Jomei

Jomei wasn't alone in feeling the presence of something - most likely the guardian - watching their every moves. From that point on, he was ever so cautious with his movements. Watching every step as to not even disturb a stone or fallen branch, and only touching bushes where he believed a Ushiame Flower was blooming. He had even slowed his breathing, trying to mask the sound which seemed even louder with the silence of the grove, but the anxiety of impending danger from an unknown creature made that difficult. Just trying to exhale through his nose without making a sound made him feel as though he were suffocating. For a protective, mostly passive, creature.. he was terrified of what it could do to them.

A gentle breeze caused the leaves above them to shuffle. Gave him a bit of a start at first, but shortly after welcomed the masking sound so he could breathe a bit more easily. The gust also set bushes around them into a swaying motion, glints of white petals creeping out from behind them. Carefully, Jomei would step towards the plant, lowering himself down to a knee as he moved his hands towards their target. 

When suddenly, vines like serpents lashed out in his direction, the prickly thorns that coated them nearly cutting into his arms and face. With a quick dive backwards, Jomei was able to avoid the entanglement as they created a defensive barrier around the Ushiame flower he planned to pluck. It was then he saw the guardian, even if for a moment. A massive, horse-like creature with luminescent blue fur that glowed like the moon. Its white mane floated gracefully down its back, as if underwater. Golden, frond-like antlers rose out of its head which gave off the vision of two barn owls side by side. Each of its four eyes stared at Jomei, unmoving as it slowly backed into the shadow of the grove, vanishing again.

"I don't think we're welcome here anymore.." he would say over to Lessa, before shouting out to the guardian.
"Please, we don't mean you, or the grove, any harm. We just need some flowers to help mend the sick and the injured.. we aren't here for greedy reasons."

Silence followed once more, and he could only hope it would heed his words.

ID 222985 | LD 14 | CD 6 | MD 4 Miss

Ushiame Flowers [ 2 / 5 ] 
Grove Guardian Tolerance [ 31/30 ]

"Looks like you were right" Jomei chimed as he pointed towards the white petals of a flower, its long stem extending a couple of inches over the tall, grass-like bush it grew out of. "At least now we have a better idea what we are looking for." A finger hovered over the delicate plant and gently tapped on it. The petals reacted in an almost frightened manner, flinching outwards before curling into a more tulip like shape. The flower then vanished with a small flash of light, data and pixels breaking down to easily transfer into his virtual pockets. 

"You and me both, and that's coming from a ginger who's worst enemy is the sun." Jomei added with a laughand a gentle palm placed on the bark of a tree as he slowly circled it. "I get that the crystals provide enough light to see, but I think the darkness would eventually drive me mad." Jomei let a beat pass before he shifted topic. "I'm actually considering moving out of Taft, as much as I love the city. Get a fresh start, look at some new scenery. Just.. haven't exactly found a floor that calls to me." A small sigh would pass his lips before he turned a face towards Lessa, smiling softly, "About time I leave that place behind, and find something new.. Any suggestions?"

As Jomei bent forward, carefully pushing through a dark shrub in search of that white flower, a shiver ran down his spine. He felt the powerful gaze of some ancient entity watching him, defensive and cautious. The feeling of an animal being hunted, mere moment before being struck down. His own breath caught in the back of his throat as he froze with fear for a moment. Jomei's gaze shot upward, and then behind him.

Nothing.

"I think its watching us... and I'm not sure if it trusts us.. Be ready for anything."
 

ID 222592 | LD 5 | CD 8

Ushiame Flowers [ 1 / 5 ] 
Grove Guardian Tolerance [ 23/30 ]

Thread Complete
Total Words: 13610 | 58 Posts
13610/ 10 * 0.6 = 816.6
@Nari-Lanreth | T.5 | 4083 Exp | 7978 Col | 15 Materials | T4 Rare Consumable 208176a, T4 Rare Weapon 208176b
Jomei | T.10 | 8166 Exp | 5540 Col | 3 Material | T4 Rare Consumable 208441a, T4 Rare Weapon 208441b
@Koga | T.8 | 6832 Exp | 19066 Col | 17 Materials | T4 Rare Trinket #208231a, T7 Rare Trinket #208232a, T4 Rare Trinket #208813a, T4 Uncommon Consumable #208814a,
T4 Uncommon Consumable #208861a

Thread Complete
Total Word Count: 6633 / 22 Posts Total
6633 / 10 * 0.5 = 331.65
Jomei | 7 Posts | T.10 | 3316 Exp | 630 Col
-T4 Perfect Weapon UnID [203747a]
- (1) Perfect HP Recovery (Mass) crystal [210418]

@Hirru | 7 Posts | T.10 | 3316 Exp | 630 Col
- (1) Perfect HP Recovery (Mass) crystal [210563]

@Nari-Lanreth | 6 Posts | T.8 | 2653 Exp | 531 Col
-T4 Perfect Weapon UnID [203747b]

@Faerie | 2 Posts | T.1 | Did not meet thread requirements :(
- (1) Perfect HP Recovery (Mass) crystal [210755]

Jomei the emerald duelist

Spoiler notes Level: 33 | Paragon: 73| Tier: 4(11)  Jomei: 940/940 HP | 132/132 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44 | EVA 3 | ACC 5 (AA) | BH 51 | HLY BLS 20 | FLN 16 | HLY 8 | LD 1 | Hiding 5 equipped Fragarach  Vestige of St. Patrick Alatreon's Will battle-ready inventory Antidote (3/3)  skills Spoiler Skills Saber R5 | TECH Spec. Combat Mastery DMG R3 Cloth Armor R5 Charge B Healing R5 Energist MA R2 Extra: Concentration Survival (x) Meditation (x) Parry (x) Forgotten King's Authority Hiding R.5 (x) Assault Mode Mods Athletics (x) Vanish (x) Emergency Recovery (x) Surprise Attack: Assassin (x) Addons Stamina (x) Ferocity (x) Precision (x) Nimble (x) data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs Spoiler Housing Buffs:  Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat     Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)     Dining Room: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. Living Room: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

A flash of white and blue energy engulfed the square foot of the stone platform and the air above it. Not a moment later, the swirling field vanished, a tired looking, ginger haired warrior stepping from the flickering pieces of data. The long cape of green dragging behind him above the ground, swaying back and forth with each hobbled step he would take.

The cold bite of winter had been fading, leading to the warmer - yet usually rainy - spring months. Luckily, today the floor was not programmed with a morning rainstorm in mind. With a more restful sleep than usual under his wings, Jomei found it upon himself to wake up early, get his ass out of the house, and brush off some of the dust from his sword. There may not have been another floor boss fight on the horizon, but accepting that this would be his life - for now - he knew he needed to be prepared. And he knew he didn't need exercise, that his body and skills would remain the same, but even after all this time in Aincrad.. it just felt right. Reminded him of his life before, and hopefully after. Some would call him crazy, unnecessary. It just made him human.

The growl of a rumbling belly sent an uneasy feeling through Jomei's virtual body. With the thought of training on his mind all morning, he had forgotten to eat. Just as he would stop to turn, find a usual hang, he saw the open doors to a cozy looking pub. "Huh.. never seen this place before." he would mumble to himself, before turning his head to stare at his house just half of a trip down the road. "New, or.. maybe I just wasn't paying attention?" As his mind pondered, his legs moved forward towards the establishment with his hunger at the wheel. 

The tavern was mostly empty, save for three behind the bar, and a handful of players and NPCs scattered about the bar and dining areas. Hands nestled within his pockets, Jomei strode forth, his olive eyes scanning the area, taking in the ambiance. Finally taking a seat at the bar, Jomei would smile at the pink haired bartender, whom he now realized was an NPC. "Afternoon, lass, lovely weather." Summoning a menu in front of him, he would look through his choices before ordering. "An order of the takoyaki, and a tall glass of water. Please and thank you." He would say with another kind smile, before comfortable settling into his chair. 

"Hm." Jomei's throat rumbled with a hum as he exhaled deeply through his nose. "Guess not everyone is happy with us players sticking our noses in everything. But.. despite the welcoming party not being very... welcoming.. I'm happy we stuck around to help. I don't think I would've been able to sleep too well if we hadn't saved those people from the fire." The smile that had grown from relishing in their kindness to assist grew sour as the thought of leaving those stranded people to perish crossed his mind. Even if it hadn't come true, thanks to their heroics.. it pained him a bit to think that other players may not feel up to helping, after getting an earful from Percival. A hand rose to run through his hair, pushing the flowing bangs in his face to the top of his head - though his eyes trailed to Lessa as she expressed disgust, and noticed the dark soot that covered her hands and face. Glad he didn't just rub that all in his hair. 

"I think you've got little something.." the ginger said with a snide smirk, poking at his own cheek "Right here." 

The two trudged on towards the menagerie of trees that Percival had pointed out, continuing to engage in conversation the entire way.

"A bear makes sense.. or maybe some kind of deer. I guess a bear is more threatening though.. Either way, it'd be best we act with that story in mind. I'd really prefer to not get on this guardian's bad side." 

The grove was eerily beautiful. The trees and their leaves were dark, even with the shining green light of the crystal clusters, but the deep purple tones of the bark were interesting. It was also quiet, as if all sound from outside of the grove had been silenced - possibly even some noise from within. Each gentle step sounded twice as loud as his boot shifted across grass and gravel.

"Alright, let's get looking. Probably best we stick close. I don't want to lose you." he'd add with a tiny chuckle before turning his attention to the search.

"...Any idea what these flowers look like?" 

ID 218853 | LD 19 | CD 10

Ushiame Flowers [ 1 / 5 ] 
Grove Guardian Tolerance [ 10/30 ]

His muscles tightened, nearly flinching, as the man fired back at him, seemingly offended at Jomei's offer to help. Stubborn players have crossed his path plenty of times, but it wasn't very often that he was met with a stubborn NPC - and a quest giver at that. 

"W-Wait, that's-" he started, tripping over his words like a bumbling idiot.

Lessa picked up the fumble, and continued on where Jomei left off. The ginger would sigh to himself, both out of embarassment and relief, as Lessa leveled with Percival. She explained their intentions, without undermining the -obviously spread thin- people of Srona. Simply nodding along, Jomei stepped back and let his blonde companion take the lead. He woud catch himself as a soft, warm smile grew on his lips, greatly admiring Lessa's natural act for diplomacy. 

His olive eyes would finally fall of her the side of her face as Percival began to speak once more, agreeing to allow the two adventurers to help. Their mission, to travel to the Blooming Grove and retrieve Ushiame flowers. "A simple fetch quest? Seems easy enough." Jomei's weight would shift from one leg to the other as his arms cross at his chest, "What's the catch?"

Using his hands to turn the wheels of his chair in opposite directions, allowing him to turn partially away from the two players, he would point off into the distance. It was a bit difficult to see through the thick smoke of the fire, but it appeared to be a thicket along the side of one of the mountains, pulsing green light barely seeping out. "I've never been there myself to see, but apparently theres some sort of creature that lives there. Peaceful, so I've heard. The story goes, when Srona was first founded, many of the original settlers were sick from some unknown disease. Three brothers, two with this sickness, stubmled upon the Blooming Grove. They were met with the Guardian, who could sense their illness, and lead them to the Ushiame flowers."

"The first brother - who was not sick - plucked a flower from the tree, hoping to sell. The Guardian felt their deceipt, and banished them from the garden. The second brother, who was sick, began plucking multuple flowers, even more than he could carry. The Guardian found his greed to be a cancer to the grove, and was banished with the first. The final brother, only took what he needed - enough plant for the few settlers that were sick. The third brother was allowed safe passage back home."

Percival's shoulders rose and fell with a shrug, "I don't know if its true, or just some made up story. But moral of the story; don't piss off the guardian." 

With a nod of his head, Jomei thanked Percival. "Got it, thanks for the advice. We'll be careful."

Jomei let out a small sigh, "I've always found that the holidays, sometimes, tend to be the quietest. We've all been stuck in this world for so long, fighting for our lives.. it becomes quite the distraction. But this time of year, when we start to remember spending time with our friends.. our families.. some of us kind of.. shut down? Isolate ourselves to deal with that in peace." his shoulders rose and fell with a shrug. "I can tell you, I've definitely been hit with that bug before." Despite the sour topic, the ginger's lips spread into a small smile as he looked between those in attendance, "Having good friends to spend time with definitely helps though. I truly appreciate you accepting the invitation and joining me this year." 

Taking a large swill of his drink - not that the alcohol in it would do anything other than provide a 'spicy' taste - Jomei would change the topic, "But enough of that." 

"Hirru, you know I would be more than happy to join you on any hunt. I'm not much of a scout, and I don't know much in terms of grinding, but I think the two of us held our own pretty well the last time we went out. You'll always have my sword, just as you've always provided yours.. or I guess your shield now." he said with a small chuckle. "Just say the word." 

"And Nari, I can assure you, you're just as strong as the rest of the frontliners. Experience in the boss raids doesn't make you the best of the best. I've seen you time and time again prove yourself. You'll make an excellent member of anyone's party, and a fine addition to the frontliners."

Just as Hirru rose his cup, Jomei would do the same with a grin. "To friends!" 

The raging ball of flame continued to consume whatever remained of the building, the inner sanctum completely engulfed in smoke and fire, masking whatever would be lost to the element. A chaotic spectacle of destruction that Jomei could not pry his eyes from, the dancing orange flames reflecting off of his olive eyes. Even in that moment, as Lessa confirmed that no other bodies struggled within, and that no lives were taken, Jomei could not help feel immense relief. "Good" he said softly, only his lips moving as he continued to stare, just as everyone else around him did. 

The question that rose about the fire's coincidental appearance finally pulled the ginger's gaze from the destruction, instead falling on Lessa with slightly furrowed brows. This was no coincidence.. this was most likely in part with the quests they were partaking in. The ginger sighed as he mumbled a single, "Shit.." a dirtied hand gently cascading through his bangs and over the top of his head. 

