Nian

thread summary.

HIRRU

+4430xp | (670*10*0.5) + (240*3)
+764col | (xp*0.15) + 100col
+hellstorm. (4)

MORNINGSTAR

+3065xp | (670*7*0.5) + (240*3)
+559col | (xp*0.15) + 100col
+hellstorm. (4)

WULFRIN

+1725xp | (670*3*0.5) + (240*3)
+100col
+hellstorm. (4)

NIAN

+1390xp | (670*2*0.5) + (240*3)
+100col

easy.

nian jumped before the phoenix could've gotten out of its revival spiel, wings spread open wide. she tackled it out from the air with a shoulder tackle, before raising strength above her head, capturing the bird in its buffer. they came crashing down all at once, consumed by flames and fury, and upon their strike to the ground, all the beast had to do was launch a barrage of punches against it, until nothing was left in her wake but dust. never mind the shrill noise of fear that erupted as it shattered into pieces. amidst the drifting shards, nian but clenched her claw and turned to the party.

"if we have elsewhere to be now," she said, "let us be off."

there was a trade offer made in nonchalance to the support of their group. what drops from the phoenix were accumulated were sent over. nian said nothing, but walked on ahead of the group, an ear open for further instructions.

she powered through it. the jolt that sent shocks down her form from that energy boost from the man in green. it wasn't an unpleasant sensation, but it wasn't exactly ideal for her, either. because that made her feel vulnerable.

the king shouldn't be receiving this kind of help from anyone.

so rightfully so, she was energized. restless. the bird was tossed from fighter to fighter, until it ended served right up in front of nian. she tore it out of the air with the swipe of her claw, kneeing its face in, and as it started to stray out of her hold, aloft, she took it down with strength and pummeled it into the ground. 

nian didn't feel done with it yet. 

her digits raked through its pelt, before she sent it off the ground with a kick. down to another fighter. she felt moved enough to chase after it. the glance she gave their support was enough to substitute for a 'thanks'.

nian eyed the blacksmith's setup. one less thing to worry? the way that he had set his attention aside to focus on his weapon already made him out like a liability. it didn't matter so much if they could take down the phoenix as experienced pros at this point. nian simply watched him, obsidian folded and kept across her chest. while she stewed, her eyes went back to the empty space that the phoenix was meant to fill. it couldn't take that long for it to show again, could it?

even if the others were keen on partaking in maintenance, nian wouldn't budge. obsidian's make meant her method of upkeep for it was different, a lot moreso given its complex make as a proxy gauntlet. her eyes drifted away, and she scoffed to no one in particular. "not interested," she decided. nian, practicing her duties, kept her own weapons polished every night.

the blaze didn't faze her. nian narrowed her eyes, strength as her shield as she watched its health from the sidelines. her estimations, her calculations, her accuracy aside, every bone in her body was screaming at her to put an end to the shriek of the bird before them.

so she did just that -- not by giving in to carnal instinct, but through a controlled, notion of channeling the celestial's will. one lunge; she scoffed at how small the bird's skull felt through her claws' digits, malleable though imperceptible, ethereal and unreal, and it was enough to tear away the creature from its fixed aerial position, near tumbling to a side with its own retaliatory cry.

like a child's plaything, she broke it, and felt instant gratification at its shatter.

when she looked to the squad, grimace forcing back a grin, the woman simply released a breath, storming back to their apparent leader.

"... once more here, i take it?"

seventh and eighth. why did they start on the ninth then? with the group also meant to head to the eleventh and onwards, nian's attention faded, trying to recall the net rewards from those bosses: blessing of the wood, lightning rod, darkness salve, light of the--

as far as she knew, there wasn't a threat in aincrad worthy enough for such preparations. except...

she let the puzzle pieces slot themselves together, as the respawned phoenix burst into reality and laid waste to the ground before them. so it was *that* sort of party for such a cause. nian scoffed, holding back a laugh of distaste, before chasing the other red coats into combat. 

two arms out -- the digits of her claws sank into rock, and she pivoted her linear dash to the phoenix to a side-step, skidding to a halt by the bird's flank. with luck, it was past the vanguard's initial blows that she delivered a scratch of her own. nian stayed close, teeth barred, readied for the phoenix's attempt to return from its slumber.

