from dungeon crawls to raid blocks. A synth-female voice echoed, semi-mechanical yet graceful.
"Fateforger Makidon: Class - Greatshield Tank. Sub-Class - Axe Berserker. Build Focus - Defense & Strength. Playstyle - Relies on protecting allies and capitalizing on counter-attack openings... Assessing Myth Spirit..."
Pixels and data shards coalesced above the Gifter's left hand. The orb slowly turned a shimmering gray.
"Myth Spirit – Chosen."
Her lower left hand grasped the orb and, with ceremonial slowness, plunged it into Makidon's chest.
End cutscene.
"Yow!" Makidon yelped as she landed on her butt.
"Maki, how'd it feel? You were just standing there frozen," Hoshigari asked.
"Yeah, yeah. Just surprised me. Felt like a power surge to the soul. Go on, next!"
Yukinox jogged up, cheeks flushed with excitement.
She mirrored the motion, palm-to-palm contact. The cutscene played again.
"Fateforger Yukinox: Class - Mecha Rider. Sub-Class - Longsword Warrior. Build Focus - Dexterity & Vitality. Playstyle - Executes precision combos using mech synergy and calculated burst windows... Assessing Myth Spirit..."
Data fragments spun around her. The orb glowed blue.
"Myth Spirit – Chosen."
The orb embedded into Yukinox's chest. She staggered back, dazed.
"Yup... that stings..."
"Told ya!" Makidon teased.
"Next... go," Yukinox groaned.
Sushi Slice stepped forward, elegant and composed.
She placed her hand calmly. The screens whirled to life once more.
"Fateforger Sushi Slice: Class - Samurai. Sub-Class - Enhancer. Build Focus - Perception, Agility & Stamina. Playstyle - Executes fast, relentless, wind-enhanced strikes designed to end battles before they drag on... Assessing Myth Spirit..."
The orb turned light green.
"Myth Spirit – Chosen."
As the orb entered her chest, Sushi staggered. Makidon caught her.
"You good there, Sushi?"
"Yes... just a little impact shock. Good luck, Hoshi-san."
With a deep breath, Hoshigari stepped forward.
He touched the Gifter's hand. The battle archives spun around him.
"Fateforger Hoshigari: Class - Ranger. Sub-Class - Fixer. Build Focus - Perception & Luck. Playstyle - Tactical ranged strikes, adaptive midrange shifting via pistol whip stance, evasive movement patterns, Fixer skills for support and enemy dismantling... Assessing Myth Spirit..."
The orb flared white and gold.
"Myth Spirit – Chosen."
The impact of the orb hitting his core made him stumble, bracing with both hands on his knees.
"Yup... it stings, but... we're done!"
As if cued, the Myth Spirit Gifter floated upward, all four hands aligned into a radiant star shape.
"Use your Myth Spirits wisely. Do not abuse them—for they possess their own consciousness and limitations."
She dematerialized into a prismatic cloud and vanished.
Hoshigari clapped and spun around to face his team. A massive grin stretched across his face.
"Well... shall we summon our Myth Spirits? Cuz I'm hella excited to see what Myth Spirits y'all got!"
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"Alright, I'll go first," Yukinox spoke up.
She thrust a hand to the sky, cold mist forming at the apex of her gesture.
"MYTH SPIRIT: JORMUNGANDR!"
With a hiss like winter cracking ice, dense frost condensed into a spiraling vortex. From it emerged a spectral serpent—light blue and translucent, with jagged fins and piercing yellow eyes. Its form was massive, at least as thick as Yukinox's leg, and ethereal enough to pass through flesh without harm. It spiraled around her arm, then down her frame, finally resting like a sash coiled across her body.
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[Jörmungandr, The World Serpent]
Summon Visual:
The air distorts as an astral sea serpent coils around the user. Electric-green eyes glow as venomous energy pulses through the user's weapon/s.
