Shay

At the very least, Oats was resolved. If she could handle her brutish treatment then they could handle pretty much any monster within their level. Shay understood how terrible she could be with words so it was nice not to have to do so much explaining.

Shay would deliberately swing with full force from a bad angle, expecting her pupil to sidestep or back away. The strategy lured people in to false security as they try to follow up. Nevertheless, the student had learned. She pushed the attack, much to Shay’s anticipation. She would redirect her saya to block the incoming Yatsufusa, purple mist exploding against the wood of the elegant sword-sheath. “Good call, but it won’t be that easy.” She would say, throwing her weight into the clashed metal and wood to stumble her opponent. The assassin would quickly side step to their off hand side and horizontally swing from that angle to make it difficult to block her attack. How would the student react now?

A lull hung over the 'fight' as she may have realized just how bad a teacher she actually was. She sighed. "I'm not a great person with words." Her catch phrase at this point in her life. She had hoped that this person was a much more somatic learner. "Observation of your target. You saw me move just now? I'm fast but I made a horribly reckless mistake: I just jumped towards your attack to catch you off guard. If I had missed or timed it badly, I would be bleeding right now. That probably comes down more to your reaction speed, I guess..." She contemplated.

After a moment, the girl would sheathe her blade and grip the empty saya of Yatsufusa and use it as if it was a sword. "If I were to cut you, the sword would likely instantly kill you. I held back as to not... well do that. Like this, I will come at you for real. Observe my footwork, which angle I throw my blade from, where my eyes look and what my hands are doing. If you have military background then studying body language and absorbing information quickly is something within your capabilities."

Shay would then take up her offensive posture again after making some distance and rush in on the attack this time. Her swing was high and extremely wide purposely. She wanted to gauge if Oats could spot a blatant feint.

The assassin could already see flaws in her stance. Feet to wide, stance completely off and her an attack that befitted one wielding an axe more than a katana. Before the attack even made it to her, she stepped into girls attack and smacked her hilt against Oat's head before following up with a strong kick that would launch the girl to her back if she didn't catch herself. "Slow and wide." Shay would say, taking a step back before the other's katana nicked her. "A katana in not a brute's weapon. You should focus on studying your opponent to learn their style, adapt to it and find a weakness before launching a precise and skillful swing into the crack."

Shay's posture got low, her katana out-stretched from her body to her side. "Even those stronger than you have weaknesses to exploit. Find it and cut me." Murasame's bloodlust radiated a soft red, wishing so to drink of its enemy. But to do so in this case would lead to death. She would have to be sure not to actually use a sword art out of instinct.

Shay did in fact notice that the girl was trailing behind her without even turning back. As attentive as she was she would never rely solely on her sight in combat which has translated into everyday life. She would allow her to catch up by slowing down ever so slightly. Once they were walking side by side, Shay’s crimson pupils would observe her once more. They almost looked like twins.

”Yatsufusa is a blade of pestilence. It wears away the body of its enemies.” Shay would draw the second sword from her sayas, showing it’s very similar look to Yatsufusa except no hazy mist. The blade was clean and exceptionally polished to the point that looking at it might cause a cut across your vision. “It is the sister sword to the Murasame. This blade begets death, swift and sudden; judge, jury and executioner.”

She would point Murasame’s blade at Oats when they were outside of the safe zone. “Cut me.” She’ll say simply, her imposing figure instilling confidence in her posture. She would teach this student in her own way.

Shay observed as the player inspected one half of her arsenal. “I cannot help you acquire one. I can however, teach you how to use one to allow you to unlock the skill.” She’ll respond stepping down from her blade and turning towards the closest route outside the safe zone leaving the blade for Oats to pick up.

”Come along, bring Yatsufusa that sword.” She’ll almost demand. If they were to put her to the test they would need to see legitimate combat. Honestly she had no idea why she was wasting her time with this. There was hardly any experience to be gained from it and it wasn’t like she was a kinda person, but then she remembered what she’d thought about Ancanthus not long ago. She wasn’t heartless. Teaching a budding player when they’re right in front of her instead of letting them die to boars was the better outcome.

