[Castor G]

​

"But you're not her,"​

???

Chiitaa [Renco Nakamura]
Lv. 16 // Lone Tree
Col: 2000 // XP: 25% // HP: 79%

​

It suddenly occurred to Renco Nakamura that he had never thought of how to calm down his sister in case of such an outbreak, it also occurred to him that he never thought that his sister would get into an argument so quickly, and it then occurred to him that he should feel fine since he had no idea this was going to happen. Maybe he should've. He shuddered slightly at the thought.

Then, when it continued, Renco stood awkwardly and at various intervals wanted to find a way to shut everyone up. But he knew it'd be kind of awkward, again, since he had no idea who any of these people were... certainly, the word he was looking for was "entirely out of the loop." Five words, but still a set of words or a phrase or whatever you consider them; but regardless he stood there kind of dumbstruck and confused about just about everything until someone else decided to bring about order. Said "someone else" was named Lucina apparently, who he reminded himself to thank later for helping to ease an inescapable headache. And she was also a motherly figure to Shiren...? She didn't look too bad herself, really- in fact, she looked to possibly be a princess, or royalty, but above that beautiful. ...There had to be a reference here, he knew there was.

"Guyyysss... Stop this right now. There's no need to fight over this, also... Turnip, it's not 5 am, it's 9 am. As on why Robin is here, I'm afraid that's my fault. I carelessly fell asleep in the open field." Guess there's no need to ask if she's single now. Oh well... "You really shouldn't argue so early in the morning." The woman now turned to him."My name is Lucina, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad Hono still has some family left. Hono, Shiren, are you alright?"

"Normally I would tell you my in-game name, but since you know Hono's name, I suppose it isn't a problem. Renco, nice to meet ya Lucina. And you too, Robin. Both of you don't seem like bad people, although Robin seems a bit..." Conceited... stuck-up, maybe? "...Serious."​

---

Hello, you're listening to version… 6, I think, of my last will and testament. Or just last wishes, since I guess I don't exactly have an estate to hand down. Ever since I got this crystal I've been making a new version each time we go somewhere we know is dangerous and I keep re-recording on the same crystal because these things are really expensive, but whatever. This time it's addressed specifically to my good friend Enrique, and if anyone else finds this, I guess by looting my corpse after killing me because if monsters kill me all my stuff just shardifies, please deliver it to him. He's got brown hair and sorta tanned skin, wears this blue and white jacket, and has a ton of jewelry on him so he's kinda hard to miss. If it did get to you, Enrique, and you're already listening to this then you don't exactly need to be reminded how you look. What you do need to know is that yes, I really am dead. Merry Christmas, huh...

I know we haven't really known each other that long, but I feel like I can trust you with this. You're really loyal and honest and you act like you've got everything under control. God knows I don't or else I wouldn't feel like I have to make one of these every time I go in the dungeon or something. But anyway, there's something I want you to do for me. You said you lived in Virginia, right? Well, when we get out of this, I want you to go to New York, where I live. It's a bright yellow house in Buffalo on Adams street, harder to miss than even you. There I want you to tell my family that I love them. Tell my mom that wherever I've gone, that I'll be fine, and tell my little sis that she needs to take care of mom. Be the man of the house, I guess, haha. She needs to start taking responsibility now. Then tell her that if she doesn't then I'll haunt her or something.

… It's funny. I've said pretty much the exact same stuff about… was it 6? ...Yeah, like 6 times already, and I'm still tearing up. Better shut this thing off before I start embarrassing myself, haha. So I hope I can say all that stuff to them myself when it's all over, but if I can't, well, that's the whole point of this thing. Well, I guess this is goodbye. Take care of this, or else I'll haunt you too!

…
...


Enrique listened to the recording that had been delivered to him late that evening by one of the members of his best friend's guild. Well, former best friend now, it seemed. He'd been sitting there in the darkness, alone in his room at the inn as he listened to it and let out an incredible sigh as it finished. Again, huh? He gritted his teeth and returned the crystal to his inventory. He could feel a lump in his throat. Then he just lied back down on his bed and closed his eyes. Maybe the bliss of unconsciousness would help get his mind off what he had just heard. Yeah, that was a good idea.

People die. Happens all the time, and there's nothing I can do about it. No use making a big deal out of it, right?

---

The next day arrived and Enrique found himself wandering towards the Lone Tree. After responding to messages he'd received since falling asleep he planned to make his way to the boss room, but for some reason he just felt like seeing what was up at the tree. Thus, with his trademarked grin and his dagger in hand, Enrique began walking across Urbus. He held his dagger not because he wanted to fight or anything, but because he had a habit of flipping the small knife in the air when he wasn't doing anything. It went up, spun a couple of times, then came back into his hand over and over as he walked.