Passive Buffs:
+25% Mecha Max HP
Longsword attacks gain Venomous Coiling: 10% chance to poison and slow
Mecha AOE attacks now leave Toxic Zones
Myth Spirit Skills:
> Serpent Coil Strangle
Your Mecha's limb stretches into a serpentine grappler. Grabs the nearest enemy, immobilizing them for 2.5 seconds, and deals poison damage over time.
> Wyrmvenom Shear
Yukinox's sword glows purple-green and delivers a sweeping slash that leaves a venom trail. Enemies passing through are slowed and receive rot damage (damage increases the longer they remain in it).
> Jormundgandr Coiling: World Serpent's Ragnarok
The Mecha transforms briefly, taking a serpent-like form. The user becomes a ranged artillery platform, launching a spinning serpent barrage of poison-laced homing orbs. Final strike sends a giant astral fang crashing down for massive true damage + status overload (Poison, Burn, Shock, Frost) to all enemies in range.
Overuse Penalty (4th Use) – Venom Reversal: You become 20% more vulnerable to poison and elemental damage for 1 hour. Jörmungandr coils into the abyss and refuses to aid you further today.
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"Woah..." Makidon breathed.
"Cool blue snake," Hoshigari nodded with a smile.
"Kind of like a ghost snake familiar," Sushi Slice observed.
"I can see that, haha!" Yukinox replied with a hint of joy.
"Alright, my turn!~" Makidon declared, clapping her hands. She raised them to the sky.
"MYTH SPIRIT: ATLAS!"
Grey energy surged around her like tectonic tension bursting free. The skies above rumbled as an ethereal titan appeared behind her. Transparent yet massive, Atlas lifted an astral sphere that shimmered between oceanic blue, forest green, and granite grey. As he did, slabs of stone plummeted like meteors, forming plates that locked into Makidon's armor.
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[Atlas, Bearer of the World]
Summon Visual:
The sky rumbles as an astral silhouette of Atlas forms behind the user and lifts the sky. Stone slabs crash down, forming armor plating over their weapons.
Passive Buffs:
+30% Max HP
+80% Defense
+100% Guard Strength (block efficiency)
All melee attacks gain "Earthquake Pulse": knockback and mini-stun chance
Myth Spirit Skills:
> Atlas Smashplate
Makidon slams her shield into the ground, sending a frontal shockwave that knocks enemies airborne. Shield reflects projectiles for 3 seconds.
> Titan Quake Rend
Charges forward with her axe, smashing it downward in a cleave that creates a split in the ground, launching enemies and stunning for 2 sec.
> Astral Siege: Atlas Worldbreaker Vow
Makidon grows to twice her size, bathed in Titan flame. For 12 seconds, her attacks inflict slow + defense weakening. Final move: a leaping crash with both shield and axe that causes terrain craters and deals true damage.
Overuse Penalty (4th Use) – World Weight Judgment: -25% defense and 50% slower shield regen for 1 hour. Atlas scolds you and withdraws for the rest of the day.
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"Hell yeah! Now this is what I call grand power baby!" Makidon fist-pumped.
"So flippin' cool!" Yukinox cheered.
"It's like a magical statue," Sushi Slice added with a gentle clasp of hands.
"Heckin' awesome, Maki!" Hoshigari added, hands on hips.
"Do you want to go last again, Hoshi-san?" Sushi Slice asked.
"Yup!" Hoshigari returned with a thumbs-up.
"Alright then, it's my turn!" Sushi Slice declared.
She placed her left hand on her hip, shot her right arm forward and shouted:
"MYTH SPIRIT: KAMAITACHI!"
Three cyclones swirled violently around her, snapping into bursts. From each whirlwind, a ghost-like ethereal weasel emerged—green-hued, crimson-eyed, and floating with playful but deadly energy.
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[Kamaitachi, The Wind Weasel Trio]
Summon Visual:
A triple cyclone whips around Sushi as three translucent wind-weasels slice through the air and circle her katana in a vortex, enhancing her presence.