The assassin would sigh quietly. Baldur once taught her and it seemed like now was the time for her to step in and be someone else’s mentor. She herself wasn’t nearly as practiced as her mentor but she could at least help them unlock the skill.

Yatsufusa screeched in agony as its owner forced it from its home and into the sky. Steel pierced stone and a shaded black hair of a woman curtained her face momentarily as the wind settled from her blinding speed. She balanced carefully on the exposed hilt like a ninja, bending down in a crouched form to her soon-to-be student. “Katana? Like this one?” Nodding down to the groaning blade emitting a purple hazy hue, like that of plague and death. “What about it?”

Stealth Dispersed.

The assassin in the shadows hid from view of the NPCs that lived their daily digital lives and the players were either too scared or unmotivated in the face of death to do anything to deal with their problems. She was one of those people maybe around a year ago. Times have changed for her, however. Watching these players go about her business, she was reminded of time that she was weak and others helped her. Times where she’s tried to be helpful but to not much avail, genuinely being nothing but a harasser or difficult to agree with person.

"Katana." She would hear another player speak aloud. At first she thought they were speaking to her, having two of them strapped to her side. But when her eyes found the person in question, they seem to have just spoke to themselves. She watch intently to see what they did next.

ID#236265 | LD: 8+5

Shay is hidden and can be revealed with a detection roll of 14 or higher.

Shay | HP: 700/700 | EN: 84/84 | DMG: 21 | MIT:20 | ACC:5 | EVA:3 | BH:35

The battle continued to clash. Shay hadn’t been pressured this heavily by an enemy in the game for a very long time, especially since ChaseR had been around. That was the last thing she wanted in her mind during a fight though. Their rapier was fast, footwork was clean and unbroken and precision only challenge by Shay’s extremely quick reaction speed. She was on the defensive waiting for an opportunity.

Soon it came. The rhythm of their feet had gotten into her head. Just as the Broker placed their foot forward to lung, Shay quickly ducked into the attack low and cleaved through their chest. The devastating attack caused her opponent to reel back in pain. Shay would glance down at Mishiro. “You gonna nap all day sunshine?” She growled quietly.

[1] Shay | HP: 700/700 | EN: 45/84 | DMG: 21[TL: 12] | MIT:20 | ACC:5 | EVA:3 | BH:35
[0] Mishiro | HP: 274/460 | EN: 37/64 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 36 | ACC: 4 | AA | EVA: 1 | FLN: 6 (6-8) | VO: 10%

█████████ | HP: 160/450 | DMG: 150 | PARA: 1

ID#236096 | BD: 10 Major Crit!
14x15 = 210 damage!

Shay was ready to leave, allowing Mishiro to collect the crystal that sat upon the throne of the Iron Guardian. She would turn to make her way out of the complex before hearing the conversation between the broker and Mishiro. By the time she'd caught up to what was happening, her partner had been stabbed and paralyzed. Shay quickly intervened charging in just as they taunted her. The dark haired woman's sword would be parried away as she reached in. The tip of the rapier missed just slightly when she leaned back from it's stab. Steel screeched as the two blades opposed each other and Shay's head thudded against the broker's. A quick follow up slice would land, reducing their HP rather heavily. The purple sizzle of Yatsufusa glazed against the red gash of system damage.

Shay would then put herself between the NPC and Mishiro. "If we're taking turns, just know that I don't play fair. Not my style."

Shay | HP: 676/700 | EN: 58/84 | DMG: 21[TL: 12] | MIT:20 | ACC:5 | EVA:3 | BH:35
Mishiro | HP: 274/460 | EN: 34/64 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 36 | ACC: 4 | AA | EVA: 1 | FLN: 6 (6-8) | VO: 10% [PARALYZED]

█████████ | HP: 270/450 -180 | DMG: 150 | PARA: 1

Having a reliable partner was nice but being useless herself was even worse. Mishiro was able to finish off her target without much problem. Shay would sheathe her weapon and wave it off as a small annoyance. The experience was the only thing that mattered to her in the long run and it wasn't like she would have much problem doing this solo anyway. Her partner would assure her that she would be following just behind, so Shay would approach the throne room and enter with least possible grace.

