Exo-Arcana Online

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(Note: This chapter is longer that usual, so enjoy!)

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The next day, Akito found himself back in school, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape the storm of gossip surrounding yesterday's events. His classroom buzzed with endless chatter:

"Did you hear what happened in EAO?!"

"Yeah! Who is this Hoshigari guy, anyway?"

"I heard he played tons of old and mid-tier VR MMORPGs!"

"Hoshigari..."

Hoshigari. Hoshigari. Hoshigari. His in-game name was the only thing he could hear, repeated over and over by his classmates. The sheer attention made him feel awkward, suffocated even.

Needing some air, he slipped out of the classroom, phone in hand. A quick web search of "EAO Hoshigari" revealed over 14,000 search results, countless discussions, theories, and debates about his sudden rise to fame.

Before he could process it all, an arm slung itself around his shoulder.

"Hey there, Boss~."

Akito turned his head slowly, only to be met with the sinister grins of Maki and Tsuchi.

"Let's have a chat!~"

Akito chuckled awkwardly as they dragged him toward the school's rooftop, a secluded place perfect for their "interrogation."

Meanwhile, Nozomi Nozuki was practically drowning in a sea of admirers. Her classmates swarmed her, showering her with praise and peppering her with questions about the mysterious players, Hoshigari and Yukinox. Despite her usual grace, she was visibly overwhelmed.

Glancing to the side, she spotted Akito being forcefully escorted- no, dragged to the rooftop by Tsuchi and Maki. Her eyes narrowed with interest.

On the rooftop, Akito was cornered, staring at his two "captors." Their eyes burned with curiosity—and a hint of betrayal.

"Boss..."

"Yeah?"

"You have some explainin' to do."

"Uh…"

"Akito, you need to tell us how in the hell you managed to defeat a LITERAL UNIQUE WORLD BOSS!"

"AND THE FIRST ONE EVER SEEN!"

"Uhh… it's a long story?"

"WE DON'T CARE! EXPLAIN!"

"Alright! Alright! Fine!"

Taking a deep breath, Akito began his explanation:

"After you guys logged off, Noctatsu and I planned to grind some quests, y'know, to level up. But we got sidetracked when we found this unmarked path on the Digi-Map. It wasn't supposed to be there, so we decided to check it out."

"Mhm…"

"On the way, we ran into Yukinox—the streamer, his class is Mecha Rider and his sub-class is Longsword Warrior. He mentioned he was a fan, sent me a friend request, and I accepted."

"Why?"

"He seemed harmless."

"Alright, continue."

"We followed the trail up a mountain until we reached a cave entrance. Inside… was a cemetery."

Silence.

"A... cemetery?"

"Yeah. And in the middle of it, we found the Rank 4 player, Yukihikari. She was already investigating the area. Then, we found a massive tombstone—Vhalzakyr's tombstone. Yukinox, out of pure curiosity, read the inscriptions aloud..."

"Mhm…"

"And that triggered the boss fight. Vhalzakyr, The Restless Revenant, awakened. He was beyond tough. We were on the verge of getting wiped so many times. But after a grueling battle, we won. And man, the rewards… They were insane. Tons of special materials, experience, and creds. And the biggest prize? Vhalzakyr's calmed spirit gave us the chance to restore and upgrade one piece of our equipment with his power. Noct restored his scarf and upgraded his ninjato. I restored and upgraded my Howitzer Hand-Held Cannon."

Maki and Tsuchi were silent, trying to process what they just heard.

Finally, Maki sighed. "I still can't believe you actually took down a freakin' Unique World Boss. I'm baffled and impressed at the same time."

Tsuchi crossed her arms, pouting. "It's kinda unfair..."

"If it'll make you guys feel better, I could split the 6,000,000,000 Cred rewards three ways."

Silence.

Then—

"SIX BILLION CREDITS?!" Tsuchi and Maki screamed in unison.

"SIX BILLION?! YOU GOT SIX BILLION CREDITS FOR DEFEATING IT?!" Maki practically shrieked.

"Mhm. So… you want 2 billion each or not?"

"HELL YEAH, I DO! I'M SORRY FOR BEING RUDE, BOSS! PLEASE GIMME DA MONEY!" Maki shouted comically, hands clasped together in a begging motion.

"I DO TOO!" Tsuchi added, meekly raising her hand.

Akito chuckled. "Alright, alright. Once we get back on later."

The interrogation ended, and they finally let him go. As classes wrapped up, the trio walked down the school hallway, ready to head home—until they ran into someone unexpected.

Nozomi Nozuki.

"Hey again!"

"Congratulations, Nono-san!" Tsuchi greeted.

"Huh? Why are you congratulating her? What'd she do?" Akito asked, confused.

Tsuchi and Maki looked at him like he grew a second head. "You don't know her?!"

"I keep bumping into her, but that's all."

"Boss… You literally played with her yesterday."

"Huh?"

"She was in your party when you defeated the Unique World Boss."

"Yukinox?"

"No, Yukihikari. The 4th Ranked Player in EAO."

Akito blinked. "Ohhh... OH!"

"Shh! She still doesn't know your identity!"

"Crap, right!"

Clearing his throat, Akito put on a casual front. "Yes! congratulations on defeating the Unique World Boss, Yukihikari!"

Nozomi smiled. "Thank you! You played excellently as well, Hoshigari."

