Ariel - The Crowned Lion

The teleport plaza ON F1 thrummed with the chaotic energy Ariel had long learned to filter out. New players scrambled, vendors hawked dubious gear, and seasoned adventurers cut purposeful paths through the throng. Beside her, Millicent vibrated with contained excitement, eyes darting towards the eastern cliffs marking the floor's edge. Dracul stood slightly apart, his expression a mask of aristocratic boredom thinly veiling impatience. Darius, ever the earnest shadow, hovered near Milli, his gaze respectful but curious. Ariel moved. Her path through the crowd wasn't aggressive, but it was

Ariel’s gaze settles on each as they arrive. Gambit’s wave is impossible to miss. She doesn’t return it, but a faint lift of her brow acknowledges the effort. He’s young… obviously. But there’s something about the way he moves that reminds her of students who hadn’t yet learned to fear the right things. That kind of energy had its uses… sometimes. Acanthus earns more than a glance. A nod of comradery this time:“I remember you.” she says, voice level, her expression softening by a degree. “Floor 29 raid. You were in my squad. Clean work.” There’s the faintest trace of wryness in her v

The buff hit like a quiet spark through her system. It flared across her interface—brief, familiar—outlining her frame before dissolving into mist. No need for words. Mina would see the thanks in the nod beneath her silence. She stepped forward instead, a faint smirk tugging at one corner of her mouth. The world had narrowed; lightning boiling overhead, seawater curling at her ankles, and the new raid boss waiting beyond the tideline like a monument built from war. His breath rasped through steel, steady and deep. The blade in his hand hummed with restrained violence. For a heartb

While fishing at the koi pond near the dojo grounds of her guild estate on the 22nd Floor, Ariel noticed something strange tugging at the line. What she reeled in wasn’t a fish, but a weathered scroll wrapped in waxed silk. Upon closer inspection, she found it to be two documents: one, a hand-drawn map marked with runes and coordinates; the other, a translated journal entry from an old Dragon Hunter, speaking of nests, maps, and the hope that a dragon was asleep. It wasn’t the kind of find you ignored. After a brief pause to verify its validity and scan the map, a familiar system prompt a

Rain gently pattered like static against her hood as Ariel crested the final rise toward the shoreline. The sea beyond was a restless thing—dark and yawning, thrashing against stone with the weight of something older than code. Lightning broke through the clouds overhead in sharp, white bursts, revealing glimpses of jagged rock and flooded tide pools. She narrowed her eyes. The Night Vision mod active for a while now with a faint flicker across her interface—iris narrowing, then flaring to feline slits as the terrain bloomed in washed-out monochrome. Everything from footprints in wet

The tempo shifted. With the Knight reeling, and Yuki drawing its attention elsewhere, Ariel moved without hesitation. Her eyes tracked the enemy’s staggered footing—the instability in its mirrored frame, the widening cracks from the earlier strikes. She could feel Nihilim’s Wrath pulse with quiet excitement in her grip. The blade was humming now—not just from magic, but from familiarity. This thing was too close to the kind of enemy it was meant to cut down. Across the haze, Wulfrin’s voice rang out: “DoTs seem to stick to it!” Ariel’s eyes flicked his way—just briefly. A smir

Having caught word of the new event, Ariel decided to upgrade some of her items in preparation for the next floor boss fight. Her sources let her know that someone already scouted the F29 floor and most likely triggered this new event as they reached the boss room. Her own scouting experience let her to believe that too. In any case, after exchanging a few words with her neighbours, the Firm Anima guild. She got recommended by Raidou to go seek out their artisan. What sounded like a walk next door turned out to be a longer stride to the 2nd floor, not really explored by the blonde until

A faint shimmer passed through Ariel's frame—Hirru's buff—light and iridescent, like catching the edge of dawn on tempered steel. She exhaled through her nose as the energy flowed through her limbs, worn muscles and weary joints singing with renewed potential. A sharp smile curled her lips as her hand tightened around the hilt of Nihilim’s Wrath, the black blade already whispering in anticipation. Shadowy embers flickered along its edge, eager—hungry. Especially against something so similar to its kind. Undead. "Thanks, Hirru. Impecable timing." she murmured, eyes now fixed on the creatur