The two would be greeted with the Iron Guardian himself. "Let's hope I don't miss twice." Shay would comment before rushing forward, removing her second sword from it's saya. With a wide step and a upward slice her blade cleared the iron suit it wore leaving a massive gash across its chest. Shay would notice her HP tick down slightly from the thorns. "You're up, take the final hit bonus if there is one. I don't care."

Iron Guardian | HP: 285/600(21x15)[-315] | DMG: 150 | THORNS 24 | BLEED 24

Shay Quick Changes to Yatsufusa

Normally she would activate stealth about now just to avoid having to talk with anybody she was questing with but Mishiro had yet to do anything that annoyed her. Granted she got annoyed at just about anything said to her for no reason given, but it was a pretty pleasant change of pace. That and these mobs would barely be able to stand up to Yatsufusa’s raw power.

Mishiro would express her friend’s desire to get a crystal from this quest. Shay simply shrugged to that. “By all means it’s yours. I just want the experience.” Shay will explain. The two of them seemed as though they would be having no problems with the other.

But if her annoyance wasn’t flared up yet it eventually had to come from somewhere. Unsheathing Yatsufusa from its saya and swinging directly at the knight Shay’s eyebrow would twitch. “Critical miss… Of course.”

Shay | HP: 700/700 | EN: 84/84 | DMG: 13 | MIT:20 | ACC:5 | EVA:3 | BH:35 | BLD: 48
Mishiro | HP: 460/460 | EN: 52/64 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 36 | ACC: 4 | AA | EVA: 1 | FLN: 6 (6-8) | VO: 10%

Iron Knight #2 | HP: 250/250 | DMG: 100 | THORNS: 24 | BLD: 24

BD: 1 Critical Miss ID: 233205

As Shay was opening up a bit to Acanthus, it seemed she was getting distracted with Oz’s tobacco. She simply sighed and shook it off. Sharing any of her personal life didn’t matter anyway. They were close to town at this point anyway, so they would soon say their goodbyes.

Through the canopy of trees that covered most of the sky, she could see the small town of Florenthia in the distance. This much social interaction had already been way beyond the allotted limit she normally stuck to.

”Looks like we’re finally done.” Shay will say simply after seeing off the two NPCs who had given them the quest. Music, a soft piano, would begin to lull in centered on Shay. “Goodbye.” The last glimpse of her would be her seen turning towards the teleportation platform. The music would die out slowly as a result.

Hiding | LD: 11+5
233204

"...—it wears on us." The girl would say about their current situation, being stuck in Aincrad. Shay's red eyes would dart away from hers a little shamefully. If she was to speak her mind on that subject, she might just bring down the woman's mood a little too much. "Yeah, whatever..." She simply says before drifting back into silence.

The walk back felt way longer than the walk here. Maybe it was because listening to the conversations between Acanthus and Oz kept her mind off everything but when she was talking it felt like every word was enough to prick her skin. Painful, that is.

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re a ‘she-devil.’ You let the two of us tag along, even though you certainly could have handled it by yourself. So… thank you.”

Acanthus would bring her back to reality just as she was nicely slipping away into her own thoughts. Shay would idly ponder that for a moment. "I've been called worse, and what does it matter. He's nothing but code to me. If you thought I was one, and called me thought, I wouldn't give a shit. You're a stranger who knows nothing about me. If people wanna dig into me, they're gonna have try harder than weak jabs like that." She avoids talking about allowing them to join. Admitting that she cared enough to protect them because the Monkey King might kill them without her would be as tragic the greatest shame she could possibly think of. Having another romantic relationship with another man? Nah, worse.

The silence was preferred by her questing partner as well, thankfully. Shay did not like small talk or anything of the sort. The exchanging of names was merely a formality to make sure Mishiro didn’t think she was an absolute asshole or something, even though most of the time she can be. She did return the introduction with her own name, which was nice.