Silence.

Then—

"HOW'D YOU KNOW?!" the trio shouted in unison.

Nozomi giggled, winking playfully. "Don't worry! I won't tell anyone about your identity. Hope we can play again soon!~"

She patted Akito's shoulder before walking away, leaving the trio frozen in place.

As they finally snapped out of their daze, they exchanged looks.

"We're kinda screwed, aren't we?" Maki muttered.

"Yeah… probably," Akito sighed as they made their way home.

...

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"Game Continue!"

[Welcome back to Exo-Arcana Online, fateforger Hoshigari!]

His avatar materialized out of thin air with a tired sleeping Noctatsu materializing beside him after.

-[Gloamhaven Inn]-

He rose up from the bed as he stretched his arms to the air, as then-

[Notifications (+99) (!)]

"HOLY DAMN! JUST BECAUSE I MANAGED TO DEFEAT A UNIQUE WORLD BOSS, THEY ARE NOW SENDING ME FRIEND REQUESTS AND CLAN INVITES! JEEZ!"

[Muted Incoming Notifications for 9 Hours]

"Alright, first order of business! My stats!"

[Available SP: 100]

"This'll only take a few seconds.."

[+30 Added to Perception]

[+20 Added to Luck]

[+15 Added to Defense

[+15 Added to Vitality

[+10 Added to Strength

[+5 Added to Agility

[+5 Added to Stamina

[SP Distributed]

-[Status Attributes (Updated)]-

Vitality: 50 (+15)

Defense: 50 (+19)

Strength: 70 (+5)

Arcana: 33 (+15)

Perception: 125 (+25)

Dexterity: 45 (+5)

Agility: 70 (+15)

Stamina: 70 (+15)

Luck: 130 (+5)

"Stats are done! Now let's check out this new weapon."

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As he then decided to check out his new upgraded weapon.

[Viridian Coffin]

"Bound no longer to the grave, its restless power now takes aim."

Rarity: Unique

Base Rounds: Crimson Leech Rounds - Fires full-auto red-glowing bullets that drain 2% of the target's health per hit. These rounds do not regenerate the user's shields, only their base HP. Excellent for sustained combat, especially in close-to-mid range fights.

Body Damage: 10-15 hitpoint damage (20 critical hitpoint damage)

Head Shot Damage: 30-35 hitpoint damage (40 critical hitpoint damage)

Firing Type: Full Auto

Ammo Capacity: 100

Effective Range: Short, Medium & Long

Bullet Drop: None

Recoil: Low

Unique Skills of the Viridian Coffin:

(Note: Unique Rarity Weapons are indestructable & cannot be broken/no durability limit)

(Note: Unique Rarity Weapons have a Unique Ultimate Skill)

>Ethereal Shield (A spectral shield barrier formed from pure Lightning Arcana.)

(Effect: Creates a semi-transparent energy shield in front of the user. Duration: As long as the user feeds it Lightning Arcana (depletes Arcana over time). Break Effect: If shattered, it goes on a 12-second cooldown before it can be redeployed.)

>Gluttony Ghoul (An ethereal skull emerges, devouring all coming in its path—turning enemy fire into fuel for destruction.)

(Effect: The coffin opens, unleashing a massive ghostly skull that hovers momentarily in front of the user. The skull automatically devours incoming ranged attacks (bullets, bolts, arrows) and converts them into ammunition, reloading Viridian Coffin in real time. Absorption Effect: If the skull consumes elemental Arcana-based projectiles or spells, it converts the energy into Ether, filling the Ether Bar to make it able to use it's ultimate skill. Cooldown: 3 seconds. Additional Utility: Can be used as a temporary projectile shield, absorbing attacks for a short moment before vanishing.)

>Grasp of the Beyond (Spectral arms emerge from the coffin, reaching for souls.)

(Effect: The coffin opens, sending out long-reaching spectral ghostly arms. Grab Effect: If they connect, they slam the target into the ground for crowd control. Targets can also be thrown forward or backward depending on the user's aim. Cooldown: 10 seconds. Additional Utility: Can be used to interrupt enemies mid-attack.)

>Haunting Chain (A cursed chain extending from the void.)

(Effect: Fires a long chain with a spectral hook at the end. Hit Effect: If it hits an enemy, it pulls them toward the user and deals 5 damage. (Does not affect Super Bosses or higher-ranked enemies.) If it hits a surface, it pulls the user toward that location for quick mobility. Cooldown: 8 seconds. Additional Utility: Can be used for traversal, reaching high ground, or repositioning quickly.)

>Wraithburst (A devastating close-range spectral blast.)

(Effect: Releases a blast of ethereal energy from the coffin. Damage: Extremely high (Specifically 200 Damage on an AI Mob & 150 Damage on players), but only at close range. Best Used After: Successfully pulling a target in with Haunting Chain (Skill 4). Cooldown:10 seconds.)

Viridian Coffin's Ultimate Skill:

>Vhalzakyr's Wrath

(Effect: The coffin opens, summoning the spirit of Vhalzakyr, wielding his Greatsword. User Chooses One Attack: SIDEWAYS Slay – A wide sweeping slash, hitting multiple enemies. FALL Strike – A heavy downward smash, dealing staggering AOE damage. RISE Strash – A vertical rising slash, launching foes into the air. SPLITTER – A devastating ground-splitting slash. Activation Requirement: Must fill the Ether Bar by continuously dealing damage with Viridian Coffin.)