Passive Buffs:
+40% Katana Attack Speed
+15% Evasion
All sword swings release micro wind blades (minor ranged damage)
Myth Spirit Skills:
> Triple Fang Arc
Three slashes in a quick triangular formation, each Kamaitachi spirit striking from a different angle:
Above (Blind)
Behind (Blind for 3 sec if back hit)
Below (Weaken)
> Wind-Cut Parry
On perfect block, release a windburst that knocks enemies back and auto-counters with a slashing shockwave.
> Tempest Crescendo: Kamaitachi's Spiral Dance
Summon a massive horizontal cyclone around Sushi Slice. She launches upward in spinning style, and for 8 seconds, continuously teleports to nearby enemies, slashing them with a combo attack empowered by each Kamaitachi weasel. Enemies suffer stacking Bleed + Slow.
Overuse Penalty (4th Use) – Backlash Winds: Causes 2% HP bleed every 5 sec for 1 hour. Dash and slash trails leave Sushi bleeding. The Kamaitachi vanish and won't reappear till tomorrow.
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"Aww!~ So cute!~" Yukinox beamed.
"Look at these furry fellers," Hoshigari chuckled.
"Adorable," Makidon added with arms crossed.
"Very much so adorable," Sushi Slice said, hands clasped lovingly.
As Makidon leaned closer to poke one, it brandished blade-like claws. She instantly backed away, hands raised in surrender.
"Adorable but uhh... deadly..." she muttered.
"It's your turn, Hoshi-san!" Sushi Slice encouraged.
"Alrighty, here I go!" Hoshigari called.
He pointed skyward with confidence, then swung that finger downward.
A flash of white thunder struck.
Hermes descended with divine grace. Golden feathers scattered as his winged sandals kissed the air. With a smirk, he zipped across the area, skimming across light itself. In an instant, he was beside Hoshigari, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Speed sigils etched themselves into Hoshigari's armor, and then Hermes vanished in a streak—merging into him.
Radiant White Angeleic Wings pertrude from his boots, and an elegant golden feathered crown formed above his brow.
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[Hermes, Winged God of Speed & Cunning]
Summon Visual:
Hermes descends in a flash of white thunder, his winged sandals skimming midair as golden feathers scatter. He smirks and zips around the field before transferring speed sigils into the user's gear and then merging with the user, as the user now shows a golden feathered crown and long wings pertruding out from their shoes.
Passive Buffs:
+35% Movement Speed
Reload Speed reduced by 40%
Fire-rate of guns increased by 30%
Myth Spirit Skills:
> Skystep Bouncefire
Dash to any direction instantly, and immediately fire off 3 auto-aimed ricocheting shots from mid-air that pierce targets and deal wind damage.
> Zephyr Binding-Tether
Dashes backward and drops a realistic holographic decoy trap infused with Hermes' wind tether. If it gets damaged, the wind tether burst out to nearby enemies and the nearby enemies are pulled inward and temporarily silenced (can't cast skills or attack) for 4 seconds.
> Hermes Protocol: Triple Fold Mirage
Hoshigari gains three afterimages that mimic all his actions for 10 seconds. During this time, every bullet fired is triplicated, and movement speed is doubled. Ends in a massive cross-shot airburst that knocks enemies into the air.
Overuse Penalty (4th Use) – Wing Fatigue: -50% Move Speed for 1 hour. Hermes refuses to show up again until next day.
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"Well well well, look at Mr. Graceful Angel over here," Yukinox teased.
"Yeah... a tad bit cringey, considering that it was my Myth Spirit... haha..." Hoshigari muttered, scratching his cheek.
"But you look real cool with the gold feather crown and them feet wings though, boss!" Makidon praised, double thumbs-up.
"Indeed!" Sushi Slice affirmed with a nod.
Their Myth Spirits, now summoned and witnessed, dissolved into brilliant motes of pixelated energy, signifying that they have deactivated for today (and yes, could be summoned two more times in that day.)
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"Alright, with these Myth Spirits and our new gear intact, we'll be able to take on the mission," Sushi Slice said confidently, her voice steady and composed. "But first, I'll need to meet with two other players who would like to join our guild."
Hoshigari, arms crossed and gaze sharp, glanced over. "Oh, really?" he asked, eyebrows slightly raised.