The silence quick fell back over them. Shay wracked her brain a bit, wondering if she should say beyond that or maybe it was better that she didn’t. Mishiro’s interruption of her thoughts woke her up though. “Ah, well, I don’t really care about that nonsense.” Shay will plainly respond. “The experience is usually the only thing that matters in these quests anyways. Even if we got the full cut, I wouldn’t care if you’d decided you wanted all of it.” Finally a sentence from mouth that didn’t make it sound like she was being held at gunpoint to speak.

As much as Shay wanted to pound Acanthus's head for the act of comparing her to a woman old enough to have a child her age, she restrained herself. Her fits of anger would more-so push that incorrect statement. The raven-haired woman would huff angrily as she attempted to calm herself down. "If she is anything like me she would put you in your place for implying a woman my age could have a child of yours." She'll comment and turn to head back to the village where they'd began the quest.

"Onward, noble steed!"

Only to see man-on-man action happening the time of her scolding. Oz had begun piggybacking the poor Captain of the Guard, and if that's the way he swung more power to him. This does at least crack a chide smile from her though. Shay would sigh and shift to Acanthus as she walked a short distance behind the man, who somehow wasn't drunk, harassing NPCs like they were an amusement park mascot or something. She would clear her throat. "Forgive me for outbursts. I'm not good with words... or controlling my anger." Her words still felt cold, but relatively sincere in a rather dodgy fashion.

Her tolerance shouldn't be mistaken for acceptance, however. It was clear that she was ready to get back to town to get her experience reward and leave this group. Shay could usually only handle social situations for about two full seconds before she started to get annoyed and any small inconvenience was going to flip her forgiving mood real quick like.

“Shay, remember—it’s your job to keep me from dying.”

The assassin removed her sword from the remaining saya and approach the monkey king but when she heard that come from Acanthus, her saya came out from it's usual spot to give a loud, hollow 'clonk!' against the other woman's head. "Do I look like your damn mother?!" A growl manifested, laced in her tone. "If you were to die here, you shouldn't have joined. Luckily, I am here to give you a boost."

Yatsufusa glowed with a malevolence of purple and black before connecting with the eye of the monkey king who was incapable of dodging such a gruesome attack. It squealed in pain with what muscles it could muster under the stun. Meanwhile, Shay would step up on its head to it's back to retrieve the sister sword Murasame. A callous motion of her hand digging the blade out of the monkey kings back would leave a puss filled, black moldy mess on the wound.

Shay would step down, sheathing both of her swords into their individual sayas. She would shoot all three of the others a look finishing on Sewallus. "Job done." The assassin will say simply, much to the chagrin of the captain of the guard. "The beast yet lives you banshee! You're insane-!"

"I don't care. These two can finish it off easily with the help of Murasame's bleed." She would hang around the beast, just in case she happened to lose out on the rewards if she got too far away from it.

[2] Shay | HP: 700/700 | EN: 61/84 | DMG: 21 | MIT: 20 | ACC: 6 | EVA: 3 | BH: 35 | BLD: 48
[1] Acanthus | HP: 510/510 | EN: 50/66 | DMG: 14 | MIT: 66 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | BLD: 36 | PARA | LD: 3                                                                                                              
[0] Oz | HP: 290/290 | EN: 40/46 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 4 | LD: 9 | HB: 11 | VampOff 2 | VampDef 2 | ParaVen 2 
[5] Sewallus | HP: 400/400 | DMG: 75 (100 on crit) | MIT: 50 | ACC: 1 | EVA: -1

<<Monkey King>> | HP: 72/650 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 2 | BLEEDING 48: 1/2

Shay uses Quick Change to switch to Yatsufusa
BD: 2+6 = 8 Hit! 21 x18 DMG

With her heart on her shoulder - looking quite ugly - Shay begrudgingly asked to join the party for this quest. She didn't need help, she didn't really even want help if it was necessary, but if there was a chance that the NPC was unreachable when someone had the quest annoyed her since she was already present. To be clear, she had no disdain for the woman she was now partying with. The simple thought of social interaction troubled her deeply, however.