"HOLY DAMN! THIS THING IS HELLA OP! I can't wait to see the looks on their faces once they see this bad boy! HAHAHA!" He joyfully remarked as he equipped it.

-[Equipment Menu]-

-[Equipment Menu Updated]-

[Right Handed Weapon - Viridian Coffin]

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As he then checked the durability state of the two pistols he used yesterday.

"Yeesh! These need a tuning and refining, badly! Hmm... Sushi and Maki did say that they would get on soon, I could quickly head over to Deadeye Ballistics."

As Noctatsu woke up yawning, he questioned, "What are we going to do today, sir?"

"We're heading over to Deadeye Ballistics again, I need to fix up my weapons' durability."

"Aye aye!" Noctatsu replied with a salute as he hopped on Hoshigari's shoulder and they headed off to Deadeye Ballistics.

(Hoshigari's Credits: 2,000,010,390)

Once they reached there, they were once again greeted by Ivar's thick Scandinavian accent.

"Welcome to Deadeye Ballistics—OH! It's you! Welcome back! What brings ya here?"

"Durability fixing..."

As he placed his Ebonflame Desert Eagle on the counter.

"And... Hmm.."

He then placed his StrikerM10 Handgun and Spark Light Shooter Handgun.

"Do you think you could maybe try if weapon fusion upgrading these two is an option?"

As he didn't waste any time and also placed all of his materials on the counter.

"Aye! Aye indeed! With just 10 Storm of the Bog's Lightning Sharp Claws, 5 Ethereal Essence, 5 Shattered Spectral Armor Pieces, and some of this leftover refined steel and metal I have here, I could transform these two into a Legendary Revolver that possesses the Lightning Arcana's full might. The gun is called [Zeus], and it pairs perfectly with your Ebonflame here!"

"That sounds hella cool!"

"Indeed! But it'll cost ya a pretty dime though, do you think you have the creds for both the durability restoration for your Ebonflame, and also the weapon fusion upgrade for creating [Zeus]?"

"I got the creds with me, just do what you need to do, sir!"

"Alright, I'll be right back. I'll start first with your durability restoration in the back, then I'll work on the weapon fusion upgrade. Wait here!"

Hoshigari nodded and waited.

[3-4 Minutes Later]

"Alright! Your Ebonflame is back to its glory! Now... let's start with your weapon fusion upgrade, shall we?"

As both the StrikerM10 and Spark Light Shooter lifted off the air, the materials spun around them and combined. With great force of his hands, Ivar pushed the two guns into one another, merging them into a single form—creating the [Zeus (Legendary)].

"Alright lad, in total, it'll cost ya... 15,750 Creds."

Hoshigari accepted as the credits were deducted from him.

[Credits: 1,999,994,640]

"Pleasure doin' business with you again, friend!"

"The same goes for me as well!"

"Have a great day, lad!"

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As they exited the shop, Hoshigari examined his new weapon.

[Zeus]

"The last thing they'll hear is the crack of divine judgment."

[This pistol shoots lightning bolt bullets that deals piercing damage that also simultaneously deals lightning damage, it has a medium to high fire-rate and low recoil, it acts as a revolver with only 6 shots of ammo]

Rarity: Legendary

Base Rounds: Piercing Lightning Bolt Bullets that lightning damage at the same time

Body Damage: 40-60 hitpoint damage (80 critical hitpoint damage)

Head Shot Damage: 90 hitpoint damage (180 critical hitpoint damage)

Firing Type: Semi-Auto

Ammo Capacity: 6

Effective Range: Short, Medium & Long

Bullet Drop: None

Recoil: Low

Legendary Skills of the Zeus:

> Fall Volt Hammer (Pistol Whip – 25 DMG to AI, 15 DMG to Players, 1s cooldown for AI, 5s cooldown for Players, 5 second Shock Paralyze Stun, 5 second cooldown.)

> Boltstep (A Lightning Dash – Quick movement for dodging, 3 second cooldown)

> Thunderstorm's Decree (A Charged Thunderbolt Shot Fires into the sky, calling down lightning that deals 80-100 DMG per hit)

"Huh... pretty nice!"

"I do agree as well, sir Hoshigari"

"Alrighty! Let's wait for Sushi and Maki at the fountain"

"Yes sir!"

As they then began walking back to Gloamhaven's fountain, waiting for Sushi Slice and Makidon to get back on.

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But while they were waiting, someone else came online before them,

Pling! [Player Yukinox is Online!]

"Oh, it looks like Yu is online!" Hoshigari muttered, eyes flicking to the notification.

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[Message from Yukinox (!)]

[Yukinox]: wya?

[Hoshigari]: Gloamhaven fountain, w8ing for Sushi Slice & Maki to get back on

[Yukinox]: alr heading there rn, cant w8 2 meet them

[Hoshigari]: Gl I think they'll be jealous of u

[Yukinox]: y?

[Hoshigari]: The 6 Bil Creds as a reward 4 defeating mr. ghost knight

[Yukinox]: lmao

[Hoshigari]: Lol

[Yukinox]: Alr, meet u there

[Hoshigari]: Alr

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As Yukinox arrived, he gave Hoshigari a playful punch on the arm. "Yo Hoshi! Crazy day yesterday, huh?"