she'd been poised to take down the phoenix if need be, right as it pulled itself from the ashes in a brilliant inferno. not that it mattered, given its destruction at the hands of one of the other players. the withdrawal of strength came with the creak of metal and a sigh.

when she was spoken to, nian figured today was a day she was playing mercenary. again. she avoided turning her head much, her weight on her weapons to hold her upright as the man checked a hypothetical time. wolverine, like the marvel movies? the comparison sailed right past her head, and she shot the blond a puzzled look. "won't need a full bar," was all she said, before glancing to the man in the red coat. if there were other targets, her bluff wouldn't hold up -- but with all things considered, nian could always turn tail and run.

it's not as though she hadn't done it before.

1/3 en regen

in the same way that star had questioned her, so too did she narrow her eyes at the group. the hell was this? peer pressure? nian didn't play well in dynamics as such -- honestly, she'd expected them to just move on from the post without batting an eye.

so finding herself on the ninth with them was something she couldn't exactly attest to expecting. a varsity jacket was the closest thing she'd put on to armor that day besides strength. the player did eye the party's movements as they strode up to where the field boss was located -- supposedly -- and charged in as though they hadn't a second thought.

this time, the emperor needed a moment to think.

nian snarled. when she rushed in as well, it was the opportunity cost to end the fight sooner that leant reason to her strike. and here she'd expected to put on a show to begin with. maybe the fate's hand this day was for her to take it slow?

unguarded, save for a cat.

between her lanky form from the lack of the dress up and the brunette locks, she must've looked like an average refugee on the first, wandering in just to take in the shop's sights. hands in her jean's pockets, a white shirt, looking half sloppy. perhaps that's why the guard didn't seem to stir, either. so, just as silently as she'd came, nian snuck a choice few pieces left out behind the counter before slinking away without a trace. they wouldn't track her down, she figured. and neither would they be able to, if nian had did this right.

taking.

heaven's mandate. | [#215727-1] | TIER 1 JEWELRY | ACC III
[desc.]: a single red cloth earring with gold embroidery, with which the right to rule all under heaven is bestowed.

earth's primordiality. | [#215727-2] | TIER 1 JEWELRY | EVA III
[desc.]: a gold bangle, for whom shall control victory in battle.

a poster?

"out of the way."

she'd brushed a curious witness aside, hand on their shoulder, pushing herself forward. something on it in capital text highlighted some sort of strange importance, especially when it was put up by an individual that looked nothing like the average serf. in fact, to put it lightly, it seemed like an odd number of stronger individuals had congregated for one reason or another.

field bosses, it read.

nian had stolen the kill of one before.

before this, it had been an ordinary day. nian rarely decided to don her business suit in town -- it commanded attention, and amongst the rabble it would be too much. so a red shirt and slacks with that (un)notorious cap would be enough. it was anyone's guess if she'd just woken up from a nap or otherwise.

"hellfire's popular," one of them had said. and how strange to think that they were recruiting publicly for something known to be so dangerous. nian stared at the poster, hands in her pockets, expression bordering on irritation for several beats before glancing over to the players around it.

then, she pulled out her own hellfire and bounced it in her hand. "are you numbskulls talking about this?"

"it was easy," she recited, partly through gritted teeth. lying was way easier when you looked the part. "i'd practically solo-ed it. what's the big deal?"

[[ N I A N ]]

Lv. 17 | NIAN | HP: 380/380 | EN: 52/52 | DMG: 16 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 5 | MIT: 36

Spoiler    equipment  STR-v2 +6 DMG heaven's mandate. +3 ACC earth's primordality. +3 EVA    br.inventory  Teleport Crystals (3) Cold Brew Coffee (5) | HP RECOVERY III | [link] Golden Key (3) Chocolate Truffles [+4 EN/ea] (5)    skills  Spoiler total: 78/85 CLAWS | RANK 5/5 stamina, precision, ferocity aoe shift  COMBAT MASTERY: MIT | RANK 3/3 HOWL focused howl    buffs  Spoiler field rations (+12% hp) | 1/1 creme brulee (+2 acc) | 3/3 smores (+2 eva) | 3/3    sword arts  Spoiler all sword arts en match their multiplier unless stated otherwise. en for aoes is += (2 * targets). x15 | aoe-i x18 | aoe-ii x20 | st-b x12 | tech-a | stun | 13en x12 | tech-b | delay x8 | tech-f | stun aoe    misc.  Spoiler

 thread summary.

Nian

+ 2037xp | (693 * 0.7 * 2) * 2 * 1.05
+ 3456col
+ 26 materials
+ Tier 1 Perfect Consumable (1) | [223642]
+ Tier 1 Perfect Trinket (1) | [223626]
+ Tier 1 Perfect Weapon (1) | [223626]
+ Tier 1 Rare Armor (1) | [223651]
+ Tier 1 Rare Trinket (1) | [223630]
+ Tier 1 Rare Weapon (1) | [223639]
+ Tier 1 Uncommon Consumable (3) | [223629] | [223628] | [223639]

euled

+ 1018xp | (693 * 0.7) * 1.05
+ 1,456col | (1056 + 400)
+ 14 materials
+ Tier 1 Rare Weapon (2) | [223634] | [223649]
+ Tier 1 Uncommon Consumable (2) | [223634] | [223649]
 

before he even got a proper blow out, too. strength had absorbed most of the impact, and so too did it protect euled enough to deal the final blow. that left nemo nothing but a detransformed, struggling mess. the dragon, now human once more, kneeled with a hand to the ground, panting hard.

nian stood in front of him. strength grabbed and twisted the collar of his apron in a vicegrip, near threatening to piece the cloth through. how was he not dead yet? nemo wore an expression of ire as she dragged him close.

"you will relinquish the garden to me now, yes?"

nemo breathed. he nearly growled. but after a silence, he sputtered out an unconvincing, "yes." it satisfied nian enough for her to drop him to the ground.

with a sigh, she turned to the skies. it was a once wonderful day, but it seemed as though it was getting cloudy.

she turned to euled in response.

"now, begone."

she froze at the mention of his looks, peering over her shoulder with an ounce of disgust.

"... maybe you should also seek out a stylist back in town."

nian continued walking as euled checked back in with nemo. but the lack of response only left a gap in the conversation to fill. it matched the state of her energy, and so she lifted a finger to gesture towards another plains with a set of flowery baby dragons. based on their position, nian had guessed, they'd come full circle around the golden oak.

"there's the next pack. get ready."

she got into position, holding a stance prior to lunging at one in the field. but a sudden bolt from the sky blustered the grounds before them, accompanied by the howl of something non-human.

"stop."

when the gale had settled, what stood before them in the clearing, hatchling-free, was a dragon that matched the tallest tree nearby in height, with three pairs of wings the span of the clearing's entrance. nian stilled, eyes narrowed.

"you will go no further. i, nemo, groundskeeper of these gardens forbid of you, especially of those against my kin."

what luck. he really was a monster then, as it turned out. nian scoffed at his words, before launching herself off the ground.

"out of my way!"

"...You're pretty cool, huh?"

"what's that?"

and yet euled was still unfazed.

given up? nian wasn't about giving up. as king, she was stalwart, steadfast. "our priorities simply differ," she sneered, without malice. "tall order for you to determine that you would be the change to see on the front, however. with what rule?"

euled remained relaxed. a familiar demeanor, she noted, from that twice-met, barely-seen plini she once knew. only heavens knew where the man was by now, and nian only recognized that it was that similarity pushing her to stay her hand and observe.

bonds she would discard. a monarch must stand alone.

"Nah, I probably won't join a guild. I don't like taking orders, y'know?"

nian hummed. "not all guilds operate in hierarchy. some exist as a shelter for others to gather around. a barely operating empire, unguarded. there is a certain strength in unity; and that is the paradox of those in the front."

they shuffled forth, all manner of shrubbery passing them by. still contemplating her companion's words, she offloaded her capacity for him to bear instead. "the boss. do you spy any signs of it yet?"

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 26/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
restoring en. (3/3)

nothing can beat reality?

"hmph."

then euled spoke of an ordinary happiness. so nian eventually understood, brows furrowed, hiding the snarl that was threatening to creep into her visage.

his intent was just so... sickening. foreign.

she contemplated her options. there was no point in keeping such an individual around. the world beyond was out of their reach, after all: as almighty as she was as emperor, in aincrad, nian could only do so much beyond breaking themselves out of here. and she'd be insane to try that.

then a secondary thought occurred to her, one that cemented her perspective of being a genius: the floor bosses were going to be impossible to take down, anyway. why not let fate handle things, since blessings were on her side?

nian clicked her tongue and waved strength's palm around past thinking it through. so be it. "good for you. you speak of independence, and yet you know nothing of this world. all the better to find someone else who does reside on that threshold once you get back, since you desire to match them so much. oh, if they invite you to ride on their coat tails, wouldn't they be glad? that's one more lamb to the slaughter, isn't it? if you can make it safely to the raid at all."

the machine's grip tightened as nian clenched her fist. her threat wasn't empty, but it wasn't on her to deliver judgement, so seemed the world to say.

"next thing you'll be speaking about is amassing friends in guilds or some such. such is the way of players like yourself. children's playthings, the lot. they will not be worth my time."

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 7/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
restoring en. (2/3)

"Fools?" A little harsh, no?"

"i call it as i see it," nian stated matter-of-factly. "they chase a 'freedom' they know not the price of. there is little point in leaving when they would just return in the first place. in case you have forgotten... that is what this world is for."

"escapism."

strength echoed at each bend of her arm, the woman gesturing to make her point clear. "tell me. what awaits you outside of the boundaries of our cell that beckons you get out of it so much? there is naught but a devastating reality beyond these walls, is there not? even the sheer matter of your arrogance in leaving the town of beginnings set aside, if you truly wish for subjugation, then even you too can saddle your fates upon the backs of the truly deserving."

"what differs between i, and you now, from the citizens in the city is..."

nian's voice fell, searching for the words. when she decided it was not worth the trouble, she blinked. "i know what i am worthy for. what could a mere commoner like you be moved from?"

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 6/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
restoring en. (1/3)

only one down? then again, nian hadn't expected anything at all.

she dove past euled towards the nymph that had tried to attack him. a swift strike from the king -- one uppercut had halted another attack telegraphed from the mantis, while the spin afterwards allowed her claws to shred its form into pieces. the burst afterwards were as though the enemy were shedding its tears.

nian snarled afterwards, returning to a neutral stance. any immediate threats had been cleared -- that much was certain. "no signs of our mark here," she declared.

and with that came their routine, walking further into the gardens to seek out their target once more. the plan was straightforward -- enough to grate the emperor with the presence of another if it went on for long enough.

so she turned to euled again. "the raid you mentioned. why are you so keen to join the errant fools gathering around it? many have made peace with the gaol. there is no glory found in risking death."

"so be it."

the spot he'd chosen was easy for movement. so it made equal sense that the killing would be made quick and painless upon the enemies that awaited them. not the wolves similar to those hiding out in the den were present -- rather, it was a number of tall lanky bugs, akin to preying mantises.

if it were not for their height, perhaps they would've been decent at hiding amongst the flowers, given their hue. to the players, then, they were a simple find.

nian wasted no time charging into a fight. strength made a fist and slammed it into its companion palm. one leap, accompanied by a yell, and two large fists pummled the ground. almost instantly, the surrounding pack of bugs near where she stood were gone.

which left a few smore stragglers whose eyes were left to settle on nian. it was then, perhaps, for the first time that day that she smiled. one of her metal knuckles hit the ground, the other stretched outwards with her palm open wide.

"come," she ordered. "meet your maker!"

she hummed. friends. that word again. for the gardener to put himself so lowly down to that of the level of monsters was a decent way of saying he, too, didn't value his own life. even moreso backed by nian's initial resolve to take over the garden herself -- if such was the case, then perhaps this place really did belong to her, after all.

now, what to do about this dog trailing her every step...

