Hikoru

Hikoru was surprised at her ferocity. Instead of cowering in fear, she grabbed his own wrist, pulling the dagger closer to her own throat. She held it, egging him on to push just a little farther, just a little bit of pressure to deal some damage. He however restrained himself, not wanting to fall to that level. She eventually let go, and he sheathed it as she spoke to not joke about suicide. 

"Suicide is going to a boss raid without buffs and armor, going in with just your weapon and gaining the highest hate. I am just done fighting. I'm tired." he spoke quietly, his eyes the only thing showing emotion. Pain, hurt. That's all they could show. She tried to give an apology, and he just shrugged. It was silent for a few moments, then she spoke about his dagger. She pulled out her own dagger and he looked. It was an interesting design, but he liked it. 

"Indeed, we are a dying breed." he chuckled halfheartedly. She introduced herself, and his name he remembered instantly. From the first days he finally left the first floor settlement. "Hm, so you're Mari... My, it's been a long time since i saw you." he spoke. He didn't move, but his tone changed to amusement. "You probably don't remember me, but i watched you kill someone a long time ago" he spoke quietly. "I looked different, just started out on grinding my way to the frontlines, and you were the first person to strike fear in my heart. " he chuckled. "not the last one, but the first." he sighed and held out his hand for a handshake

"My name is Hikoru, and I forgive you."

Hikoru listened quietly to what she had to say, how she had taken care of herself. It was true, food wasn't a necessity in this game, but the hunger and the pain was still true. It was something that forced you to eat, but you could go days without food, weeks, even months if you were that dangerous. But it took a toll on you mentally and physically, you would feel drained and always be in pain. It was a rough place to be, and he had never been able to stay like that for long. "Well, I've never been able to do that, so i'll give you that as a win." He said sarcastically, attempting to lighten the mood. "Plus, i'm good at hiding, so i'm sure you wouldn't have found me if you went looking." He spoke silently.

She said that he sounded arrogant, and he just shook his head. Of course, he probably did. It was a big statement he spoke, and something he just... knew, wouldn't happen. But for others, it could sound conceited about his own strength. He didn't mean it that way, but it probably came out like that without him realizing. "I just... speak from experience." He spoke, avoiding eye contact as the rain continued to pour from the heavens. 

He had apparently sparked some anger from the woman, as she lifted a hand and attempted to slap him. In an instant, he unsheathed his dagger, grabbing her wrist firmly and stopping her arm in place, the dagger at her throat in an instant. He held her life in his hand for a brief moment, the hum of his Holy enchanted dagger the loudest thing around them. He didn't speak a word, nor did he even make eye contact. He held this for a moment, then spoke.

"I told you, you wouldn't get very far." He spoke. Then he pulled away the dagger, flipping it in his hand and sheathing it, lightly letting go of her arm. He retreated to his original position. He sighed and looked up. "So, you didn't finish with your name."

Hikoru felt the tone shift as the orange-haired- girl? Oh, it was a girl. As the orange-haired girl looked into, or at least attempted to look, into his eyes. Her blue eyes gazed into him, and then she turned over, expressing her carelessness of the cold. He kept quiet, then she turned and explained herself. The 10th floor eh? He had lived there a time as well, when he had an orange crystal atop his head. Amazingly, he had never met this girl in his time of being that. Which was odd, but hey, it happens. Floor 10 is a big floor, and he had found a secluded spot. He listened for a time, and shook his head.

"Trust me, I know that floor all too well. I get how you feel." He spoke, still holding the umbrella above her head. His cloak was getting soaked, but he didn't feel it. She said he was surprised for the most part that he walked up to her. Hikoru shook his head. "If you knew who I was, you'd understand that I don't fear anyone other than the game itself. You could try to kill me, but you wouldn't get very far." He spoke confidently. Nothing in this game other than the actual bosses scared him anymore, but even then as long as he wasn't alone, he would be fine. The girl was still being stubborn. So, he sat down, sticking the paper umbrella in the ground between them, mostly covering her, half of the umbrella only covering himself.