Hoshigari let out an exaggerated sigh. "Mhm, too many classmates saying my in-game name in class."

"Haha... same here," Yukinox chuckled. "By the way, you tried out your new ghost-upgraded weapon yet?"

"Nope, not yet," Hoshigari admitted.

"Same here. After that entire fight, I was all juiced outta energy, so I just ran back to the inn and crashed." Yukinox grinned lazily.

"Same here," Hoshigari nodded.

"Did you check out that tome yet?" Yukinox suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Hoshigari tilted his head in confusion.

"The 'Tall Tales of Vhalzakyr' tome you got from the rewards?" Yukinox clarified.

"Oh, that..." Hoshigari muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Nah, not yet."

"Well, apparently, from what I got from reading it, Vhalzakyr was actually one of the ten Apex Paragons of this world," Yukinox said, eyes gleaming.

"Apex Paragons?" Hoshigari questioned.

"One of the ten strongest beings that have existed in this world for eons. They've become spirits, lingering in different regions. And we—" Yukinox pointed between them, "—just saved one from his suffering. But get this: in the tome, Vhalzakyr was stated to be the weakest of the ten."

"The weakest?" Hoshigari raised a brow.

"Yeah, which is why he compensates for his low vitality with heavy armor. But his real specialties? Agility and strength. Each of the ten Apex Paragons focuses on two attributes and has a critical weakness to a specific one."

"Huh... that's actually really useful information," Hoshigari muttered.

"I know, right?" Yukinox smirked. "So... do you wanna test out our new ghost-upgraded weapons?"

Hoshigari sighed. "Sure, why not?"

"We could test 'em out in a forest nearby," Yukinox suggested as he clapped his hands together.

"Alrighty... Lemme just text them real quick." Hoshigari opened the group chat.

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[EAO Group Chat]

[Hoshigari]: Me n Yukinox will be inside a forest nearby Gloamhaven, come find us there

[Makidon]: Alr

[Sushi Slice]: Ok

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"Alright, we got the green light. Let's head over," Hoshigari said.

"Let's get moving then," Yukinox nodded.

A soft voice chimed in. "Sir Hoshigari, may I continue to rest? I still feel exhausted from our last battle." It was Noctatsu, speaking in his usual respectful tone.

"Yeah, sure thing, Noct! You earned it!" Hoshigari gave a thumbs-up.

"Thank you for your kindness." With a bow, Noctatsu faded into the inventory, showing [Noctatsu - Recovering].

Hoshigari turned to Yukinox. "Looks like it's just you and me, Yu."

"Yessir!" Yukinox grinned.

With that, they set off toward the ominous Witherwood Thicket—a place shrouded in mist, where the gnarled, grey trees twisted unnaturally with black leaves.

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...

Now we take a look at another certain person's point of view...

[Welcome back to Exo-Arcana Online, fateforger Yukihikari!]

-[Gloamhaven Inn]-

Nozomi Nozuki's avatar materialized in the virtual world, her ethereal form stabilizing as she stood inside the dimly lit Gloamhaven Inn. No sooner had she taken a breath than a relentless barrage of notifications flooded her interface.

"I knew this would happen… Jeez."

[Message from Lamp0Lyte (!)]

"Oh god…" she muttered.

[Lamp0Lyte]: WHAT DID YOU DO?! HOW DID YOU FIND A UNIQUE WORLD BOSS?!

"I knew she was gonna be pissed about it…" Yukihikari sighed, rubbing her temples.

: Pls stop shouting, I can explain.

[Lamp0Lyte]: YOU BETTER! COME TO MY CLAN OFFICE RIGHT NOW, YUKI!

[Used Lamp Lyte Clan's Building Clan Key]

A bright flash engulfed her as she activated the teleport function, transferring herself to the heart of her own clan's headquarters. The familiar sight of the imposing Lamp Lyte Clan Hall greeted her, its gothic spires and violet energy pulses reflecting the clan's formidable reputation.

As the teleportation mist dissipated, she was met by an imposing figure leaning casually against a pillar. His arms were crossed, and his piercing crimson gaze locked onto her.

"Well… well… well…" Raiyu_Kazan's voice dripped with amusement and veiled irritation. "You have some explaining to do."

"I get it, I get it! Our leader's calling me to her office right now. Just join and I'll explain from there."

"You better…"

Together, they entered Lamp0Lyte's office, the doors slamming shut behind them with an ominous finality. A sharp glare from their clan leader nearly pinned Yukihikari in place.

"ABOUT TIME!" Lamp0Lyte's voice was sharp and unrelenting. "WHAT YOU DID YESTERDAY CAUSED A MAJOR UPROAR AMONG THE NINE OTHER TOP CLANS! THEY'VE BEEN BARRAGING ME WITH MESSAGES, DEMANDING ANSWERS ABOUT YOU AND THE TWO OTHER PLAYERS WHO HELPED YOU DEFEAT THAT DAMN UNIQUE WORLD BOSS! AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THOSE OTHER TWO WERE THE HOSHIGARI AND YUKINOX! WHY WERE YOU WITH THEM, HUH?!"

Yukihikari exhaled deeply before responding, her tone measured. "Alright, I can explain. It was supposed to be a simple investigation inside the cave cemetery. Hoshigari and Yukinox also stumbled into the area by accident. There was a tombstone in the middle of the cemetery with inscriptions on it. Yukinox, being Yukinox, read it aloud without thinking, and that triggered the boss fight."