"Yes," Sushi confirmed with a firm nod. "According to Yukinox, one of them is a skillful, aggressive brawler. The other is an excellent healer. I'm to meet and interview them at Herhyndale—a big town just outside the Glayshollow Forest."
"Alright," Hoshigari replied with a nod, shifting his weight and placing his hands on his hips.
"Oh, Hoshi," Yukinox chimed in from behind, approaching with a soft smile under her dark-blue bangs. "You might want to join Sushi."
"Why though?" Hoshigari tilted his head in mild confusion.
"The healer said he's a fan of yours," Yukinox said with a shrug, her voice neutral. "So why not, right?"
"Eh... Alright, sure..." Hoshigari gave a resigned chuckle and a light nod.
Sushi tapped the air and closed her menu. "We'll be heading out soon. I just have to forge something real quick. Wait a bit for me, Hoshi-san."
"Alrighty then," Hoshigari replied casually, stepping aside as she walked briskly toward Ultyr's Forging Station, her footsteps echoing off the steel floors.
"Hoshi, we'll be heading up. See you guys soon," Yukinox said as she followed Makidon toward the elevator.
Makidon flashed a peace sign with a cheeky grin. "See ya for now, Boss!~"
As the elevator doors whooshed closed, taking Yukinox and Makidon to the upper floors, Hoshigari leaned against a pillar and let out a relaxed exhale. Then, suddenly, his eyes lit up.
"OH RIGHT! I GOT THESE HANDY DANDY TOKENS FROM LADY 3RD!" He rifled through his inventory and pulled out a Sub-Class Skill Token.
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With a playful smirk, he tossed it into the air. The token spun rapidly, then disintegrated into a swirl of green and blue pixels, enveloping him in luminous energy.
[Used Sub-Class Skill Token]
[Fixer Skill: Quick Repair has been added to Fixer Skill List!]
"Quick Repair, eh? That's hella helpful... Alright, how about the Class Skill Token?" Hoshigari flicked another token into the air. This one scattered into a vibrant mix of grey, black, red, and orange light.
[Used Class Skill Token]
[Ranger Skill: Bite The Bullet Series - 5 Point Heal has been added to Ranger Skill List!]
[Ranger Skill: Bite The Bullet Series - Reduced Damage has been added to Ranger Skill List!]
[Ranger Skill: Bite The Bullet Series - Up-Close Explosion has been added to Ranger Skill List!]
"Huh... So these are called skill series," he murmured. "I guess since it's a series, it counts as a single skill and gives all the sub-skills instead of just one? Ugh... my brain hurts. Whatever..."
Finally, he pulled out the Class Ultimate Skill Token. "I wonder what overpowered skill I'll get here!"
Tossing it up, the token exploded into a dazzling display of black, white, red, blue, green, purple, and yellow particles.
[Used Class Ultimate Skill Token]
[Ranger Ultima-Skill: Finger Gun Fire, Pure Arcana Bullet has been added to Ranger Skill List!]
His jaw dropped slightly. "Woah... yup... that sounds hella cool!"
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He opened his status menu next.
"Oh right, I got some SP to distribute. Let's see here..."
[Available SP: 75]
[+25 SP Added to Perception]
[+25 SP Added to Arcana]
[+15 SP Added to Luck]
[+10 SP Added to Agility]
[Bonus SP Added & Distributed]
-[Status Attributes (Updated)]-
Vitality: 55 (+20)
Defense: 50 (+38)
Strength: 70 (+20)
Arcana: 58 (+20)
Perception: 210 (+35)
Dexterity: 55 (+10)
Agility: 95 (+20)
Stamina: 80 (+20)
Luck: 200 (+10)
"Done with the Stat Points!" Hoshigari said, swiping his hands to close the screen.
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He opened his inventory menu next.
"Oh right... I got some loot that Yu and Maki would've loved... meh... I'll surprise 'em later."
-[Inventory Menu (!)]-
[Ranger Enhancing Eye Implant (New)]
[Titan Stone Charm (New)]
[Damnation (New)]
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He immediately hovered his finger over the first item.