"... since this is a dungeon, after all," nian started, eyes to the sky as they passed the green scenery by, almost as though she wasn't planning to look upon them. "surely there must be a boss ruling over these grounds, and that would maximize the reward potential from raiding this place. are you in agreement?"

it would be one step towards fashioning the garden to her liking, but yet another to assert her dominance upon the initial groundskeeper, that worthless gardener lurking in the dark behind them.

"then we hunt for it. let this be the lesson you walk away with today: that all weak beings shall fall under rule of the strong... ergo myself."

nian gestured towards the view beyond them, an eye kept to euled. "i shall honor you with a boon, to aid your understanding. you may pick where we start the culling next. ...choose well."

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 26/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
en restored. (3/3)

"You're the best!"

nian almost stopped in her tracks at his words. finally, someone who knew their place. she looked over her shoulder just to make sure he at least knew how to equip her gift. "of course i am," she said, voice low, with a hint of disdain, and a frightening lack of irony. "i would not be the emperor of aincrad if i wasn't."

then, she continued on, the digits of strength clenched into fists.

euled's check into nemo did not go without response. but neither was nemo in any shape to move. he simply tried to form his telling smile yet again. "ah, no... i didn't get hurt. rather..."

he gestured to the den, now canine-less. "those wolves you killed... um... they were my friends..."

nemo tilted his head, smile still wry. "i-i mean... maybe this is just a misunderstanding of sorts, right? wolves are difficult to discriminate between... if they're friendly or hostile..." his sights went to nian in the distance. "maybe your friend was just trying to help, or something."

he waved a hand. "well... i'd best be making preparations for their loss now. um, would you mind telling -- uh, nian -- about the situation? it'd be best for anyone else who lives in the garden not to get hurt, after all. i don't trust her, but... i can trust you, right, euled?"

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 7/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
restoring en. (2/3)

once was a fluke. twice might be luck. the third...

never mind how much damage euled could deal for the moment. once the wolves were dispatched of, nian noticed a chunk of health taken off her companion's bar. she turned to him, eying up his garb. for someone with light clothes on, only a slow oaf would've taken a strike like that -- unlike herself, who decided she would command the attention of her enemies. and, if the pawn next to her was any liability to go by, nian wouldn't stand for being in its presence.

puk gaai. a trial from on high, then. fortunately nian had the resources and resolve to treat him.

through her inventory, she summoned an olive coat that had a fur trim -- it almost looked like scrap cloth in strength's grasp. then, nian strode forth, handing the item to euled. the way she did it almost seemed forced, and had euled not been careful, the item would've been punched into him through strength's brutality -- but the item was his all the same.

"alone is not an option for you. not. yet. get some better armor when you're in town, or stay in a party. carelessness will find you otherwise."

then, she started walking off again, down the path they'd taken. from behind them, nemo seemed to be still, watching, mouth agape. there was pain painted on his face.

trading to euled:

Fur-Hooded Down Jacket
[#178707] | TIER 1 LIGHT ARMOR | MITIGATION II, REGEN I
A fluffy green winter jacket. The design was taken from a manga only read once.

NIAN | HP: 80/80 | EN: 6/26 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 5 | EVA: 3 | MIT: 18 | LD: 3
restoring en. (1/3)

so the pup has a bite.

nian watched the mossy wolf crumble to submission, before turning about just as the first strides were made from the next, and last, wave of wolves. a swipe took out their vanguard, missing one from the flank based off her angle. the next, she allowed her front exposed, and on quick instincts grabbed one that had been baited to lunge at her.

with one grab upon delicate digital bones, the king crushed her victim's windpipe, letting its ashes be swept up by the wind.

it mattered not that there was one hound left nipping at her feet. a playful thing -- untrained, barbaric -- it leapt at her in an attempt to damage her form, but barely a nick of health was stolen from her pool. strength was all but enough for nian to fend it away with a slap for the time being, just as her energy was beginning to restore itself.

in the meantime, however, the one she'd let escape darted towards euled, and bit his arm in a rush.

"alone, you say?"