"And even if you wanted to kill me, I don't think i'd fight it too much."

Hikoru had been wandering the floors for quite awhile. His mind was clouded, and things troubled him immensely. There was a lot on his shoulders as of late, and not all of them were by choice. Some he was forced to handle. From this next floor boss, to the IBS, to having to stay strong for others. He had to do his best to stay strong and keep his head high. But in reality, something was off, something he had tried to fix countless times, but every attempt always ended up in failure.

He felt alone.

The loneliness was overwhelming, and that's why he was travelling. He wasn't doing these trips to fight or to grind, he just was trying to find... himself. He didn't need to worry about monsters, as he could easily escape their grasp with stealth, and continue on his way. It was one of the highlights of Shadowed Path, it made things easier for him to be alone. But this was also a burden to him some days. The time's he's spent in stealth, waiting and being so silent, had started to bubble over into his own attitude. He had become even more quiet than he used to be, becoming distant. He had taken steps to open up with people, being him. And he was doing great. But when Kit left him, when she disappeared from his life, he took ten steps backwards, retreating into himself again, and he was back to where he started. It was mentally frustrating, but fear had overtaken his mind and he just wanted to be alone.

It wasn't healthy, but it helped him cope.

He was okay now, he had accepted his third heart ache in this game, and he had moved on. It still hurt, it was still a sore spot, but it didn't hurt as much as it had before. His time finding the views on each floor had been good. It helped him to see the lighter side of things within this game. He saw things here that he would have never seen in real life, some things that were impossible to see in the real world. This game was a prison, but it was a beautiful prison.

In his own thoughts, he had honestly forgotten where he was. He heard the roaring thunder above him, and it's what brought him back to reality. The rain started to fall around him, his cloak starting to get wet. He brought out an umbrella from his inventory and covered himself in it. It was a paper umbrella from the chinese new year event he had been at awhile ago. it was effective as the paper wasn't affected by the rain, thankfully. However, he noticed something- or someone, on a hill nearby, laying down and getting soaked. Hikoru fought with himself. Being away from people and avoiding towns for awhile makes him want to avoid them entirely. But, the person wasn't taking any affect from the rain. Even though <<Survival>> was a thing, it still didn't keep you warm.

For once, Hikoru decided to do the human thing and be kind.

He went over quietly, his feet light in the grass, barely making a sound. as he neared closer, he saw that they had an orange crystal. At this point in his career, an orange crystal was just a warning to prepare his stealth. He had no fear of them, because if they tried to kill him and actually started to become a threat, he could stun them and escape. He came over, and held the umbrella over the person's head.

"It's cold. You ought to stay warm."

The sounds of the night filled the atmosphere of silence like clouds in the sky. Above them and easily heard, but didn't seem to change the way that the moment felt. It was Hikoru's doing, as his thoughts emanated from him like a deep fog. His mind kept going back to the moments at hand, and he had almost completely zoned out again, when the woman, Lessa, asked to sit. Without a word or even looking at her, he came from his own thoughts and scooted over, as to give her room to sit where it wasn't covered in snow. The snow that had been collecting on the top of his head falling to the side, but the falling flakes went back to the spot, starting the process over again. Soon a white film was atop his head again as he quietly listened to the woman's words.

"Yeah.... I suppose it is." he spoke softly, looking at the sky for the first time. The glow of the festival giving the dark sky vibrancy. While it was no northern lights, the glow made the snow seem to dance in the sky. Lessa spoke of him not being alone, and he sighed quietly. He tended to forget that he was not the only one with burdens on his shoulders. They had been trapped in this game for what felt like years, but he had no way of telling how long it had really been. He just nodded quietly. "Well, I suppose we'll have to make a time to reminisce with some tea and biscuits." he spoke, a light chuckle coming from his throat. He attempted a hint of humor to lighten the mood.