"twenty-five percent of the bounty. i guarantee you would not find your mark without my help." The broker would practically demand a share from the two despite only telling them the location, expressing that the two would not be able to find it without her help. Shay's brow sharpened in response. The rewards were less worthwhile than anything she could possibly imagine. The attitude of how much she thought she could contribute with only the location was what bothered her. They were nothing but programming though so she attempted to reel in the bad mood before she scared away the quest partner she'd been graced with. Maybe they weren't so bad.

The broker would then tell them that, despite not coming along, she would know when they killed the boss. Shay bet both her swords that was a fucking lie. They would be being trailed by this NPC the entire time. The assassin sighed in slight annoyance and just accepted it, closing the quest acceptance window in front of her. "ready to head out?" Mishiro asked catching the gaze of crimson pupils. "Yeah." A short moment of silence would wash over the two as they started walking. The assassin wondered if she should just try to keep her mouth shut before she made her first impression worse but ultimately landed on only on thing to say. "Shay." She would offer her name even though it was clearly visible in the party list.

Crimson eyes scanned the streets of Yokan, Shay was on the prowl yet again. Everything in her left felt meaningless at this point so she was looking for that challenge or thrill that could spike her back to something she felt before. Though, deep wounds heal slow. Titan and ChaseR were gone in one way or another and she was left with absolutely nothing but herself. The ache in her heart was numb at this point.

Ending it? A cowards death. Staying 'positive'? The simple thought made her want to dry heave at its utterance. Brood? Hell she barely felt anything from that either. So, the only thing left was to throw herself at everything and one day die trying to find herself again. It was that or bulldoze her way through with the frontlines until she's back to the real world.

Lost in thought, the assassin would find herself bumping into a slightly taller player than herself, quite literally. "Watch it-" Shay caught herself before she blurted out something hurtful. If she could still understand the thought of romance or love, she might have even found the player rather cute. The woman beside her on the other hand was one she recognized as the quest giver she was looking for. The pianist would bow slightly to Mishiro and sigh, almost in a irritated and condescending tone. She wasn't going to wait until the quest giver was free. "I see you're doing the quest. If I could join you that would be..." An irate growl would lace her words. The woman choked up for a moment before spitting it out. "...Nice."

Shay | HP: 700/700 | EN: 84/84 | DMG: 13 | MIT:20 | ACC:5 | EVA:3 | BH:35 | BLD: 48

Shay would stalk the shadows, quietly walking just ahead of the group despite the fact they couldn’t see her. Who would expect her to be right where she was when she disappeared after all. Listening to their conversation was a bit on the annoying side but she at least had a heart. She’d brought them along because they were probably going to attempt the quest anyway and she needed to do it as well. There wasn’t going to be any death amongst this party.

The forest seemed to quiet down very quickly suddenly. To Shay, that meant there was very little wildlife in the area and, given the quest they were doing, meant a predator was chasing everything out. The giant ape was around.

Sewallus would move into a defense mode in front of the other two players. “That she-devil abandoned us! I will not leave you though, support me and we’ll take the creature down.” The Guard Captain would say as Oz called out to her. He raised his weapon in preparation for its arrival.

And its arrival was unexpected. It had somehow snuck up on the group from the side. With an angrily loud screech, it raised its furry palm to smash the small group before Shay’s voice came from out of the blue as surprisingly as she did on the monkey’s back. “影から” Muramasa slid deep into the spine of the ape. It yelped in pain before shaking the woman off. The blade stuck in its back sizzled with a black aura, slowly corroding the enemy it was dug into. Shay would land carefully by the group, readying her second sword for the next attack. “Remember, don’t die.”

[1]Shay | HP: 700/700 | EN: 61/84 | DMG: 13 | MIT:20 | ACC:5 | EVA:3 | BH:35 | BLD: 48
[0]Acanthus
[0]Oz

[0]Sewallus | HP: 400/400 | DMG: 75 (100 on crit) | MIT: 50 | EVA: -1
Monkey King | HP: 612/650 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 2 | BLEEDING 48: 2/2

ST-I vs Monkey King
(13x15)/50 = 98 - 60
BLD applied to Monkey King
^{Translation Note: 影から　- ‘From Shadows’}

Just as she thought she was in the clear to go about her business another player approached her. The disdain she felt for social interaction at this point was already at its maximum potential. If she wasn't careful she would say something she possibly couldn't take back, despite it being for absolutely no reason. "Don't bother me." The woman would say not even turning her head to meet the eyes of the other player. The pianist would open her menu and send an invite to the girl. "And don't die."