She took a moment before continuing. "The battle was brutal. The boss had a gimmick at the start where we had to destroy the shackles and chains binding him before we could deal any real damage. After that phase, we had to face him at his full strength. Hoshigari played the role of healer and support, while I, Yukinox, and Hoshigari's familiar fought him head-on. It was a grueling fight, but in the end, Hoshigari delivered the finishing blow. And that was that—we got our rewards, a hefty sum of creds, high-quality materials, and… two unexpected gifts."

"Two gifts?" Lamp0Lyte leaned forward, intrigued.

Yukihikari nodded. "Vhalzakyr, the boss we defeated, was actually one of the Ten Apex Paragons—legendary beings bound to this world. As a reward, he allowed each of us to choose one broken piece of equipment to be restored and one item to be upgraded using his spectral energy. I won't speak for the others, but I had my Winged Valkyrie Spear restored to its former glory and had these arm bracers transformed into Spectral Bracers."

"I see…" Lamp0Lyte folded her arms, considering the implications.

"What else did you gain?" Raiyu asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Oh, right." Yukihikari reached into her inventory and pulled out a tome. "For you, Raiyu—I received this book, 'The Tall Tales of Vhalzakyr.' It's a detailed account of his experiences and knowledge."

"HUH?! REALLY?!" Raiyu practically snatched the tome from her hands, flipping through the pages in excitement. His eyes widened. "IT'S THE REAL THING! Thank you, Yuki!" Without another word, the previously irritable Raiyu bolted out of the room, utterly absorbed in the tome's contents.

Lamp0Lyte sighed. "I guess that makes sense. Alright, you're dismissed, Yuki. But transfer half the creds you earned from that battle to the Clan's Credit Vault. Understood?"

Yukihikari gave a respectful nod before exiting the office, her mind still racing from the confrontation. As she stepped outside the clan building, she stretched her arms above her head and let out a deep breath.

"I hope that's enough to get them off my back…" she muttered to herself.

However, as she turned to her left, her breath hitched. In the shadows of a nearby alleyway, a hooded figure with curved horns stood, motionless before walking deeper into the alley way, and with Yukihikari's interested piqued, she followed after them.

...

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-[Witherwood Thicket]-

[Current Boss Being Engaged: Witherwood Titan]

[Player Makidon is Online!]

[Player Sushi Slice is Online!]

[Message from Makidon (!)]

[Makidon]: We're on our way, boss!

The Witherwood Thicket echoed with the rumbling of an impending battle. Hoshigari stood firm, gripping his newly upgraded weapon, the Viridian Coffin. With a sharp exhale, he unleashed a flurry of spectral crimson volleys, each shot whistling through the air and striking the towering monstrosity before them.

The Witherwood Titan loomed over them—a massive ghostly construct of twisted, grey wooden logs. Its posture resembled that of a gorilla, its front arms grotesquely longer and thicker than its legs. Though its movements were sluggish, its sheer power made every motion a potential death sentence.

The Titan swung a massive arm, intent on flattening Hoshigari into the forest floor.

"Yu!" Hoshigari shouted.

"On it!" Yukinox responded, his voice steady.

Clad in his Eidolon Zenith Mecha, Yukinox lunged between Hoshigari and the incoming blow, his longsword flashing. He met the Titan's strike head-on, the force reverberating through his mecha as he parried the attack. The next moment, his counterattack came swift and brutal—a devastating Eidolon Zenith Skill: Ether-Gen-Punch. His mecha's fist crackled with arcane energy, crashing into the Titan's arm, shattering and severing it with a thunderous crack.

"Now!" Yukinox yelled as he leapt back.

Hoshigari took the opening, sprinting forward. He activated his Viridian Coffin Skill: Wraithburst, the weapon flaring with spectral energy as he blasted the Titan point-blank. The sheer force knocked the Titan back, making it skid across the ground, its wooden frame groaning under the impact.

Not giving it a chance to recover, Hoshigari kept barraging it with crimson bullets, the energy feeding back into his body, restoring his health with each shot.

"Going in!" Yukinox roared, dashing toward the Titan with supernatural speed.

He executed a Longsword Warrior Skill: Straight Piercer, his blade gleaming as he drove it directly into the Titan's chest. The wooden behemoth let out a ghastly wail, spectral embers flickering from the wound.

"Move aside, Yu! I'm about to hit it with something hella cool!" Hoshigari shouted, determination burning in his eyes.

"ALRIGHT! DO IT!" Yukinox sprang backward, clearing the path.

With a firm slam, Hoshigari drove Viridian Coffin into the ground, standing it upright. The weapon began to enlarge, morphing into the full size of an actual coffin. A deep, ominous hum resonated from within.

"VHALZAKYR'S WRATH!" Hoshigari bellowed.

The coffin's lid flew open, unleashing a swirling spectral mist. From the fog, a towering figure emerged—the spirit of Vhalzakyr, clad in ethereal armor, his greatsword radiating with sheer destructive force.

Hoshigari's eyes gleamed as he commanded, "SPLITTER!"

Vhalzakyr's spirit launched forward, his massive greatsword arcing through the air. As it struck the ground, the earth itself split apart, sending a massive shockwave racing outward. The impact ripped through the Witherwood Titan, cleaving it in half with brutal finality.