He felt her gaze fall on him, and she spoke that he looked familiar. Slowly, Hikoru lowered his hood and revealed his raven-colored hair, disheveled from the cloak and his goggles shining within the light. His gray eyes gazed to her. "We've spoken very few times. I'm Hikoru, and you are Lessa, if I remember correctly." he spoke. "Sorry if that's weird, but it's an info broker's job to know people and what they do." He spoke, and took a sip of cocoa, the snow now falling onto his goggles and hair.

He set the cup down, not half empty and leaned back quietly, staring at the sky. "Can I ask a question, and be honest..." he spoke, and continued to speak. "Do I... come off as unattractive? or scary?..." he spoke, his eyes staring back into his memories, which now emanated within the clouds above, showing pictures of all the times he had been happy within this game.

Hikoru's mind slowly went to multiple thoughts all at once. He thought of all of his past experiences, all of his past loves and his past turmoils, and it always seemed to dip towards him. He attempted to open up, fall in love, and then they would disappear, or do something that would gravely injure him. He didn't want to stay closed off, he didn't want to be the "Master of Shadows." That he had played himself to be, but some days it was far easier than being open with how he felt, and it made the pain he felt far less than if he opened up to a person.

He was brought back to reality by the voice of someone nearby. He looked up to see a figure asking if he was alright. His steely eyes made contact beneath his cloak, and he recognized the lady at hand. It was Lessa, a woman he had seen a few times in his adventures in Aincrad. He hadn't gotten to know her well, only seeing bits and pieces of her, but she always remained a mystery. At least, from what he read on her files at the IBS. Not a lot of information on the lady, but that didn't bother him.

"Uh... Yeah, I suppose." he spoke, leaning back and resting on the bench, holding the cup of hot cocoa in his hands. "Just, nights like these tend to make me remember a lot... both good and bad." He chuckled quietly. "Sorry, I zoned out really bad there." He took a sip of his cocoa and quietly sat, staring at the ground still, not entirely sure if eye contact was the right thing to do in this sort of situation. He enjoyed the small breeze and the snow that landed around him. Although it was cold, it felt like home to him. And for that, he couldn't complain much.

Hikoru sat down on a park bench nearby the event. It had definitely been a good time thus far. He had watched his workers fool around and attempt the discus throws. Most getting col, but a few getting on the higher end. A bet had been started between the IBS to see who could get the highest score. The winner would get a week of vacation away from the IBS at the Guild Getaway house they had bought on one of the more peaceful floors. This made a lot of them competitive, and he watched with a small twinkle in his eye, happy to see them having fun. After awhile he decided to leave them be, as he would be kept in the loop. It was the great thing of working with Information Brokers, they were great at communication

He watched the snow fall gently onto the ground and onto his cloak. It was drawn back and worn more as a cape than anything, but he was still feeling alone. It had been a long, long few weeks. He was tired of searching for Kit, along with being hopeful with Vale and wondering how Ariel was doing. Every one of them went off the grid, all soon after he had started to love them or even propose to them. It hurt to be alone. His head hung a little low as he stared into his cocoa. Was it something he did? Did he do something wrong? He didn't understand, and it only frustrated him, wishing he could change the outcome of everything.

@Lessa

Hikoru walked to the event a little bit later than most. He had been caught up with things at work, and most of the IBS was itching to join him as much as he was to go. After their meeting, most people took off their cloaks and such to blend in more, and were free to go and join the festivities. Most of the workers and players came with him, so Hikoru was surrounded by a semi-large group of about 15 people including himself. As soon as they came to the 11th floor, the group dispersed into all the other areas. The stronger ones going towards the discus, while most of the ladies went to get some hot chocolate and watch the boys from afar. He just shook his head, these kids were all the same. But, he cared about them like his own kids. He passed by a few of them, giving waves and having light conversation, and he went to grab a hot cocoa himself

He looked at the menu, and he had a hard time picking. There was an array of choices for him, and he was unsure of what to do. He scratched his chin, which slightly bristled due to the light stubble he had started to grow. It wasn't much, but it made him look a little more mature, and it just felt right to have for him. He decided to choose the "Lucky" Cocoa. He hoped that aside from the effect it would probably give him, he was hoping to have luck with finding a friend or two here. Ever since Kit had disappeared, he had started to feel a lot more lonely. He tried to go to her home, but she was never there, and the lights were never on. It had been like this for awhile, and he had decided to give up. They were just starting to talk, so it didn't hurt as much as the first two times this occurred. However, it still hurt. He was looking for some friends to see, but he wanted to stick around and watch out for his workers that had come, to make sure they behave themselves and have a good time. If he caught them working he would eye them. This was their time off, and he was already taking notes on the multiple things that this event had to offer.

+1 Lucky Cocoa

Hikoru was caught off guard by the young man's attacks. He seemed to be coming with a simple downward strike, which he prepared to coujnter. However, he shifted faster than he was able to react, and the man knocked him off balance, then grabbing his weapon and slicing his chest. Hikoru grit his teeth and backflipped a few paces away, his breath heavy and his armor now having a red gash. The man was clever. After that attack, he went back into the same position as prior. His eyes watched his form curiously. The attack didn't hurt as much as he expected, but what hurt a little more was the burning sensation he was feeling all around his body and armor. His Survival Skill came in handy so that it didn't absolutely kill him, but the heat still made him itch. He saw the cinders coming off of the leather, and he raised an eyebrow at Morgenstern.

"Flame Thorns? Wow, a big change from the old Leather Armor you used to wear." He chuckled, bringing back old memories of when the man first grew interested in tanking. He then quickly made for lost time and attacked the man once more, he used the shadows to his advantage and sunk into one, immediately coming into existence at his back, his dagger hitting into one of the chinks in his armor, near his shoulder blade. "You know that old saying, 'If it ain't broke don't fix it?'" he said with a chuckle. "Well, that seems to be true right about now doesn't it?" He stepped back and watched the man collapse onto the ground. "Now, I wonder... Did you learn some of your skills from Baldur? You seem to go into stances after every sword art. I only met one man in this game that does that." He spoke, coming down to Morg's level. "Did he help you with more than just your sword fighting?" He asked, a bit curious.

ID: 132780 BD: 6+4=10 Hit!

Hikoru used Backstab:  22x4 = 88 - 126 = 1 Damage to Morgenstern [STUNNED]

Hikoru: 1188/1570 HP | 122/154 EN | 17 DMG | 79 MIT | 4 ACC | 0 EVA | 79 BH | 12 Holy (9-10) | 1 LGT Momentum [Vanish: 3/3] [BURN 1/2 6 DMG]

Morgenstern 1077/1450 HP | 106/136 EN | 19 DMG | 126 MIT | 4 ACC | -1 EVA | 73 BH | 61 THRNS | 6 F. Thrns (9-10) | Para. Venom (8-10) | 25% DoT Reduce

Hikoru helped Kit get to more shallow water, as she was still afraid to swim, and soon she stood on her own two legs. After she was okay, he thought that he was done. But, she challenged him to a race. At first, he thought of going easy, not actually trying with her, but he realized that it would be wrong to do so. He had to give her a little... incentive, to get stronger and get to the frontlines. He wanted her to be there, as leaving her at her home whenever he had to go made him worry about her, not knowing where she was or if she was safe. There was a lot of drama that always seemed to follow him, ever since he wielded Shadowed Path, and even though it was dangerous at the floor boss fights, it would make him feel better if she was there for him to protect.

"Alright then." he simply spoke, then darted out of the water quickly. With his stats, he didn't need to focus on strength or power as much as other Frontliners did. For this, he made up for it with Speed and Accuracy, and his attacks seemed to show that. Soon he was onto the shore while Kit was still wading through the water, the waves seemingly ineffective against him. As she came and gasped for breath from being tired, he just laughed and pat her head. "Good try, but I win this time." He said kindly, offering her a hand to help her up.

Hikoru was attacked by Morgenstern quickly, almost immediately after he had attacked himself. The boy's reflexes were a lot better than he had remembered, and he felt a pang of pride for the young man. he had never trained him on his own, but he noticed the quick movements, the flicks in his wrists and rapid movements. They were of his own, not entirely him, but enough that it affected how he fought. He now understood how Morg had developed his own style. He was what he called a thief-fighter, a person who takes parts and pieces of a person's style and makes it his own. Some people looked down on this, but Hikoru found it impressive that someone could do this successfully.

"You're out of tricks, at least for a while. During that time, you are in my domain" Morg spoke to him. Hikoru just clicked his tongue and quickly lunged at the young man, but at the last second switched hands, his Dagger now in his left in a backward grip as he flipped over Morg and stabbed him in the back, their backs pressed against one another for a split second. "Are we really in your domain?" He asked, a bit sly. He then saw his weapon give off a faint, white glow and he smiled. He had found a weak point. The sword art soon activated and Morg's health almost dipped into the yellow, teetering on the edge. "You see Morg, my build isn't always about stealth," he spoke, then gave a solid kick to his chin as a final flare, backflipping towards the crowd to gain distance. "It's about finding the weak points and attacking those. Stealth just gives me a longer chance to find them." He said with a chuckle. "Plus, a damage boost is never a bad thing." He motioned with a finger for Morg to come at him, now ready to see what the young man had

ID: 1298 BD: 10 Crit! (+2 Damage, Holy procs)

Hikoru used Swam!: 14 x 31 = 434 - 126 = 308 Damage to Morgenstern
+79 BH

Hikoru: 1443/1570 HP | 122/154 EN | 17 DMG | 79 MIT | 4 ACC | 0 EVA | 79 BH | 12 Holy (9-10) | 1 LGT Momentum [Vanish: 2/3]

Morgenstern 1005/1450 HP | 121/136 EN | 19 DMG | 126 MIT | 4 ACC | -1 EVA | 73 BH | 61 THRNS | 6 F. Thrns (9-10) | Para. Venom (8-10) | 25% DoT Reduce

Hikoru watched as Morg searched for him, but he wouldn't be that easy to find. The young man was better at fighting, but he didn't know where he was, which was right behind the man, blending in with the shadows of the building around them. As Morg calmed down, he appeared behind the young man, tapping his shoulder to make him turn, then quickly turning around in front of him, stabbing him straight to the heart

"It's a lot more fun fighting people than bosses, you react a lot more." He spoke with a bit of amusement. "Now, are you gonna show me what that flashy sword does, or are you going to stand there and let me win?" He challenged. He wanted to see Morgs heart in this fight. His ferocity in attacking would tell him where his heart and mind belonged. As a murderer, or as a man who was in the same shoes as he was long ago.

ID: 129429 BD: 3+5=8 Hit!

Hikoru used Swarm: 14 x 20 x 1.20 = 336 Damage - 126 MIT = 210 Damage to Morgenstern

Hikoru: 1570/1570 HP | 137/154 EN | 17 DMG | 79 MIT | 4 ACC | 0 EVA | 79 BH | 12 Holy (9-10) | 1 LGT Momentum [Vanish: 1/3]

Morgenstern 1240/1450 HP | 136/136 EN | 19 DMG | 126 MIT | 4 ACC | -1 EVA | 73 BH | 61 THRNS | 6 F. Thrns (9-10) | Para. Venom (8-10) | 25% DoT Reduce

Hikoru just gave a chuckle to Morg as he said his way of fighting was a bit annoying. He only gave a nod towards the fallen Paladin. "Imagine if you were a boss and I was trying." He spoke, making him think. "You never realize a person's way of fighting till your on the other end of the blade." He said confidently. After this, he disappeared into the shadows around him. He soon appeared onto one of the rooftops. From this height, he could see the large crowd that had gathered around them. NPC's and players unite as if this was some sort of anime scene, they all felt like background filler. He didn't know how to feel about it, as it was strange for him to draw a crowd for something like this.

But he wouldn't complain too much

Hikoru used Vanish!