The day was snowy, just like yesterday, and he liked it. Yesterday he had fun joining a snowball fight with some others he'd met that day. It was stunning how real the snow felt. Well, it didn't matter whether it was fake or not, it was still pretty and still fun. He walked on, and began to ponder what sorts of things he could make with the presents he'd gotten yesterday. Most of it was crafting materials, and some of it was clothes or food. In fact, today he was wearing a new grey shirt underneath the jacket he always wore. Anyway, he would probably make a new bracelet, ideally another one with a cool effect. He could probably pull it off considering how he'd recently blown all his money on rare crafting gems. Another lower cooldown time effect would be so cool considering the already puny amount his Sting art required along with his right ring's effect.

More idle thoughts passed through his mind before he finally made it to the tree. As usual, there were a lot of people there, even in the morning. What was unusual though was what they were doing. Enrique was ready to greet everyone when he came upon- "WHO GAVE YOU THE DAMN RIGHT TO DECIDE IF SOMEONE SHOULD LIVE OR DIE!?" His own cheerful grin now made him feel really awkward in the midst of what was clearly intense drama, so, with what had now become a nervous smile, he tried to shuffle around the scene. It looked like coming to the Lone Tree wasn't the best idea, so he decided to head directly to the boss room instead.

Fortunately for him, the boss room wasn't very far from the Lone Tree and he made it there pretty quickly. He hoped he could meet those people from the tree another time when they were calmer. There were already a lot of other players entering the dungeon in preparation to fight the boss, but it wasn't like last time when they were all in one big group coming in. He entered the dungeon and stopped tossing his dagger. Now he would actually need to use it. He opened his menu to equip his leather armor and buckler and proceeded deeper into the dungeon.

He'd never been here before, having only visited the floor's Marome dungeon during his one day on this floor. It was surprising how quickly the boss room was found this time actually. Maybe it was exactly where it had been on the beta this time. He walked alongside others and he stirred up a conversation with the two next to him. It was pointless chatter over play-styles and interests, but it was better then walking along in boring silence. In their conversation, Enrique and his two new companions had fallen a little behind the others. Of course, as it would be written in the predator's handbook, the stragglers were the ones who were targeted.

The boy named Flamio was knocked down before the trio even realized there were enemies around. Enrique quickly identified the enemy as a four-eyed frog before it was knocked off of Flamio by the girl named Mjoll's battleaxe. It didn't seem to help much, though, because four more of the creatures came to overwhelm the small group. "All right guys, time to prove what you told me," said Enrique with that grin ever present. Enrique seemed built more for fighting people than monsters, but he felt confident that the three of them could win despite the fact that they'd only just met.

The ensuing fight was a short one, with Mjoll dealing most of the damage. Enrique used his Shuffle art and natural agility to defend from multiple directions more easily and dodge, keeping enemies busy while dealing bits of damage every once in a while with Sting, whereas Flamio used his longsword to watch Mjoll's back as she tore through the frogs. Fighting together is a good way to bond, so the three added each other to their friends list on the way to the boss room.

Once they arrived, Mjoll and Flamio separated from Enrique temporarily to prepare for the battle, either by trading for items, making their own plans, talking to beaters, or simply mentally preparing. Enrique didn't bother with that, though, and instead looked around at the others present. There were all sorts of people there, even one with a huge orange afro. It made Enrique wonder whether or not he should alter his own hairstyle. Electric blue, maybe?

Enrique was bored, having gone back to tossing his dagger in the air. All the people he usually messaged were busy or dead, and he couldn't go train on his own. He decided to chat with the nearest person, who happened to be a dark-skinned girl who was scantily clad in red armor. "Hey, how much longer do you think this'll take," he started, turning to her while still flipping his knife. "Oh, I'm Enrique, by the way. Well, you could probably tell that from my username but it's my real name too." He grinned and stopped messing with his weapon, extending the other hand for a handshake.
​

???

---

After meeting the mysterious girl, the rest of the race seemed like a blur. By the time he got back, Silver Mist and Camlann had already arrived, as had Kouki. "Don't look at me, these two won the prize," said Kouki. They waited and chatted for a little, but Xenith and Princess still didn't arrive. Rikuto started to get worried, but his concern proved to be for nothing when the two in question showed up a few minutes later. Or was it? Something was off. He could detect something different about Princess, like something was weighing heavily on her mind. It seemed his fatherly instincts were strong.

Rikuto moved to ask Princess what was wrong, but Xenith walked up and put a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head silently as if to say "Don't." His gaze lingered on her before he turned to Xenith instead. "Xenith, can I have a word with you?" he said. His voice was firm and authoritative, yet soft in volume. She nodded, knowing full well what it would be about, and the two moved out of the earshot of the other company members. The others watched, curious but unwilling to get closer and listen. When Rikuto was ready to speak, he came close to her and whispered sternly. "Did you do something to Princess?"