A final wail echoed from the dismembered Titan before its form collapsed into lifeless, scattered logs. The spectral energy dissipated into the air, and with a last gust of ethereal mist, Vhalzakyr's spirit withdrew back into the coffin, slamming it shut, before returning Viridian Coffin back into it's original thin sleek form .

A heavy silence hung in the air before the realization hit.

"WOOO! THAT WAS SICK!" Hoshigari yelled, pumping a fist in the air.

"YEAH! OH MY GOD, THAT WAS SO COOL! THESE WEAPONS ARE HELLA POWERFUL!" Yukinox shouted, still high on adrenaline.

"NO KIDDIN'!" Hoshigari grinned.

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The aftermath of their battle was short-lived, shattered by the sharp whistle of an arrow slicing through the air. Instinct took over—Hoshigari twisted his body, narrowly evading the projectile, while Yukinox met it with a swift slash of his longsword, cleaving it cleanly in half mid-flight.

A voice rang out from the treetops, thick with arrogance. "Well, well, well… We finally found you! Hoshigari and Yukinox! We're smart enough to know not to aim for Yukihikari, so we decided to go for her subordinates. You're just easy pickings!"

Hoshigari scoffed, rolling his shoulders as he readied his Viridian Coffin. "Not even gonna introduce yourselves first? What, lacking the guts for basic introductions?"

The jab struck a nerve, causing the group's leader to step forward, seething. "I AM SHORYU! OF THE PK CLAN: BLOODY VEIL! AND WE ARE HERE TO TAKE YOU SCRUBS DOWN AND STEAL YOUR UNIQUE RARITY ITEMS AND MORE!"

Silence. A few awkward seconds passed before Hoshigari snickered, then Yukinox outright burst into laughter.

"Pfft! Shoryu? Little dragon?!" Hoshigari choked out.

Yukinox, doubled over, could barely contain himself. "BAHAHAHAHA! Oh man, that's rich!"

Shoryu's face twisted in rage. Snarling, he nocked another arrow and loosed it straight for Hoshigari. With a backflip into a handspring, Hoshigari landed smoothly on his feet and smirked. "Geez, can't even take a joke? Sounds like you've only got half a ball in that sack of yours."

Shoryu snapped. "BLOODY VEIL! KILL THEM!"

With that, his squad of Player Killers (PKers) erupted from the trees, descending upon them like a storm.

A PKer lunged at Hoshigari with a blade thrust, but he effortlessly deflected it with a sharp pistol whip parry. Seizing the moment, he surged forward and unleashed his Viridian Coffin Skill: Wraithburst, a crimson spectral blast that sent the attacker flying into a tree, eliminating him instantly.

Pivoting, he shot out his Viridian Coffin Skill: Haunting Chain, latching onto a high tree branch and propelling himself upward. From his elevated vantage point, he used his Ebonflame, firing searing black magma bullets down onto the scrambling PKers below, whittling them down one by one.

Meanwhile, Yukinox, clad in his Eidolon Zenith Mecha, effortlessly dodged a PKer's incoming slash before retaliating with a precise three-strike combination, ending his foe in an instant. Another PKer came at him with an axe swing, but Yukinox expertly parried and impaled them with a well-placed thrust.

Then came a burly PKer wielding a greatsword. The massive blade struck Yukinox's mecha, sending sparks flying, but Yukinox countered with a powerful Eidolon Zenith Skill: Ether-Gen-Blast, sending the brute tumbling across the battlefield.

Before he could reset, multiple PKers swarmed him, leaping onto his mecha, hacking and slashing relentlessly. The weight bore down on him, forcing his hand. "Alright, let's change it up! Change core!" With a quick system command, his mecha shifted, changing into 1C3 83RG, an enormous, ice-forged form that instantly forced the attackers away with sheer size alone.

With a mighty leap, Yukinox rocketed into the air before shouting, "HOW DO YOU LIKE IT WHEN YOU GET JUMPED ON?!"

Then, he descended like a meteor, crashing into the PKers below with an earth-shattering impact. The shockwave sent bodies flying in all directions. He wasted no time, grabbing a dazed PKer and slamming them into the ground before swatting another aside with a massive backhand, scattering them like insects.

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Hoshigari managed to see Yukinox enjoying the battle, chuckling as he remarked, "Looks like Yukinox is having fun, while for me... I'm just in the firing range, easily picking off heads with just a shot."

But before he could line up another, a sudden voice cut in. "Lemme help you with that!" A flaming arrow whooshed towards him. Hoshigari quickly leapt away, spotting the projectile more clearly—it was an arrow purely made of flames. His sharp eyes locked onto its source: the leader of a group of ranged PKers, consisting of archers, crossbow users, gunners, mages, and wizards.

Realizing the threat, Hoshigari swiftly activated his Viridian Coffin Skill: Haunting Chain, latching onto a tree far behind the group. He reeled himself forward, skidding across the ground to face them head-on. With a cocky grin, he taunted, "You need a whole firing squad to stop lil' ol' me?~"

The leader of the ranged PKers gritted his teeth in frustration. "FIRE AT HIM! JUST KILL THE COCKY BASTARD!"

Bullets, spells, bolts, and arrows rushed forward towards him, forcing Hoshigari into motion. "Exo Ability, Activate: Overclock!" he muttered. Instantly, his speed surged, his body becoming a blur as he weaved through the trees. All the while, he counter-fired with relentless volleys from his Ebonflame and full-auto Viridian Coffin.