"Ranger Enhancing... nah, yup! No point hesitating on equipping this trinket, teehee!~"
[Ranger Enhancing Eye Implant {Trinket} (Epic)]
(Effect: Increases ranged accuracy focus by 10% and reduces recoil.)
[Ranger Enhancing Eye Implant {Trinket} (Epic) Added to Trinket Slot 7]
The implant shimmered and phased into his right eye. A faint, bluish targeting reticle flickered for a moment whenever he held a ranged weapon.
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Next, he examined the Titan Stone Charm.
[Titan Stone Charm {Trinket} (Epic)]
(Effect: Increases physical damage dealt by 15% and reduces stamina usage by 10%.)
"This would be great for Maki... buuuuuuuuut... since I switch to my Pistol Whip stance most of the tiiiiiime...."
[Titan Stone Charm {Trinket} (Epic) Added to Trinket Slot 8]
A stone-carved charm appeared dangling off his belt.
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Then came the final piece.
He pulled out the weapon—a pitch-black Mauser c96 variant with etched runes, wrapped in blood red crimson bandaged bindings and a long barrel. It radiated a haunting crimson glow.
[Damnation]
"One nail seals the flesh. Three nails bind the soul. To empty the chamber is to curse fate itself."
Rarity: Exotic
Base Rounds: Nail Rounds – forged from cursed, rusted nails soaked in dark rites. These rounds pierce armor and deal dark damage
Body Damage: 10–25 hitpoint damage (40 critical hitpoint damage)
Head Shot Damage: 35–55 hitpoint damage (80 critical hitpoint damage)
Firing Type: Semi-Auto
Ammo Capacity: 10 rounds
Effective Range: Short & Medium
Bullet Drop: None
Recoil: Moderate
Exotic Skills of Damnation:
> Crimson Crucifixion
(Effect: The user tosses a cursed nail into the air and pistol-whips it (like a hammer) into the target, inflicting piercing damage. Applies Bleed, Weaken, and Dizziness for 15 seconds.)
> Sealbind Wrappings
(Effect: Shoots a crimson red sealed and wrapped nail that binds the target in ghostly crimson red bandages, stunning them for up to 15 seconds or until they take 2 hits. Affected enemies cannot run, dash, blink, parry, or even move.)
> Voodoo Link – Straw Curse
(Effect: Shoots a nail covered in straw, if a target is hit, it links the target to a floating straw doll for 8 seconds. All incoming damage dealt to the doll is mirrored 100% to the target. Link is breakable if the target escapes a 10-meter radius.)
> Hex-rite Shot
(Effect: Unleashes a cursed bullet infused with four status effect—Burn, Freeze, Poison, and Shock. If it hits, all four status effects are inflicted for 30 seconds and cannot be cured by standard cleanse skills.)
"Looks edgy and cursed as heck... but it has hella cool skills though!" Hoshigari commented, admiring the sleek and sinister design before tucking the gun back into his inventory.
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As he then placed his hands on his hips and sighed.
From across the room, Sushi Slice's voice rang out like a gentle bell, her tone prim and refined.
"Hoshi-san!~ I'm done, let's head out and meet those two players."
Hoshigari turned, adjusting his right glove with a flick. "Sure thing. Where are we supposed to meet them again?"
Sushi Slice sheathed her katana with a crisp motion. "In a restaurant called The Popping Spoon, located in a big town nearby the Glayshollow Forest—Herhyndale."
"Glayshollow Forest..." Hoshigari echoed, pulling open his Digi-Map. The sleek interface flickered to life in front of him, a soft hum of Arcana-Tech. He navigated swiftly: Map Location > Yomotsuhana > Toggle to Exo-Arcana > Search: Glayshollow Forest.
"There it is... The nearest Torii Gate I've unlocked near that place is in... the lake town of Efranza. Alright." He swiped the map away with a decisive motion, turning to approach the guild's Torii Gate.
Expecting Elodie, he paused as a different figure awaited.
"Eh... who're you?" Hoshigari asked, brow raised comically as a funny confused expression contorted his face.