I'll take all your stock! (almost) Potion of vicious Dragoon-Fang(1): #221227 Your Profession: Alchemist Your Rank: 10 Grandmmaster Item Type: Potion Tier: tX Quality: Perfect Enhancements: Damage +3 Salve of the Poisonous Dragon(1): #221978 Your Profession: Alchemist Your Rank: 10 Grandmaster Item Type: Salve Tier: t4 Quality: Perfect Enhancements: Toxic venom 8*tier Salve of Poison Resistance(2): 224851-1 / 224851-2 Your Profession: Alchemist Your Rank: 10 Grandmaster Item Type: Salve Tier: tX Quality: Perfect Enhancements: Antidote 3 C

On her way to the 1st floor teleporter, Ariel was gently massaging her shoulders after releasing a short sigh. What initially was planned as a visit at her mentor's shop; turned out to be a half day's of work, for her and her "bodyguards". *Yawn*"Sensei this was not the job we were promised today." said one of them as she brushed her hand against her (now filled) left pouch. "Although the pay was definitely better, right Hank?" "Couldn't agree more!" boomed the armored paladin, the shield on his back slightly rattling as he lets out a hearty laugh. "Yare yare" muttered Ariel, smiling at

*gives @Arabelle 1x Maddening Hex* from F28 Boss Fight.

Reward Selection: 2x Maddening Hex: (Unique Material); Removes an enhancement on a weapon and replaces it with [Madness]. (This cannot override the Madness enhancement cap. Consumed on use.)

Ariel’s breath came in shallow gasps, her body frozen in place as she watched the corrupted beast stagger forward. The grotesque transformation of the forest around her mirrored her own dwindling strength. Her vision blurred, flickering with remnants of black flames that still licked the edge of her blade. Every muscle in her body ached, screaming for respite, yet she stood firm, rooted like one of the dying oaks around her. The air burned her lungs, acrid and vile, the foul stench of decay filling her senses. The violet haze clouded her thoughts, and for a moment, she felt the weight of

Ariel stood still amidst the chaos, her grip on her blade tightening as the black flames coiled hungrily along its edge. The monstrous creature—a grotesque amalgamation of rage and corruption—towered over the battlefield. She refused to grant it dignity by calling it anything more than what it was: a monster. Hirru’s rallying cry cut through the noise, but she barely registered the words. Her focus was absolute. End this. That was all that mattered. The katana pulsed in her hand, a dark, eager rhythm resonating with her own. It mirrored her exhaustion, her resolve, and the fragments

The moment Mina’s anguished cry pierced the dark, Ariel paused, her blade hovering mid-swing. For a heartbeat, the battlefield's chaos dulled, muffled by the oppressive weight of that singular voice. She didn’t turn. Didn’t flinch. She didn’t need to see what had transpired. The finality in the sound told her everything. Another one falls. Her grip on Nihilim’s Wrath tightened, the blackened steel responding with an eerie glow, shadow flames licking hungrily at the mist-choked air. This wasn’t unexpected. Freyd was capable—had been capable. She had recognized that much about him in t

Ariel moved swiftly through the chaos, the sickly mist clinging to her skin as the roars of Callisto echoed across the decayed battlefield. The beast was massive, its relentless attacks scattering the players like leaves in a storm, but Ariel’s focus remained razor-sharp. The cursed blade in her hands burned with Nihilim’s fire, the shadowy flames flickering and twisting as if feeding on her will. She darted toward the boss as Yuki’s pink spear briefly stunned the creature, her eyes locked on the massive wound in its shoulder. The ichor seeping from its hide reeked of decay, but Ariel pre

Ariel tightened her grip on her weapon, feeling its dark energy pulse in response to her determination. The black flames licking along the blade seemed to intensify as Callisto let out another guttural roar, its massive form staggering under the party’s relentless assault. The beast's crimson eyes locked onto her for a brief moment, and Ariel’s lips curled into a grim smile. “Let’s finish this...” she muttered under her breath. With Yuki’s stun holding Callisto momentarily in place, Ariel surged forward. Her katana moved with a blur of deadly precision, slicing through the corrupted