"Where did his sudden burst of speed come from?!"

"Why is he so fast now?!"

"I can't keep up with him!"

The PKers panicked as one by one, their allies fell like flies, unable to react in time.

Hoshigari suddenly emerged from cover, skidding to a halt before lunging forward. He unleashed Viridian Coffin Skill: Wraithburst on a crossbow-wielding PKer, launching them into the air. Without missing a beat, he turned, squeezed off five precise shots into the back of another PKer, dropping them instantly.

As he then jumped to the air as he spotted another target locking onto him. Before they could react, he activated Haunting Chain, latching onto the PKer and dragging them straight to him. The moment their body slammed into his, Hoshigari jammed the barrel of Viridian Coffin against them and unloaded a brutal volley of point-blank shots, tearing through them. As their lifeless body was about to fall, he fired a Bouncer Round into it,

[Fired Bouncer Round (32 Remaining)]

Sending the corpse crashing downward while propelling himself gracefully into the air.

He landed with a soft skid, smirking. "Is that all you guys got?! For a PK Clan, you're doing a terrible job—you guys are actual phonies!"

"What'd you say?!" The leader roared in anger.

Hoshigari widened his stance, arms open in a mock invitation. "Here, lemme make it easy for you. I'll just stand still, and you'll still suck and fail your mission."

The taunt was the last straw. The PK leader, Shoryu, screamed, "FIRE!" The remaining ranged PKers unleashed a storm of arrows, bolts, bullets, and arcane spells, their combined force creating a massive explosion upon impact.

As the dust settled, their grins of victory began to form—until confusion set in. There was no kill notification for Hoshigari.

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Their eyes darted back to the smoke, and emerging from it stood another player, Makidon, her shield raised high. She had blocked the entire barrage.

Makidon stood firm, her shield raised high, as the dust and smoke from the combined attack cleared. The PKers' triumphant smiles twisted into confusion, then horror, as they saw Hoshigari unharmed behind her.

"What will you do without me here, boss?~" Makidon teased, her voice light but carrying a steely edge.

Hoshigari chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "If you weren't here, I'd be a laughing stock, a wasted effort fool. So, thank god you arrived. Plus, you did look cool when you stepped in. Now they know you're a force to be reckoned with, eh?~" He flashed a cocky grin.

Makidon smirked. "Good point. Don't forget about our creds, boss."

"I know, I know… Let's just take care of these bozos first."

"Aye aye, boss!" Makidon nodded, her greatshield gleaming in the dim light.

Hoshigari then turned to Sushi Slice, who had just arrived, katana in hand. "Sushi! Help out Yukinox—he's all the way in the back!"

"Understood!" Sushi Slice nodded before dashing forward, activating her Samurai Skill: Wind Burst Boost. A sudden surge of wind enveloped her, propelling her forward with blinding speed. PKers attempted to block her path, but she tore through them like a gusting tempest, slicing past with precision as she charged toward Yukinox.

Meanwhile, Hoshigari finished using his Fixer Skill: Patch Up on Makidon. "Here's the plan, Maki. You go for the scrubs—go wild, take 'em down. Leave their leader to me."

Makidon let out a hearty laugh. "You're hella bold, boss… I'm in!" She slammed her greatshield into the ground, bracing herself. "I'M GOIN' ALL IN, YA SCRUBS!" she roared, activating her Greatshield Tank Skill: Greatshield Rush. She launched herself forward like an unstoppable battering ram, her greatshield smashing through PKers, sending bodies flying like ragdolls.

The moment she broke through their ranks, she switched to her Axe Berserker Skill: Cleaving Tornado. Spinning wildly, her battleaxe became a whirlwind of destruction, cleaving enemies and launching them into the air. Her expression darkened with exhilaration as she shouted, "EXO ABILITY, ACTIVATE: BREAK STORM!"

A surge of red-hot energy exploded from her, steam seeping from her body like a forge overheating. Her eyes crackled with blue lightning, and she let out a feral grin before unequipping her greatshield. Raising her battleaxe high, a blinding lightning bolt struck the weapon's head, coating it in pure, crackling energy. With both hands gripping the handle, she brought it down with earth-shattering force. The ground split apart as electricity surged outward in violent waves, blasting away every PKer around her, their bodies convulsing as they were flung like ragdolls.

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The leader of the PKers, Shoryu, watched in disbelief as his forces were decimated. His grip on his bow tightened. "Damn monsters… Aren't they supposed to be small fry? What the hell?!"

"Yo! Half-a-nut!" Hoshigari called out mockingly. "Your battle's with me!"

Shoryu's eye twitched. "SCREW YOU!" he bellowed before drawing three arrows at once, activating his Archer Skill: Tri-Hunter Arrows.

Hoshigari smirked, unbothered. As the arrows whizzed toward him, he moved with practiced ease. With a swift motion, he pistol-whipped two of them midair with his Ebonflame, deflecting them with sharp clinks. The third arrow he caught with his right hand, snapping it in half like a twig.

Shoryu growled in frustration and rushed forward, gripping his bow like a stave. He swung at Hoshigari with rapid, forceful strikes, but Hoshigari was faster, weaving through the blows with expert agility.