"We just had a chat, that's all," she answered calmly.

"What did you say to her?"

"What she needed to hear." She looked Rikuto straight in the eyes. "We've discussed this; you don't need to take care of her. You need to remember that she's just your employee, nothing more. Now come on, we're holding up Christmas." With that it seemed that Xenith was done because she walked away without giving Rikuto a chance to respond.

After that, the Christmas Party continued as normal. There was a tenseness in the air whenever Rikuto came close to Xenith, but she didn't let anything show, acting like her normal, sarcasm-loving self. They all went to a restaurant afterwards and those who had brought presents exchanged them, Rikuto himself having received a wonderful pair of glasses from Camlann and a spare scarf from Silver Mist. They ate and chatted before everyone else went home for the night.

As Rikuto walked back to the town square he wondered why Xenith seemed almost... angry today. It was true they had discussed this, but the Xenith who he'd talked with yesterday seemed like a completely different person than the one from after the race. He had to wonder if something had happened since then to make her like this. She seemed to support, even believe in Princess before, but now it was as if there was some animosity behind her words. Or maybe it was all just his imagination, perhaps like the little girl from earlier.

Thoughts of all the strange things happening to him as of late occupied his mind while he made his way to one specific stand in the town square. He was glad to have NPCs as shopkeepers sometimes because they didn't need any sleep. Rikuto purchased a Christmas Cake and walked back to his inn room. Once there, he sat on his bed and placed the cake in front of him. All he had to do was tap it to separate a piece. He then placed another thing onto the bed; a stick of incense in its holder. He had bought it at a shop that sold items for furnishing one's home that fortunately didn't need any fire. The cedarwood fragrance was one he could never forget. Bringing a forkful of cake up to his mouth, he stared longingly at the empty space in front of him, breathing in the scent of the incense.

"Merry Christmas, dear."

---

Rikuto was woken up quite unpleasantly by a plethora of sounds. He sat up from the bench he had slept on in the town square. It turned out that he was unable to sleep at all in his room. He figured that a place like the town square stayed at least somewhat populated 24/7 so he'd be safer from assassins there. However, the bench proved to be quite uncomfortable not to mention the fact that town squares weren't exactly known for their peace and quiet. It made for a pitiful amount of actual rest. Well, Rikuto was still grateful for the fact that it successfully kept him safe, and that was what really mattered.

Another good thing that came from this was the fact that he seemed to have woken up quite early. Of course, he usually did, but he was afraid he might suffer a repeat of what happened yesterday. Not the attempted assassination, rather the waking up in the afternoon part. He didn't get to do any mining or resource collection that day, so he would have to make up for it today. Rikuto stood and began his journey to the mining spot he had found his first night on the floor.

Rikuto spent about two and a half hours straight mining before he entered his still-closed shop to practice forging on his anvil. He managed to increase his skill level almost three times by the time he was done, although he made sure to keep a some material in reserve for when he got his hands on gems and other rare items in the hopes of making a unique weapon. Since it was a fairly low-risk mining spot he didn't find anything new, rather he found the better materials of floor one in abundance making it ideal for upgrading items in the shop rather than creating new equipment. He even strengthened his own trusty shield twice, making it <<Full Guard +6>>. He found it interesting how it showed his priorities when put against his uncreatively named <<Partisan +1>>. He'd noticed that other smiths gave fancy names to products that were no better than the standard fare, but with Rikuto's store if there was something like that a customer could be sure it was something exceptional.

With that business done he looked at the time and was surprised to realize it was almost 10AM. He'd been working on his skill since he woke up at around 5:30. With that kind of dedication he began to wonder what level he'd be if he could focus only on grinding, but the shop demanded a lot of his time to remain as successful as it was. Now to think of what to do next. He could always go to the boss room which had surprisingly already been found, but considering the effort it took him to just get there last time he really needed more training. The dungeon would be a good place for that and probably held good materials, but the problem there was that there wasn't anyone to go with him this time. Xenith could still be in a bad mood, and even if she wasn't he had already asked an identical favor of her just two days ago. Princess could still be distressed, and she had her guild duties to attend to. It was also another day off for her what with the boss room having been uncovered. Kouki had decided to work the floor 1 store today, and with Camlann's level he assumed he'd be headed to the boss room as well. That left only Silver Mist who hated fighting.

Rikuto sighed, in the end deciding to just go alone. As long as he was careful he should be able to stay safe, especially with his newly upgraded shield. And so, off to the dungeon he went.
​