Again, just as she was about to leave this horrible social encounter a man made himself known in a fashion that Shay utterly despised. Men were all the same. They have interest in you until they don't and they're on to the next thing no questions asked. Titan had disappeared without a trace after he'd finally broken her out of this shell that she now drapes herself in and ChaseR was... It didn't matter. She knew that if she didn't fill out the party at this point they would all just follow her anyways so she would send the man a friend request before going about her business as if no one was walking with her.

Moments dragged by from the echoing silence of Shay. She drowned out the conversations happening behind her as they travelled through the forest to find the Monkey King and offered no response to any conversing directed towards her. She didn't need their help, she didn't want their help. Just more people to worry about in shitty life that she wasn't sure she wanted anymore.

Her silence would soon be broken by the sound of music, though. A piano composition of her own - A remix of a game soundtrack that she had played before she'd been thrusted into digital jail. As she walked ahead of the group, the assassin would slowly vanish but not into the foliage, just disappear slowly from sight until she was no longer visible. The piano continued...

_{Shay enters Stealth...}
^{LD: 15+5 = 20 to detect}

Shay stepped down from the teleportation platform on Floor Eight and took in the sights. A large forest encompassed the vast majority of Florenthia, however, there seemed to be no canopy of trees over this settlement. Having been to this floor a few times she was familiar with it but was always too busy to really take in those sights. The populace was a mixture of the typical wood elves and humans, along with serveral players going about their daily business just like her. Though her stone faced expression was sure to make any player wonder if she had learned how to hide an orange cursor over her green one.

The quest giver she was looking for, Remington, was found speaking with Sewallus, the Captain of the Guard in Florenthia. Shay would make herself known immediately. “Hey, idiots. I heard you have an ape problem. I’ll take care of it.” Her words were confident, yet demeanor laxed. “Your lack of seriousness in this matter is not helpful stranger. If you want to help, please listen to what we have to say first.” The zoologist would bite back at the woman who was already turning to walk away. “No.” She’ll say trying to begin her search. Sewallus will attempt to stop her, though. “At least allow me to help. It’s my duty to-“

”I said no.” The girl will growl as she continued to walk a way. It would merely be a waste of time for her.

Note: Shay will be accepting Sewallus’ help, she’s just a bitch.

@Oz

Once the hammering of steel stopped, Shay would leave her seat and head back in. The smithy was finished with the blade. The girl would inspect it carefully to its predecessor ensuring the quality. Luckily the man did not disappoint and the blade was nigh a perfect replica of the Muramasa as a side by side comparison would confirm.

”ありがとう。” The dark haired assassin will say simply and place the blades sheathe along with its sister sword on her belt. She’ll offer him a silent nod before being on her way. It was time that she got back to work.

_{Translation of ありがとう - “Thank you.”}

Day 18...?

Exp Total: 363+78=441
Result: +78XP (18, +12+12+36), -5 Tier 1 Materials, Uncommon Crystal (3), Rare Crystal (1)

Shay stepped into the dinky looking smith's place. She really shouldn't be judging the homes/businesses of other players considering her abode is a loft and a piano set on top of a hot spring in the middle of blizzard fields. This was probably the most modest looking establishment she'd ever stepped in. Now that she was coming back from the shadows, sort of, Shay needed to be ready to solo content should it come down to it. She stepped up to the counter, filled out a quick order form and placed Murasame on the counter with the form. Along with the necessities listed, the paper had beautiful Japanese(Translated for those who don't speak or read of course) that simply says "Make a replica, slight adjustments. Thank you." The payment was left with the form and she would take a seat somewhere just outside to wait on her order.

• Current Level: 34
• Current SP: 114
• Link to SP Tracking: [link]
• Item Upgrades: