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The Head quarters buzzed with energy. Maps, item manifests, and raid blueprints littered the war room. Ciela entered with a satchel full of baked goods and a notebook of ingredient scans. "You’re late," barked Commander Denzik, eyeing her flour-stained gloves. “I brought muffins,” she replied sweetly. That softened him. Slightly. Raid leaders gathered around as she detailed her findings. Verdant Bloom’s effects on stamina regeneration, the ore's trace magic signature, both invaluable for Floor 29’s toxic swamp terrain. "We’ll need twenty units of Bloom by next week," D

Raidou turns to Griswold wishing that he could give the smith an answer. "I dont rightly know but we cannot afford to let these things to reach the warp gate. Its clearly their target." The proof being how they would tear through the walls and ignore everyone inside, sometimes even rushing through on all fours like wild beasts. Given how ruthless and unconcerned about their own bodies they were, it would appear they were some facsimile of a greater entity. A commander of the npc forces would break into their conversation, drawing Raidou's attention. "They are gaining strength on the north side

Returning to Fondante’s Inferno felt surreal after the chaos of the forest. Ciela gently placed the Verdant Bloom into a crystal jar, sealing it with wax and a soft hum of satisfaction. Wulfrin leaned on the counter. “You think it’ll live long enough for testing?” “It’s got at least 48 hours. That’s more than I need,” Ciela replied, already pulling ingredients from the shelves. She mixed a basic dough, grinding the Bloom’s petals into fine powder. The scent was floral, buttery, vaguely sweet and floated through the air. It was like summer and spring had collided inside her mixin

As soon as the Bloom left its perch, the forest seemed to rebel. Vines thrashed wildly. The Warden roared, enraged, ignoring Wulfrin’s feints. “Bad news!” Ciela called out. “This guy’s gone full sourdough feral!” “Then let’s not stick around for dessert!” Wulfrin replied. They retreated into the grove’s western path, cutting down Thornlings as they ran. Ciela hurled smoke flour bombs behind them, creating clouds of choking white that slowed pursuit. After a tense sprint, they dove through a narrow tunnel between two mossy boulders. Safe. For now. Both slumped to the gr

The Vinebound Warden swung its axe in a brutal arc. Ciela ducked and rolled, flinging a stun powder from her apron pouch. “Have a taste of kitchen spice!” she shouted. The powder burst, stunning the boss long enough for Wulfrin to slash its leg vines. They weaved around the clearing, dodging roots and retaliating with precise strikes. Ciela used flour bombs to blind, while Wulfrin launched high-damage combos. When the Warden’s health dropped below 30%, it let out a screech, summoning minions, Thornlings, fast and sharp. Ciela leapt onto a boulder, gaining height to cleave three in on

Beating his mallet against barricades, the iron nails driven into a panel that was since frozen closed to make a more permanent repair. "How much longer?" The smith would ask of the captain. A huff as he'd man handle another piece of complex into place, having to pay a glass knight an honest headbutt that makes his teeth grind together. It wasn't nearly as effective as a weapon but it did a fair enough job stunning his aggressor. The thing clatters to the floor before being ended rightly by the guardsman that surrounded him, jabbing it with spears and swords drawn. Shoving the panel in place w

Twilight bled across the forest canopy, casting eerie shadows over the mossy ground. The Whispering Grove lived up to its name, leaves rustled with voices not their own. Ciela gripped her blade tighter. “This place gives me goosebumps,” she whispered. Wulfrin nodded. “Keep ears sharp. And eyes sharper.” They followed the map’s route until they hit a clearing. Bioluminescent flowers blinked like stars across the ground. At the center, surrounded by thorny brambles, was the Verdant Bloom, its petals glowing a soft, ethereal green. Ciela stepped forward, and froze. The ground

Wulfrin smirked beneath his hood, brushing moss off his shoulder. “I see you warmed up without me.” “Just a pup,” Ciela replied, nudging the fading wolf particles with her boot. “Any intel on the Bloom?” He handed her a worn parchment. A hand-drawn map with a tiny X deep in the Whispering Grove. “NPC trader claims a flower that glows at twilight grows there. Matches the description. But…” “But?” she asked. “It’s guarded.” Of course it was. Nothing in Aincrad was ever easy. Ciela traced the path on the map. “Worth the risk. And what about the Raid Ore?” Wulfri