ID: 129427 LD: 13+7= 20 Stealth Rating

Hikoru: 1570/1570 HP | 151/154 EN | 17 DMG | 79 MIT | 4 ACC | 0 EVA | 79 BH | 12 Holy (9-10) | 1 LGT Momentum [Vanish: 0/3]

Morgenstern 1450/1450 HP | 136/136 EN | 19 DMG | 126 MIT | 4 ACC | -1 EVA | 73 BH | 61 THRNS | 6 F. Thrns (9-10) | Para. Venom (8-10) | 25% DoT Reduce

Hikoru was caught off guard, to say the least. It had been a long time since anyone had seen him in stealth, and it had definitely been a long time since someone had interrupted him in a Sneak Attack. A smile could be found on his face as Morg spoke with confidence. He smiled and disappeared into the shadows, then suddenly appearing behind Morg he stabbed him in the back.

"Alright, I guess I gave you the benefit of the doubt and went a little easy on you. My dearest apologies, but I still remember you as the small young tankling I met all those months ago." He spoke, bringing back the memories to his mind. "I guess I should have thought if I grew, you did as well. I suppose I won't go easy then." He said, he then took the dagger out as the player was soon affected by the Stun of his weapon, and he flipped the dagger within his fingers.

ID: 129418 BD: 8+3+1= 12 Hit!

Hikoru used Backstab: 22x4 = 88 - 126 = 1 Damage to Morgenstern [STUNNED]

Hikoru: 1570/1570 HP | 151/154 EN | 17 DMG | 79 MIT | 4 ACC | 0 EVA | 79 BH | 12 Holy (9-10) | 1 LGT Momentum

Morgenstern 1449/1450 HP | 136/136 EN | 19 DMG | 126 MIT | 4 ACC | -1 EVA | 73 BH | 61 THRNS | 6 F. Thrns (9-10) | Para. Venom (8-10) | 25% DoT Reduce

Hikoru's eyes met Morg's, and there was an unspoken challenge within both of them. They both knew where this was going far before anything could be said between the two of them. Morg was the one to bring it up, and a hushed tone filled the area. Players and NPC's alike all looked at the two of them with hushed tones. The NPC's knew Hikoru well, since he was one of the people that helped Liberate this floor from Tesseleth, and was also a resident on the floor on the quieter and more cavern-like side of the town. However, they also knew of Morg as he also has been here, so to see the two fighting, it was hard for them to pick sides. Hikoru just let out a small laugh

"Always to the point Morg. That's why I like you," he spoke with a laugh. He accepted the challenge, unsheathing his dagger and looking at the boy. "Oh also, I've heard rumor that you've been seeking help from a fellow friend of mine." He pointed to the weapon in the boy's hand. "That weapon proves it, so I already know your fighting style enough to have even ground." He said with a chuckle. He pulled up his hood and soon started to sink into the shadows. "May the best player win." He spoke, then disappeared into the darkness all around Morg, becoming one with the shadows.

ID: 129412 LD: 5+7= 12 Stealth Rating

Hikoru patiently waited for Morgenstern to show up. The young man had messaged him about catching up, but there was something he wanted to do before he sat down and caught up. He had heard a lot about Morg from the grapevine, as word about players killing one another is something that is always found within the Info Broker conversations. They make sure to keep up with it so his agents can know which players to watch out for and to avoid, in case they are on a murder spree. It hurt him to hear about it, but he knew there was more to the story that he didn't know. He decided to play it safe and avoid any confrontations ahead, but he never knew what would happen. He soon appeared on the floor, and he felt his body tense. He wasn't worried about dying, however, he didn't want to fight a friend. He saw a green cursor, but mentally he knew how easy it was to get your green cursor back. He himself had done it easily. Morgenstern called him out, and he sighed. The man knew him better than some expected. He emerged from the alleyway silently, the shadows disappearing from around him like a billowing blanket in the wind.

"Morg, it's been a long time."

Stats:

As the pixels from the teleporter faded, his eyes immediately squinted from the blinding bright light of the sun. He shielded his eyes from the blinding light with his hand. He looked up at the sun to see that it was about noon, the peak of the day. Once his eyes adjusted, he opened up his HUD to figure out where the quest would take place. After he looked around, he realized that it took place in the giant coliseum not too far from where he had spawned. He started to make his way towards the giant building slowly, his eyes scanning the area to truly enjoy the view that this floor gave. It was a beautiful floor, and it gave a good glimpse of what the world was still like on the outside, and it made him miss his family. But, he knew that all of the players would get out, they would be free from this imprisonment, and when they did, they would all enjoy the feeling of the actual sun on their skin once more.

Hikoru nodded as Kit asked for him to have his arms under her, placing them gently underneath her, slightly hovering beneath her so she could actually attempt to float on her own without his help. She seemed to be enjoying it for a while, but she started to panic a little. His arms instantly shot up, lifting her body safely out of the water, and he smiled. "See? You did great for your first time." He spoke. "But let's get you a little more used to it safely." After this, he held onto her back and under her legs gently, lowering her body slowly back into the water and her body slightly lapped over the waves. He held onto her as her head went back slightly under the water, so her ears were within the waves to hear the currents, but her body didn't come anywhere near close to going under. He made sure of it.

After a few moments, he helped her up. "It's a little bit of practice, but it's one of the things I used to do when I had a stressful day." He said with a chuckle. "The sound of the waves is something that calms me down, and brings my mind to a sense of peace." He looked back to the shore and saw that it was starting to grow dark. "I think it's time we dry off and head inside. It's starting to get a little too dark for my liking, and as safe as I feel with you, I don't want to test to see if mobs will spawn at night." He said with a light-hearted chuckle.

As Hikoru walked through town, he waved at a few of the NPC's a few waving back, and the miners tipping their hats. Ever since Tesseleth had been defeated, the spirits of the NPC's had lifted, and they had become a lot friendlier towards the players that fought him. Since a group of them had been seen going into the Labyrinth and to the Floor Boss area, the NPC's remembered a few choice people from those groups that came and fought. They would sometimes come to his door and offer food or drinks, which he would deny in a friendly way, saying that he doesn't need things in return for what he did. To the NPC's he was a hero. But to him, he was just a broken man wanting to get home.

"Teleport, Floor 24." He spoke quietly, and was soon taken away from the dark and dreary Floor 21, to the bright and ocean-filled area of Floor 24

Swimsuit Image Link
Hikoru felt a large blush on his face as Kit pushed him towards the stage. He decided that he would be first in line, but he was completely out of his comfort zone. He wanted to hide back into his cloak and away from this, but Kit's eyes had been the thing to push him towards doing such a thing. He walked out onto the carpet slowly, avoiding a lot of eye contact with others as everything was revealed. The toned muscles and tight trunks made it almost impossible to hide anything from anyone. Kit's word's echoed in his mind, and a light blush formed on his cheeks as he finished his walk, striking a simple pose, placing a hand onto his hip and standing quietly, walking back towards the stage and once he was off, immediately put his cloak back on to hide his embarrassment. If he was called up as a winner, he would take the cloak off, but if he wasn't called back up he would keep it on.

Hikoru sipped on his cup of coffee quietly. It had been a pleasant morning today. The bats were screeching some sort of tune that sounded a lot better than anything he had heard in a while, and Aru, his apprentice had made them a morning cup of coffee to share before they both went on their way to their respective missions for the day. Aru had to go and check the stations to make sure that things were up to date and the new info about Floor 25 was being spread around evenly, while he went to go and check the Missions based on Floor 24. From what he had gathered, it was a quest line that had stealth mechanics in it, and due to his Unique Skill, he was the most qualified to go and check the whole quest line instead of the others. He finished his cup a little before Aru, grabbing his cloak and whistling for Sir Rolland.

"Good luck with your meetings." He spoke. Aru nodded from behind the desk. "And you with your Quest Line. If you get anything good, you should pass it on to me, I could use some new equipment." He spoke. Hikoru just laughed. "If the house is spotless when I get back, then sure." He joked, then made his way out the door.