Ariel’s pulse quickened as NIGHT was wrenched from her stance and clamped in Callisto’s jaws, the bear’s primal fury making the air feel thick and charged. Her silver gaze narrowed, tracking each movement as the beast crushed NIGHT in its relentless grip, her friend’s struggle evident even from a distance. Her hands tightened around the hilt of Nihilim’s Wrath, the dragon’s fang responding to her will as if it could feel her own growing resolve. Dark flames flickered to life along the katana’s edge, their shadows curling like smoke, hungry to strike. “Hold on, NIGHT!” Ariel’s voice w

Ariel’s gaze flicked between the spectral forms drifting through the bog and the thrashing Callisto, feeling the weight of the stories etched in their grim surroundings. Each step in the swamp released memories from the ground like breaths of death itself, the cries of creatures and the silent suffering of an ancient wood now all woven into Callisto’s very being. Ariel felt a pang of understanding—this revenant bear was born from vengeance, not merely malice. And though she had no role in this place’s ruin, she would fight, resolute, for the sake of her party. A faint smirk tugged at her

Ariel took stock of the battlefield, watching as Yuki rallied with her usual charisma, gathering the party’s focus. Night tossed the crystal toward Yuki, calling out to coordinate as she bolted past Callisto. Ariel appreciated the fluid teamwork as they shifted positions and adjusted strategies, a sign of how tightly knit this party had become. The blonde moved deliberately, her eyes trained on Callisto’s decaying form, its hateful eyes flashing with twisted malevolence. She had seen creatures that wanted nothing more than to survive, but Callisto fought with something darker, something l

Ariel watched as the party made their way into the basin, her eyes carefully scanning their surroundings. The oppressive atmosphere weighed on everyone, but her own resolve held firm. This wasn’t her first encounter with such a grotesque setting, and it wouldn’t be her last. She understood the toll such sights could take on those less seasoned in combat, especially the newer players. Her calm demeanor was a rock in the chaos, a trait she had honed over time. The Paladin, Yuki, was confident as always, but Ariel noticed the subtle shift when she realized her build wasn’t suited for the sit

She almost didn't make it, or as other would say.. she was fashionably late. Most of the task force was already here, so she simply walked around, waved at the few that recognized her and move on before any small talk could happened. She would have the notes gathered until now, about the following fight, in front of her in digital format. Her finger would slide to the side, from top to bottom then stopping at the latest party groupings that she'd be updated on. With her other hand she opened another window with her inventory and rummaged though the goodies bag that Zandra gave her at the

Ariel listened intently as Freyd recounted the events of the scouting mission, her silver eyes narrowing slightly at the mention of the stench of death that had filled the chamber. The description of bodies, torn apart and left intact by the system, was unsettling, and her mind wandered back to the floor 25 labyrinth boss, where something similar had occurred. At the mention of Gebrandr, her lips tightened, and a flicker of irritation passed through her usually calm demeanor. She winced slightly, remembering how her advice had been ignored during the situation with the regent. She had wan

Ariel sat by the water, her line cast, but her attention flickered between the calm surface and the little lioness, Kimba, who had now taken it upon herself to test Hanzoku's resolve. Ariel couldn't help but smile softly at the scene. Kimba’s playful nature was a constant source of amusement, but this time it seemed like even the small feline couldn’t break Hanzoku’s trance. With a flick of her wrist, Ariel felt a tug on her fishing line. She braced herself, reeling it in with a smooth, practiced motion. The fish fought briefly, but soon enough, Ariel pulled it from the water—a sizeable c

Ariel moved gracefully through the crowd, her elegant attire catching the eyes of a few passersby. She wore a deep blue furisode made of fine silk, the flowing sleeves adorned with intricate embroidery of cranes and cherry blossoms. The gold and silver obi at her waist, tied in a flawless knot, was a reflection of her meticulous craftsmanship. As a skilled tailor, she had designed and created the entire outfit herself for this formal occasion, ensuring every detail was perfect. Her blonde hair was neatly pinned up, a jade hairpin adding a final, personal touch to the ensemble. The soft click o