"hey, euled! uhh... emperor nian! we're here! come take a look around!"

by this point, they'd fallen behind nemo slightly, but nian would object the gardener himself being hasty in earnest of his hard work. so she picked up her pace instead to meet nemo where he was at. a crossroads between different paths now, it seemed; beyond the shrubbery, in the distance lied a large oak with leaves in gold hues. it seemed to mark their trail as an icon.

upon its sight, nemo but fiddled with his hat.

"yeah, it... might look a little grandiose i suppose. and i didn't plant that tree exactly, but it was the centerpiece i found while adventuring that i wanted to build my garden around..."

-- she couldn't care less.

"we'll be looking around on our own then, nemo," nian unceremoniously cut in. her back was already turned to him as he scrambled for a reply.

"o-oh! of course! i mean, i'll probably follow along behind you, i'd like to see what you two might find endearing about my garden is all!"

"do what you want."

and she didn't wait for euled to follow her again, either. rather, heading down one of the paths, she commanded it with the snap of strength's fingers.

"euled," nian started, voice rougher than it was earlier. "before you get yourself killed unceremoniously in the middle of nowhere, would you like to back up your claims with raw evidence?"

in a large clearing they would come across were a pack of mossy wolves, living in a den structured out of carefully curated hedges. nian pointed to them from a safe distance.

"we will start here. and," she glared at euled from the corner of her vision, "before you think of me unbenevolent, i will make this easy for you."

nian did exactly as she said she would do.

one step back, before she lunged into the fight. strength was the moniker for that ungodly lump of metal strapped to her arm like a monolith, large enough to act as tower shields, yet with razor-sharp tips as proxy for her fingers, enough to act as giant paws for a metallic god. unusual as the weapon was, nian moved through battle as though she were water, unhindered by the weight of the world on her shoulders. before any of the wolves could've reacted from her sudden onslaught, one by one, they fell.

and as the rest of the pack started to gather, howling to rally a repel against their home's invaders, they formed a ring neatly around the one member nian had purposefully excluded from her assault.

ears folded back, and its leaves as fur bristled, tense. nian was all that stood between it and its family. behind it was euled.

so she pointed with strength's index towards it.

"well? go on. prove your worth."

"... hmm."

perplexing. while her temporary ally did seem like a mere gopher, she couldn't dispute against his desire to claw for more power, either. only the strong survive. and nian would be the strongest of them all...

"I want to join the raid they're gonna have at Floor 28."

... but nian would only be the strongest for her own needs. raids? not as though she should care, unless they rallied under her banner exclusively.

maybe, nian thought, this must be a blessing in disguise. just as likely, she figured, her question wasn't answered in full.

so she tried again, eyes towards nemo's back. "i wasn't just asking about this quest in particular, mortal. surely, if this was truly a dungeon, there would be reason to take caution and venture in as a group, is there not?"

she dragged her eyes over to her companion, claws folded over her chest. "so, euled. why are you here alone? ... are you trying to get yourself killed?"

TRAVELLING TO NEMO'S GARDEN. (3/4)

"uh... emperor nian. okay, and..."

"The name's Euled!"

"right! euled! nice to meet you!"

the way nemo had responded back to the other player almost seemed as though he was cheered up after interacting with the first. nian had reason to understand this amongst commoners: fools rarely differ after all. she all but followed matching his pace once nemo started off with a beckon over his shoulder. "okay! it's a bit of a walk more from here, but i promise it'll be worth it. let's take it slow if we need to, okay? you know, it's not like i get many visitors around."

and nian... barely knew how to respond to such a comment.

her iron gauntlets balled up their digits. but the king still held her head up high, practicing that virtue, patience. if she could wait this long for an opportunity to have matched her greatness, she could wait a little longer for the respect she deserved.

instead, she trained her sights onto the errand boy next to her. studied him quiet for a bit. then, eyes narrowed, she asked, "why ever are you here, on your own, amongst the other people or quests in aincrad?"

-- there was nothing special about him that she could tell, after all. but people often flocked together in groups; there was safety in numbers. and right now, he just looked like prey.

TRAVELLING TO NEMO'S GARDEN. (1/4)