A chairbound man would approach them from their flank, asking for their identities and intention. Lessa, always quick the response, gave the man their names - all while offering a friendly backhand to Jomei's chest, causing him to grunt softly. However, it would appear this man had more important things to worry about, like the raging fire right beside them, than Dagan and its farmers. The ginger felt a frown tug at the corners of his mouth. This was the first time they truly saw the schism that had grown between the territories first hand. 'More important matters' aside, he could almost hear a hint of animosity towards the neighboring city. 

"We understand, completely." the ginger would add with a step forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with his blonde haired companion, "And.. well.. no, we couldn't tell you what caused this fire, since we only just got here. But if it wasn't for the two of us, there would be a lot more lost than just the building." a hand would shoot outwards to his side as he spoke, gesturing towards the multiple victims who were trapped inside - the young child trapped inside - still expelling smog from their lungs and wiping soot from their eyes. "Not to discredit the others who helped, but if we had arrived any later, this would be a much different scene." 

Changing topics with a heavy inhale and exhale, he would continue. "We aren't just here on business to help Dagan, we're visiting all of the territories. We managed to help them out by rescuing some of their people.. how can we help you out? Maybe gain your trust enough to help send some aid Dagan's way?"

Jomei Receives:

• Braso Crystal-A | Removes one enhancement on a weapon and replaces it with Absolute Accuracy. (This effect cannot override the Absolute Accuracy enhancement cap. Consumed on use.)
• Braso Crystal-B | Removes one enhancement on a weapon and replaces it with Phase. (This effect cannot override the Phase enhancement cap. Consumed on use.)

The ginger looked upon Lessa with squinted eyes. 

"What would you even do with a hundred horses." he barely was able to get out without laughing. 

The ginger followed suit, stepping off of the rock with a small smile. His boots found the softer ground, blades of grass flattening beneath his feet, only to straighten back up again as he stepped forward. "Remind me to tell you about the only time I tried to ride a horse.. Unless Baldur or Mac get to tell their point of view first." His shoulders rose and fell with a shrug, offering her a side glance as he fell into step with her, "Maybe you'll have to teach me sometime. You know, for the rare instances we actually get the chance to use a horse to get around rather than using the warp gates." 

Conversation eventually flowed back to their absence, due to the fight against Wushen. Feeling guilty about leaving the injured farmers and miners from Dagan waiting for them to return for such a long period of time was very human of them. ".. I tried not to think about it but, I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me at least once." A small sigh escaped his lips as he stretched his neck to one side, and then the other. "On the other hand, at least there wasn't some sort of time limit for retrieving the medicine. So while they are probably still injured and waiting, it probably didn't get any worse. Hopefully." he mumbled that last part to himself. Swiping a hand upward, a bit faster than he'd like to admit, he opened his quest log. Still there, no big signs of the quest being cancelled out, or any 'failure' conditions. Then the relief came. "Yeah, we should be fine."
 

Lessa noticed it first, Jomei ruling out the increasing smell as just a nearby group of adventurers gathered around a campfire. However, when he heard the alarm behind Lessa's voice, his head swiveled to look where she was looking. The orange and yellow flames illuminating the dark interior of the cavernous floor, smoke rising and gathering within the air, barely filtering out through any tiny cracks in the ceiling. 

Jomei rushed into action shortly after Lessa, needing to take another moment to really process what was going on. Bystanders gathered round, some unsure how to help, others doing whatever they can, though all shared the same fearful look in their eyes. The buckets of water resting nearby did well to put out some of the external fire, but as Lessa called out about there being living bodies inside, Jomei knew their job wasn't finished yet. Without thinking, Jomei ran to the door and grabbed the handle. While he was not met with actual pain, his hand almost immediately went numb, and his health bar dropped a bit as he took some burning damage. "Shit." he winced, taking a step back. "Stand away from the door!" he shouted to whoever was inside. Squaring himself up with the door, Jomei forcefully bashed the heel of his boot against the wooden door frame. It took a couple of tries before he was able to knock the door inwards. 

Hot smoke poured out from the now open doorway, leaving Jomei coughing as he stumbled back, a hand up in front of his face to shield his eyes. "Come on! Out here!" he shouted inside between coughs. It did not take long for a handful of people to quickly emerge from the burning building, getting as far away from the fire as they could before catching a breath of fresh air. "Is that everyone?" Jomei asked, trying to peer past the thick smoke and flames for any other survivors.

Thanks to Vigilon's efforts, the ice wall separating them from Wushen's physical form had come crashing down. When it was not immediately replaced by another barrier, they knew they had just a moment's chance to rush in and damage the boss directly. 