Standing tall and elegant was a refined female Oni, clad in a pristine maid outfit that exuded class. Her poise was regal, and her voice even more so.
"Apologies," she began, in a crisp British accent that sounded entirely too aristocratic for an Oni maid. "My name is Beatrice Yomotsuhana, Elodie's younger sister. You may call me Bea."
Hoshigari's eye twitched as he thought "Devs... you gotta explain why this one is British..."
Out loud, he asked, "What happened to Elodie? And why are you here?"
"Big sister Elodie was summoned by our father. She has also hired me to serve in her place, and I now function as your personal maid within the Starlight Recoil Clan Base."
She then snapped her fingers with practiced grace. In an instant, five identical clones shimmered into view behind her, each moving in sync, maintaining perfect posture.
"Woah... she has some kind of shadow clone techn—"
Before he could finish, Sushi Slice's hand swiftly covered his mouth.
"Hoshi-san, don't say it..." She turned to Bea with mild curiosity. "Uhmm... Bea-san, your Exo-Ability is?"
"Indeed," Bea answered with a somewhat robotic clarity. "It is called Splitting Self. Currently at Level 5 Max. I may create five fully-controllable clones. However, the more I create, the weaker they become. A single clone would be identical to me in stats, health, and capabilities. Additional clones are faster and more adaptable but suffer reduced durability."
"Very much helpful, indeed!~" Sushi Slice chirped, giving a polite applause.
Hoshigari gave a light nod. "Bea, could you please activate the Torii Gate and connect it to the one at the lake town of Efranza?"
"Understood, Master Hoshigari." Bea bowed with elegance, then placed her hand upon the Torii Gate. Runes glowed, and the gate shimmered alive with violet warp-light.
Before stepping in, Hoshigari donned his Cloak of Concealing, swapped out his Spotter Goggles for the Fox Holo-Mask of Unrecognition.
[Face Equipment (Swapped) - Fox Holo-Mask of Unrecognition]
He turned to Sushi Slice and gestured forward. "Let's move, Sushi."
She gave him a look, tilting her head with a comical sweat drop. "Still a very... unusual disguise."
"Says the one also wearing an Oni mask. Don't the actual Oni find that mask offensive?" Hoshigari questioned, hand on his hip, heavy head tilt.
"Apparently not," she answered with a passive, innocent smile.
"Err... alright then..." he replied, scratching the back of his head.
And so, the two stepped through the glowing veil of the activated Torii Gate—vanishing from Yomotsuhana.
...
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-[Lake Town Efranza]-
As Hoshigari and Sushi Slice stepped through the glowing red Torii Gate, the world shifted in a shimmer of prismatic light. The air changed. Sound returned like a tide of life.
Before them lay Efranza.
A breathtaking floating town sprawled across the shimmering expanse of Lake Namerine. Wooden walkways sprawled outward from the lakeshore like gentle arms, connecting floating platforms, stilted homes, and moored boats with effortless elegance. Koi the size of big dogs swam beneath their feet in slow spirals of orange, white, and gold, their scales catching sunlight like living gemstones. Bamboo lanterns floated gently above the lake's surface, glowing with soft amber hues. Ramen barges let off trails of steam as cooks called out specials; potion vendors clinked glass bottles in rhythmic jingles to catch attention; children darted between adults with giggles trailing behind them.
The town didn't just float. It thrived.
"It is such a lively floating town," Sushi Slice commented in awe, as she leaned forward against a wooden rail.
"Yeah," Hoshigari replied, eyes fixed on his Digi-Map. "Let's head across this way and take the bridge. It's faster."
They walked with steady purpose through the vibrant bustle—past colorful stalls and plump fisherman NPCs boasting about their catches, past arm-wrestling mini-games and duel zones glowing faintly with active PvP barriers. A player juggled enchanted fireballs for a crowd. The smell of sizzling meat and sea salt filled the air.
Sushi Slice paused to lean on a rail, peering down at a particularly large koi that swam beneath them.
"Hoshi-san, how do you think these huge koi fish would taste like?" she asked curiously.
"Probably like fish," Hoshigari replied with a dry tone, not even looking up from his Digi-Map.
She blinked, scratched her chin sheepishly, and hurried to catch up. "Yeah… I guess that'd taste obvious as much. Haha…"
They crossed the bridge back onto green land, where the wooden walkways faded into packed earth and vast seas of grass
In the distance, framed between jagged cliffs and gently falling snow, stood the entrance of the Glayshollow Forest—dark pines dusted white, half-shrouded in rolling mist.
"We'll be taking my Nebula Stride to pass through the forest," Hoshigari said, casually flicking open his inventory.
"Ok!" Sushi Slice beamed.
With a sharp snap of his fingers, the Nebula Stride Ichiban Grav-Motorcycle materialized from pixels and tiny cubes and slammed neatly into the ground—its sleek, high-tech silhouette glowing faintly with arcanic circuits.
Hoshigari mounted the grav-cycle, its gravity wheels humming to life. Sushi Slice gracefully climbed on behind him, holding his waist lightly.
"Ready, Sushi?" he asked, glancing back.
"Mhm!" she nodded with a soft smile.
"Aight—hold on tight."
He revved the Nebula Stride. With a low whir and an echoing hum, they blasted forward.
...
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-[Glayshollow Forest]-
The grav-wheels adjusted to the icy and snowy terrain, hovering just above the snowy ground, maintaining speed without losing control.
The air grew colder.
"Jeez… it's freezing~! How is it so cold?!" Sushi Slice yelped, rubbing her arms and squirming in place.
"EAO IS a full dive VRMMORPG, after all," Hoshigari called back. "Gotta simulate real-world climate."
"So you're telling me that massive, blizzardous, death-chill mountain we're heading to is going to be even worse than this?!" she exclaimed, eyes wide.
"Preeeeeetty sure," he smirked. "But hey, we've got freeze-resistant coats and heat warmer equipment, right?"
"I guess you're right..." she mumbled, burying her face behind his cloak with a comedically unsure grin.
Then her voice lowered to a murmur. "Wait… isn't there a rare encounter boss that spawns around here...? And with Hoshigari's immense luck stat—"
A thunderous crash slammed down from the snow covered path ahead.
Snow exploded outward as the Abomirilla—a towering white-furred beast with glacier-like skin armor and burning red eyes—landed hard on the path. It pounded its chest like a war drum and bellowed a roar that echoed through the mountains.
-[You Have Encountered the Rare Encounter Beast - Abomirilla]-
Still on the grav-bike, Hoshigari's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he swapped weapons—his right hand flipping the Damnation Mauser C96 into position.
[Right Handed Weapon (Swapped) - Damnation]
He spun the cursed pistol, its blood-red inscriptions glowing. A smirk curved his lips.
"Let's give this cursed baby a go."
With a pull of the trigger, his Damnation Skill: Sealbind Wrappings fired. A crimson sigil burst from the muzzle as a ghostly nail shot forward, embedding directly into the beast's chest.
The nail embedded into the Abomirilla's flesh and exploded into a flurry of cursed crimson bandages—ghostly crimson wrappings that lashed around the Abomirilla like spectral chains. Its arms were bound to its sides, legs staggered as its momentum froze mid-roar.
"W-Whoa!" Sushi Slice gasped, reaching for her blade instinctively.
Her hand gripped the hilt of her Yanagiba Odachi, but Hoshigari raised a hand to stop her.
"Nah," he said calmly. "Let's just blast through this one."
"Ehh… Alright then, Hoshi-san." She blinked, slowly letting her blade return to its sheath.
With the beast still struggling against the wrappings, Hoshigari weaved the cycle to the right, wheels shifting laterally for drift mode, and blasted past the bound Abomirilla—snow spraying in a wide arc as they carved a perfect curve around the monster.
-[You Have Escaped the Rare Encounter Beast - Abomirilla]-
The wind howled behind them.
Ahead, past the last treeline, the distant spires and lanterns of the ancient mountain town of Herhyndale flickered into view...
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