Leaves rustled as Ciela crept deeper into the forest, sword drawn and senses alert. She followed faint footprints, too small for a bear, too scattered for a party. Solo player? Or a child NPC? Either way, she remained cautious. A sudden growl snapped her to attention. A shadow leaped from the bushes. "Mosswolf!" she gasped. It lunged, fangs bared. Ciela sidestepped, swinging her blade with practiced grace. The wolf yelped, biting air. The battle was short but satisfying. Ciela’s counter was swift and sweet, like a sharp raspberry tart. The Mosswolf de-rezzed, dropping a pawful of rai

Watching on as a dude gets completely brained by a hatchet, Shiina cannot help but tilt her head. "Rough dude, I don't think I can heal that." She'd then turn her attentions to Raidou, placing both of her hands on his mangled digits. A flash of green light would see it mended good as new. The cry of her voice would begin to bolster the ranks, watching the various guardsman take to renewed vigor and vitality. There was the taste of exhaustion conveyed over the field as a whole, players and npcs a like were pushed to their very limits. That voice of hers carried for quite a distance, finding its

Ciela didn’t travel light. Her satchel held essential baking tools, small jars of salt, a whisk, backup flour packets, and emergency cookies. As she passed the peaceful lake, a familiar ping sounded in her ear, message notification. Wulfrin, a fellow adventurer and her sometimes-snack taste tester, had sent coordinates. "Scout party forming. Possible Verdant Bloom location. Also, rumors of Raid Ore nearby." Ciela’s heart skipped. Verdant Bloom and Raid Ore? Jackpot. With her sword strapped tight and boots crunching gravel, she headed for the forest’s edge. The trees were thick, humming wi

KnightessCiela dusted flour off her apron, wiping it across her armored glove as she stepped outside Fondante's Inferno, her lakeside bakery. The fresh scent of rising dough lingered on her as she tightened her ponytail and adjusted her sword belt. Floor 22 was normally peaceful, ideal for baking and lakeside daydreams. But something was missing from her latest recipe. A rare ingredient whispered about in tavern corners: Verdant Bloom. Said to grow in deep forest glades, it supposedly made bread so light it floated. She needed it. Not just for her masterpiece croissants, but to keep herself bu

Ripping past the held fast line, the silver haired creature in the mist would see even more of the creatures clipped to tiny pieces of shrapnel. Glass shards turned ice would explode out like powdered snow. A turn on her heel, the girl rips up the flat of wood that had fallen. Pressing it hard against the others, she'd turn her blade and give one solid swipe. The thing would start to freeze over, creeping ice working to form what was essentially a temporary blood clot to prevent the bleeding. A rending blade finds itself back into her scabbard, allowing her the freedom to clasp at its top and

She hoped they were getting along. And by getting along, of course, she meant the bare minimum. They didn't have to hold hands, sing Kumbaya, and plan a life together. Honestly, the thought of that sent chills down Lessa's spine that had nothing to do with Floor 29. All she asked was that they not kill each other. And honestly, she couldn't be sure which she expected to throw the first punch. Oscar, she assumed, would be the one to throw the last one. Thunder cracked overhead, and the suddenness of it snapped Lessa out of her thoughts. She stumbled, the toe of one boot catching on th

The screaming and crying of various individuals blind through the city as multiple entities continue on repeat to sheer their way through various barricades. The swordsman in red joined the throws of combat beating back the overwhelming forces while turning to the rest of his team, "Cover that gate!" He'd bark with an amount of volume that wouldn't be his norm. This was a drastic situation that called for all hands on deck, the city being reduced to cinders as this glass form beasts kept aiming for the lines that would supply the frontlines. Their motives remained a bit beyond his purview, yet

"Never asked them to care about me." The words slipped out before she could register what she was saying, and they sounded petulant even to her own ears. She grimaced, but looked away from Oscar to hide it. Still, she couldn't let that statement hang for long. "I'm glad Lessa helped me with-" a pause "-some stuff earlier, but it was just a favor. I offered to pay her and that other guy for it. I didn't expect her to adopt me. She and that Kyra woman are trying really hard to make this friendship happen, but I don't need anyone. I don't want anyone. I'm fine on my own." She swung back to h