The ginger took a sharp breath in through his grit teeth as his boots pounded against the ground. This was it, he thought, the final stretch to the finish line. Turning his wrist to shift his blade allowed shadow to once again claim the sword. The darkness cancelling out any and all light that may have possibly bounced off of the shiny metallic surface. It was a dangerous gamble, giving into the shadow, but it was one he was willing to take. 

Using a fallen stalactite, Jomei launched himself into the air, plunging the sharp end of his rapier right in the cracks between two scales, dealing massive damage. 

ID# 218256 | BD 7(+7) | Fallen Procs | ST-B vs Wushen
20 x 26(+16) = 840(-15) = 825 DMG
ID# 218149 | CD 12

"On it!" Jomei shouted in response to Nari, already pressing forth on the attack. The tip of his blade would glide against the craggy surface as he ran, kicking up dust and sparks in his wake. As he drew closer, and his chosen Sword Art kicked in, so did his rapier's fallen abilities. 

The bright sparks that licked up the blade had suddenly become black as shadow, clinging to the surface of the metal and climbing its way up to the handguard. As Jomei finally drew his blade upwards to point the tip forth, the darkness continued to split around the handguard and travel up his arm like some sort of symbiotic cephalopod.

His boots would skid against the ground as he came to a sudden halt, torqueing his body in a way to let his sword propel forth with enough force to crash through what remained of Caustic (and Wushen's) armor. A virtual pane of glass shattered under the force of his strike, and his blade carried forth, plunging deep into the semi translucent form of Caustic. The shadows that clung to the sword, and his arm, then made its way into the creature like medicine from a syringe, off to cause its own chaos from within the bowels of the beast. 

"Alright finish it!!"

ID# 218149 | BD 8(+7) Hit | Fallen Procs | Charge Activated | 
Tech-D vs Cauatic | 16 x 26(+16)(+3) [-15] = 705 DMG + Shatter

Beads of sweat trickled their way fown the ginger’s jawline, gently falling to the ground at his feet. He could see they were making progress, albeit slow, but progress nontheless. Their combined efforts of taking down the elemental visages of Wushen, while also knocking down the ice walls and attacking the dark wyrm itself were proving fruitful. All they needed to do now was wipe out Overgrowth, then they would have a clear shot at the wall..

Then they could really lay the damage onto Wushen.

Jomei could sense a bit of hesitation from the others, possibly with heavy attacks up their sleeves that they did not want to waste on an enemy that was barely hanging on by a thread. With a slight growl under his breath, Jomei readied his blade and went in for the final strike that would take down this additional head.

”Alright, he’s down! Someone go take care of that wall, then everyone else attack Wushen directly!”

 

She was right, of course. Jomei had double checked his quest log after receiving the follow up from Lessa about where to meet. She mentioned they should meet in Dagan, where the first quest ended and second quest would start. As he eyed the quest log, he saw the message clear as day, 'travel from Dagan to Srona.' He chuckled softly to, and at, himself with a small shake of his head as he took the small step up onto the teleport platform. In an all too familiar flash of light, Jomei's virtual form was carried from Taft to the Twenty Seventh floor. 

Since they had been there before, Jomei prompted to warp straight into the center of Dagan, rather than starting at Ronbaru and making the trek, albeit a short one. Now just to find Lessa, and they could begin their journey to the next settlement. Dagan wasn't the largest of cities, and even then, most of the houses were one story, and rather spread out to allow space for their experimental gardens. There, sitting atop a large rock, he saw Lessa sitting in wait. Already wearing a smile, Jomei approached.

"This seat taken?" he'd call out to her as he hopped up onto the rock, taking a quick seat next to her. "Hm.. not the most comfortable. But I can see why you chose it. I do feel pretty cool sitting up here..." Turning a cheek to her with a grin, he'd shift his position. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting long, you ready to go?" 

Just as soon as the wall Jomei had shattered went down, another rose in its place that blocked its path. "What?" he said to himself under his breath, shocked that Wushen was able to react to Jomei's attempt so quickly. He would tap the surface with his rapier, just to make sure that it was solid - it was, of course.. this was not some sort of illusion. "Dammit!" he cursed through grit teeth, ramming a fist into the cold, sleek wall. 

Behind him was a whole other issue they now needed to deal with. Novalite had been downed, and another head appeared in its place. While still energy based, rather than a physical form, this one almost seemed to be made out of wood and vines. Normally a more peaceful element, this copycat mirage of Wushen was still just as twisted and gnarled. 

"They just keep coming.. we need to take this head down quickly this time, so we can actually get a shot at the boss itself. Keep focusing your attacks, and maybe we'll get another shot." Spinning his blade in his hand, "Watch your energy. Watch each others backs. We'll make it out of this, I know it. I'll chip away at its armor a bit more.. then you all come in with the big guns. On me!" 

He would shout to the group before speeding forth towards the newly grown head. Weaving between rocky structures that rose from the ground, he'd keep himself out of Overgrowth's line of sight until he was right upon the dragon. Once again, the black metal blade would ignite in a holy glow as the Emerald Duelist struck with masterful precision. 

ID# 217430 | BD 9 | Holy Procs | TECH-D vs Overgrowth | 16 x 26(+1)(+8) = 560 - 15= 545 DMG + SHATTER

"I.. well uh.." Jomei stammered. Of all people to have caught him in his realization, it had to have been Lessa. He wouldn't hear the end of this, for sure. "Left it in my other cloak.." he said sheepishly, trying to make light of a rather dire situation. Before he could say anything more, she had already summoned one of the crystals - whether it was an extra, or her only one, he wasn't sure - and pushed it in his direction forcefully. In that moment he didn't know what to fear more.

The multi headed, element wielding Dragon.
Or the furious wrath of an angry Lessa.

Either way, he was no idiot, and accepted the crystal into his own hands with nothing more than a nod. He watched for a moment, as she and her canine companion rushed off to do what they did best - be badasses -, with a smile on his face. "I'm glad I can always count on you to have my back." he said to her, though she was most likely too far away to really hear him. With a small toss of the crystal into the air, he would catch it within his hand and shove it into his coat pocket. 

Back to reality, and the battle raging on, he caught the tail end of Nari calling out orders.. telling him to focus on taking down the ice wall that Novalite had put up to separate them from the others, and Wushen himself. "The ice? You sure?" he called back, curious about her decision. "Alright.. here goes nothing."

Rushing over to the wall of ice, Jomei took a quick moment examining it. It was thick.. with two, maybe three c's. Breaking it with his rapier would be near impossible. It was also solid, nowhere he could shove the thin tip of his weapon in to wear it down or anything. The plan he came up with seemed ridiculous.. but he had seen ridiculous work before.

And that was all he could hope for.

Holding the saber upright in front of his face, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, mentally and physically preparing himself. Readying his feed, he would draw his sword arm back and release a shout as he would thrust the blade forward, the tip colliding with the thick wall and sparking. He would continue the motion again, and again, and again, picking up speed with each strike. Speed. That was what he was good at. What he was known for. Normally he was nimble on his feet.. but what about consecutive strikes. 

Jomei continued to strike the wall, his movements becoming nothing more than a blur of movement and sparks as the blade bounced off the surface. The very tip of his rapier began to heat up, and with that heat, the ice before him slowly began to give way until it was.. just.. enough to.

Crack

The moment Jomei noticed the integrity of the wall had weakened, and the smallest bit of cracking showed, he would unleash one powerful sword art to shatter a hole through the wall. 

"Huh...huh...huh.." he took heavy breaths, stumbling backwards a step before regaining his composure. His hand burned, though no pain found its way to him. His forearm, elbow, shoulder.. all resonating with that same heat his sword had found from the rapid strikes. With the sleeve of his coat -albeit temporarily- burnt off, the exposed skin burned red for a moment before slowly regaining its natural, pale color. "Alright you big snake, I'm taking the fight right back to you again." he would say as he stepped forth through the hole. 

Taking down Cordoned Room barrier
ID# 217403 | LD 16(+1) 17 | Success

The image of the trader with his trusty packhorse was suddenly obscured by a small, opaque box containing a message. Lowering himself to lean his elbows on the railing, his eyes scanned the contents of the digital letter. A bit ironic, he thought, that the questline that helped them solved the puzzle of the previous boss fight was still open and available for completing, despite them having finished off the boss and brought a bit of peace to the floor. However, Jomei was not one to back down from the prospect of adventure.. especially with Lessa.

Quote

To: Lessa
From: Jomei

Hey,

I don't know.. my schedule is pretty packed today. Between relaxing and unwinding from the boss fight..
But I think I can squeeze you in ;)

Yes, absolutely, I'd love to. I'm pretty curious to see where this goes too.

Just let me know where to meet you. 

Jomei sent the message off with a smile on his face. He gazed up at the blue sky above Taft once more before turning heel and heading back into his bedroom to ready himself. Donning his classic green attire and cloak, Jomei moved to his living room where he retrieved his trusty owl companion Adere. Once the coordinates for their meet up were in hand, the ginger made his way through the streets of the quiet city towards the center of town

Liquid began to seep from the side of the dragon, spilling out onto the ground at its feet. However, it was not blood.. as one might expect in the heat of battle, no, it was water. "What the hell?" Jomei thought to himself as he watched the trickling of clear water careen down past them. Wushen themselves seemed to hold off on any further actions against them.. was it preparing something? Were they about to face the real wrath of this elemental warlord? 

Just as he thought that, a portal-like waterpool began to form where the water originated from, spawning the spectral, blue image of another long, serpentine neck.

'Elemental' was starting to make a lot more sense now. 

This second, ghostly head scanned the room, before using its mystical powers to immediately freeze the streams of water, creating thick walls of ice that split each party from each other. Any images through the ice were a bit frosted and distorted, but he could have sword he saw two other heads sprout from the neck of Wushen. However, for now, they would be faced with the same form that created the ice walls. Radiation with icy, and static, energy, a combination that could pack quite a punch if they weren't ready. 

The fingers that wrapped around the hilt of his rapier clenched, causing his hand to tremble slightly. He glared into the sparking, yellow eyes of the dragon head, "We've got this. Don't back down. Everyone's counting on us." While his words could be meant for the group as a whole.. his voice only escaped in a low tone, mostly to himself and anyone directly near him. Despite, he needed to hear it. Finally finding the courage to move, Jomei rushed forward. Using the icy wall to his advantage, he would run a could of steps along the surface to get some altitude. Once he felt his boots could not keep any traction on the slippery wall, he launched himself at Novalite. Four swift strikes, each piercing the side of the spectral wyrm's face, followed by a final strike that would send out a small shockwave. 

As his attack finished, and he would hit the ground again, a hand would run over the pouches of his belt where he would normally keep his battle ready inventory. Eyes went wide for a moment as he froze.. shoulders falling, and lips curling into a small, somewhat sad, smirk. Nothing to rely on, and no teleport crystals in case things got back. "Guess I'm fighting to the end... in case things get rough." he'd say in a low voice again, before composing himself and readying to whatever this boss threw at them next. 

ID# 217121 | BD4(+7) | TECH-A vs Novalite | 16 x 26 = 341 [STUN]

Jomei and Rai haven't spoken much. But he'd def come if he was invited.
Unless he's brought as a +1 instead 

It all took place in a matter of seconds. Wushen took its focus off of Nari, shifting it instead to Lessa. It was such a strange tactic they had not seen much before, but the tanks were only providing so much assistance, and the elemental warlord was able to pull its attention away for short moments to strike the players that were the real threat to its existence. And this time, it wanted to put down Lessa. 

As it's attack crashed into the blonde's armored body, Jomei felt his knees lock, his feet almost appearing to become cemented into the ground. It wasn't a heavy hit, no where near anything fatal, but for that quick second, his heart sank. Moments later, he was taking damage himself, pulling him back to reality. "Shit." he cursed under his breath as he was hit with an array of sharp attacks that tore away at his long coat and health. Time for a bit of payback.

The duelist readied his blade, igniting with a small spark at the handguard and running up to the tip of the blade. A golden, holy flame engulfed the dark steel of the rapier. 

In a dance of precision and daring, the rapier's slender blade cuts through the air with an almost ethereal grace. Gleaming in the light, the weapon's edge carries the promise of swift and lethal precision as it approaches the immense form of The Elemental Warlord.

As the rapier's tip nears, the wielder's movements become an intricate display of skill and focus. The blade darts forward like a striking viper, seeking out the wyrm's chink in its formidable armor. The air hums with tension as metal meets scales, producing a resonant clash that echoes through the battlefield.

The rapier's point finds its mark—a pinpoint breach in Wushen's otherwise impenetrable defense. The blade pierces the boss' hide, its masterful wielder navigating the space between the armored plates with preternatural finesse. The rapier's touch is swift and precise, a testament to the finesse of the swordsman.

ID# 616419 | BD 10 | Holy Procs | ST-II vs Wushen | 15 x 26(+2)(+8) = 540

Tak

Jomei's boots hit the ground just as Adere followed the ginger's attack pattern, and ran her razor sharp claws through the already damaged skin. "Nice one" Jomei said to himself with a proud smile and a triumphant fist. He heard his team calling out, mostly Nari offering battle tactics and positive reinforcement. Positive vibes over playful banter? That sounded like a good idea.

"Thanks, Nari! I'll admit, you had me worried when you signed up to be tank.. but you're eating this boss' hits like they are nothing!"

"Vigilon! Hell of a hit! Great one!"

"You too Ariel! Glad you decided to come back to help fight this thing."

"Krysta, I feel a lot better knowing you have our back. Keep those energy reserves up in case this thing decided to smack us any harder." 

"Lessa.." He turned to the blonde, as his motion on the battlefield ended up with him standing right near her, "Eh, you're doing alright I guess.. " His lip curled into a devilish smirk as he winked at her, before rushing off to hit this thing once more. Even though it was nice to hear encouragement from your comrades.. he always thought teasing and banter were more his style. His own form of flattery, or maybe there was more to it. 

"Oh?" the ginger slowed slightly, as six, now five, green health bars became visible above Wushen's head. Those weren't there before, maybe something they revealed them. Despite, now he knew where they were at.. at it was a long road still to go. Maybe reserving their energy was the right move. A weaker sword art.. less energy, but much less damage. Only one way to find out if it was worth it. Rushing up to the large, serpent-like creatures side, Jomei would jab the tip of his rapier deep into its flesh, before ripping outwards. 

Maybe he'd just hit it harder next time. 

+4 EN
ID# 215335 | BD 5(+7) Hit | ST-1 vs Wushen | 12 x 26 = 312 DMG
-10 EN

A hand rose to his face as stone and dust rocketed in his direction, Nari standing at ground zero for the impact. The boss seemed unphased by their attacks, more pestered than anything. That powerful blast its own, psychotic way of saying 'shut up, lay down, and accept defeat.' Of course, they didn't have it in them to just give up. The ginger's eyes focused on the rising dust as it began to dissipate, revealing Nari.. nearly unscathed. Either her armor was much stronger than expected... or Wushen's attack was not at all powerful. 

It left Jomei curious, but now was not the time for that. He needed to take this opportunity to give it everything he had. With a sharp whistle, the ginger called his aviary companion to his shoulder. "Alright, lets take him together. I'll head in first, you follow. Got it?" The owl screeched in response.. Jomei could not smile and nod at that. "Go!" he shouted, and he and Adere rushed towards the towering form of Wushen. Weaving around the colored stalagmites that rose from the ground, Jomei used one with less of a steep slope to his advantage. Rushing up the side of the rock's surface, he'd throw himself into the air and readied his blade. One, two strikes in the shape of an X, followed by a powerful thrust right into the center that sent out a dispelled a powerful shockwave at the point of impact. "Right there! Hit him there!" he yelled to his familiar as he dropped to the ground, watching as Adere flew in after him to deal some extra damage where he had broken through its scaly hide. 

Jomei sighed, "I took.. a bit of a hit right before the last boss fight." He look around the apartment, now filled with decorations, friendly people, and good moods all around. But he was still reminded of how lonely it got after sharing this space for so long. "Why I didn't participate." shoulders rose and fell with a simple shrug. What was past was passed. He shone through with a small smile, taking a sip of his drink. "Things have been getting better though.. Not really making any waves but, just seeing where life takes me."

"But really lately its just been the usual. Just going day by day, meeting new people, disconnecting with old. I can't really say I've been up to anything exciting."  It was a rather bland answer.. though his was rather bland as of late. No real excitement or adventures to talk about. He would chuckle, "For once.. I think I'm actually looking forward to the next floor boss fight.. give us something exciting.. something to draw us all together." Taking another sip of his drink, he'd set it on the coffee table before him, "That, or some interesting event that won't be a high risk for getting us killed." Jomei spoke lightheartedly, of course.. but how much could he really joke about the very real threat the floor bosses had.

"What about you, Hirru? How has life been treating you?"

Shortly after entering the room, Jomei noticed @Lessa standing off to the side, seemingly checking over her equipment. With another nod in Nari's direction, he would cross the cavern to where she stood speaking softly to herself. "Hey, you alright?" his voice hushed, only for her to hear. His hand gently placed on her bicep. "We've got this." he said with an added smile. Hand placement lingered for a moment, despite his eyes which had drifted from hers for a moment, returning a couple of seconds later. Mouth opened to speak, but before words could be formed. His attention was yanked from the blonde to the form of a large, serpentine head slowly emerging from the ceilings high above. The time for talk was over, and the fight had officially begun. 

With a hand reached across his waist, Jomei yanked his rapier from its scabbard and held it at the ready by his side. Eyes quickly scanned the boss for an opening, though no weak spots jumped out at him. When in doubt, just hit what you can. Looking back to the blonde, there was a lot he wanted to say. To encourage, to help give them something to fight for. But.. the anxiety of the fight took over, and all those thoughts vanished. "I believe in you." he simply said to her, as his rapier ignited in a holy, golden flame.

Shooting forth in a blur of green, Jomei rushed at the draconic form of Wushen as they continued to descend towards the ground to meet the players head on. With a powerful leap, the ginger launched himself into the air, the rip of his rapier hitting its cheek, cutting deep through the darkened scales. Hitting the ground with a roll, and coming to a stop in a three point landing, he would spin on his knee and look back to the status bar above the boss' head.

"Hit him now, while his mitigation is compromised! We've done this before and we will do it again! Fight until its no more!"

ID 215000 | BD 9 (Holy Procs.) | Charge Activated | TECH-D vs Wushen | 16 x (26 +8Hly + 3Chrg+1Crit) = 608-55 = 553 DMG