Stats:

Hikoru just laughed at Kityuisa's flirting and smiled softly, happy that she seemed to be in better spirits. She then asked him to teach her how to float, and he nodded, bringing her to more shallow waters and letting her go. "Floating is the easier of things to do." He said, laying down and his body resting near the top of the water, slightly submerged but his head above water. "You have to let the water do its job of pushing your body, but you need to make sure your body stays filled with air. Since Air is lighter than water, it floats to the top, along with your body."

He let out the air that was trapped in his lungs slowly, making sure to make it easy to see for Kit. As the air slowly left his body, he started to sink into the waters. Then he took a deep breath, and his body floated to the top. "It's just practice before you can learn to do it. But if you let your ears rest under the water, you can hear the currents around you." He spoke as he slowly put his ears under, hearing the crashing waves against the shore. He sat up and looked at Kit. "Let's see if you can do it."

As Hikoru let go of Kityuisa, he realized that she was completely terrified of the water, and held onto him for dear life. He realized that maybe he should have asked if she could swim, but whats happened has happened, and he just chuckled, and started to swim back towards the more shallow end. He got to where he was at about pectoral height in the water, then stopped, helping Kityuisa get back into the water instead of around him. He smiled, then grabbed her.

"I want you to trust me real quick, okay?" He spoke quietly, a look of sincerity in his eyes. "Now, take a deep breath, and come down with me." He said, then took a deep breath, and slowly sunk into the water. He waited for Kit to join him, and when he did he came closer, pulling her in for a kiss beneath the waves, the crashing sounds above them only being a dull roar as everything melted away, and he saw the sunset cascade onto her golden locks. He wrapped his arms around her waist, then slowly lifted them from the waters, still kissing as the broke the surface. He pulled away and laughed. "Okay, that's the last surprise kiss." He said. "For now."

As Hikoru attempted to leave, he felt a tugging on his arm and was pulled back to Kityuisa. He raised an eyebrow, as she innocently but confidentially said that he could look, and he blushed as she pulled into a hug. He pulled her close, making sure to keep himself hidden beneath the blue cloak until he got onto the beach. Once she let go he did as well, and they went outside. He watched her eyes widen as the cloak fell from his shoulders, and a playful smile was on his lips. He chuckled and enjoyed the feeling of the water on his feet. Kit held onto his hand, and soon motioned for him to bend down, and he did so. She spoke a few words, and the words made him blush, and a small smile formed on his lips. He kissed her on the lips gently

"And you look gorgeous." He spoke, then picked her up bridal style, taking her into the waters with a chuckle, slowly fading into the waders as if he was apart of some sort of horror movie. As they grew deep enough to swim, he let her go and swam in the water like a buoy, staying above the waters and relishing the refreshing feeling the water had given him.

Hikoru took in a deep breath, waiting for the final boss to emerge. It was a few moments of silent sitting until the large gorilla emerged. It had glossy-white fur, and muscles the size of his whole body. This thing was huge, and it seemed to be looking for something, or someone. He waited until the creature was below him, then he struck. He stabbed into the beast through the heart-like area from the back, his sword art started. The Gorilla howled with anger as the sword art completed, and he back flipped away from the creature as it's body was covered in small cuts and bruises, and the gorilla searched around for the Master of Shadows, but was unable to find him. Hikoru smiled and gripped his dagger tightly. The gorilla was severely underlevelled for him, but the thing hadn't died to his dagger in one hit.

This would be fun

ID: 123573 BD: 2 (Disregarded due to Sneak Attack)

MD: 1 Miss!

Hikoru used Swarm: 14 x 20 x 1.20 = 336 - 32 = 304 Damage to Ancient Gorilla

[0] Hikoru | 1570/1570 HP | 77/154 EN | 17 DMG | 79 MIT | 3 ACC | 0 EVA | 77 BH | +5 LD | +7 Stealth Rating |

Ancient Gorilla HP: 496/800 | DMG: 240 | MIT: 32 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1

@Kityuisa