Support Action completed (Non-combat support):

After everything had finished, Kagami just floated on their back in the Mirror Pond. They lamented that their otherwise bright day had been utterly ruined and swore to themselves that they wouldn’t get involved next time. It was an empty vow though. They knew that when the next time arrived, that they’d jump in before they could even react. And when everything had come to an end, they’d be annoyed and swear to not get involved again. Thus, the cycle would inevitably continue. But Kagami, on their back listening to the silence that surrounded them, just smiled. They heard a voice from

Eventually Kagami relented and began to swim to the water’s surface. As much as they’d be willing to stay under the lake’s surface for the rest of their life, it wouldn’t have been a very long stay. When Kagami looked up to the cliff above, the Spectral Knight was nowhere to be seen. It was a bit disconcerting. They would’ve preferred to have seen the Spectral Knight leaving even if it was just a glimpse. But now, Kagami would just have to trust that it left. That and watch their own back for just a little while longer until they reached somewhere safer in case it hadn’t given up its purs

The roaring winds rushed past Kagami as they fell. They could’ve turned around to see what awaited them at the end of their fall, but they chose not to. They continued to stare up at the monster’s expressionless face and how its shadowy body didn’t indicate any annoyance. As if the only thing it could do was just accept that Kagami threw themselves off the cliff. Suddenly Kagami felt numb all over their body. Their healthbar quickly shrank and its color changed from green to yellow, then yellow to red. Even when it stopped changing, Kagami didn’t try to surface from the water. They couldn

Kagami kept running. Even though they couldn’t feel any physical soreness in this virtual world, the mental exhaustion of today was catching up to them. That didn’t stop them from running though. It made it easier if anything. All they needed to do was put one foot ahead of the next, all the way until they reached the cliff. Everything else didn’t matter. Neither the fear of the Spectral Knight, nor the awful memories of what awaited them at their destination — if Kagami was correct — mattered in this instant. All that mattered was that they took the next step. Soon, Kagami reached the cl

The self-doubt began to creep in as they ran. Dozens of explanations for Shin’s existence began to creep into Kagami’s mind. All of them were relatively plausible. Many of them were reliant on Kagami just losing their marbles. Yet at the end of it all, Kagami tried to remain steadfast. There wasn’t any point in thinking otherwise at this point. Ever since they saw Shin, that gut feeling never disappeared. Every time their mind and heart was at odds, their heart had never led them astray. All of their decisions, and all of their regrets, they were sure they weren’t put to waste. When

When Kagami was finally confident that they wouldn’t just outright die from the fall damage, they let go of the vines. Not a moment too soon as wood splinters flew everywhere as the Spectral Knight obligated yet another section of the tree trunk. Kagami landed in some shrubbery and they watched their healthbar slowly trickle down. Thankfully it wasn’t enough to make them concerned that they couldn’t take another tumble, and Kagami was pretty sure that even at full health, they wouldn’t be able to take a single punch from the monster. They were given no time to rest though as the Spec

Kagami fell when a section of the tree trunk beneath them was obliterated. They swung their ice tools into what remained of the tree to try to arrest their fall. Kagami swung the implements even harder with every failed attempt. Once, twice, Kagami stopped counting. After a few moments of eternity in near free fall, they caught themselves. They were hanging from one of their tools only a few dozen feet above the Spectral Knight, and it didn’t seem like it was about to stop anytime soon as it prepared another punch. Before the monster let their punch fly, Kagami stowed the ice tools away i

Kagami immediately started surveying the area around them when their head was just able to peek out from the top of the canopy. Unfortunately, they couldn’t discern exactly where they were. None of the landmarks they learned by heart stuck out to them. At least not from the viewpoint at the top of the tree. Fortunately to Kagami, it let them hatch a plan. But it all depended on whether Shin was a mirror image or not. Kagami didn’t waste time in trying to calculate their confidence. They had a lifetime of calculations behind them and if the game was ever cleared, a lifetime of performing e