Shoryu lunged, nocking another arrow at point-blank range. Hoshigari's grin widened. "Too slow."

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While that was happening on Makidon and Hoshigari's end,

Yukinox slammed a PKer into a tree with a bone-rattling impact, turning just in time to crush another beneath the massive fist of his Mecha. With a thunderous swing, he sent a third PKer flying before swatting multiple enemies away like insects. As he advanced, a PKer tried to sneak behind him, dagger poised for a lethal piercing strike—only for a flash of silver to intercept the attack.

Sushi Slice had arrived in time, her katana deflecting the assassin's blade before she retaliated with a precise, devastating slash. Her Samurai Skill: Gale Slash ignited the air, the sharp gust cleaving the PKer clean in half. Yukinox glanced back, nodding in appreciation.

"Thanks for the save!" he called out.

"Don't mention it!" Sushi Slice replied with a smirk, already scanning for the next threat.

Their attention shifted as two burly PKers approached—one wielding a massive greatsword, the other an armored juggernaut carrying a warhammer. Yukinox cracked his knuckles.

"I'll take care of big hammer, you deal with big sword. Sound good?"

Sushi Slice gave a sharp nod before they both surged forward.

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Yukinox's Mecha accelerated on its wheels, storming toward the warhammer-wielding PKer, while Sushi Slice sprinted toward the greatsword user. As the PKer swung his weapon in a wide arc, Sushi twisted her body, narrowly evading the attack before striking twice in rapid succession. Her blade danced through the air, landing three more cuts with fluid precision before she dodged another pair of swings. The second strike grazed her, forcing her onto the defensive.

The PKer roared, launching a barrage of relentless greatsword swings. Sushi blocked, deflected, and countered, but each impact whittled away at her HP. When the PKer raised his weapon high to activate his Greatsword Tank Skill: Collapsing Blade, Sushi seized her opportunity. She began charging her Samurai Skill: Rising Wind Slash, her blade vibrating with contained energy. The two attacks clashed, but her skill overpowered his, forcing his greatsword to remain bounced and locked overhead from the impact.

In a blur, she sheathed her katana, preparing for the next technique. With a deep breath, she unleashed Samurai Skill: Maximum Wind Flow, enhancing her speed and power before immediately following up with Samurai Skill: Gale Slash - Maximum! Her katana flashed, a violent gust cutting clean through the PKer's gut. His body split in half, the severed pieces crumpling to the ground.

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Meanwhile, Yukinox clashed with the warhammer PKer. He swung a powerful right hook, but the PKer countered with a brutal hammer swing, deflecting the blow. Yukinox attempted a left hook—only for the warhammer to intercept once more.

The PKer then surged forward, hammer first, striking Yukinox's Mecha square in the chest. The force sent a shockwave rippling through the machine. Before Yukinox could fully recover, an overhead hammer swing came crashing down onto the Mecha's head, making his HP drop dangerously low. Frustrated but focused, Yukinox slammed his Mecha's massive palm down, trying to flatten his opponent. The PKer reacted swiftly, delivering another hammer strike that sent Yukinox's giant hand recoiling.

Narrowing his eyes, Yukinox swiftly activated his Mecha Rider Skill: Casc-Shot. His Mecha's left arm fired an explosive energy burst, staggering the PKer. Seizing the moment, Yukinox grabbed the PKer with his massive right hand and hurled him skyward. The helpless PKer soared into the air as Yukinox initiated his Mecha Rider Skill: Manual Pilot Air Launch Evacuation. The Mecha's core ejected Yukinox upward, sending him rocketing toward his airborne foe.

With a surge of power, Yukinox fully synchronized with his Eidolon Zenith Mecha, engaging his Eidolon Zenith Skill: Ether-Gen-Rocket. His body propelled forward at high speed as he unsheathed his longsword. The instant he reached the PKer, he activated his Longsword Warrior Skill: End Slash. His blade sliced through the air with a blinding arc, cleaving his enemy clean in half. The PKer's fragmented body tumbled toward the earth, utterly defeated.

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Yukinox landed with a controlled impact, his Mecha stabilizing upon reentry. He turned to see Sushi Slice already waiting for him.

"Where's Hoshi?" Yukinox asked, scanning the battlefield.

"He's fighting the PK leader with Makidon," Sushi replied.

"Then let's go help them!" Yukinox shouted, and without hesitation, they both rushed back toward their allies, prepared for the next battle.

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The dense forest blurred past as Hoshigari darted through the trees, his silhouette flickering between shadows. On the other side, Shoryu, the PK Clan Group Leader, mirrored his movements, exchanging rapid fire with Hoshigari as they weaved through the chaos. Then, suddenly—silence.

Shoryu skidded to a stop, scanning the area, his breath sharp. "Where—?"

Before he could react, Hoshigari appeared from behind, pistol raised, ready to deliver a crushing pistol whip. Shoryu rolled away just in time as a flurry of Crimson Ethereal Shots from Hoshigari's Viridian Coffin whizzed toward him. Dashing sideways, Shoryu evaded, leading their chase into a moonlit clearing. He skidded to a halt, unequipping his bow and arrows, replacing them with a gleaming machete.

"So, you're a Rogue Sub-Class, huh?" Hoshigari mused, holstering the Viridian Coffin. A smirk tugged at his lips as he pulled out his Zeus Revolver, flipping both handguns by their barrels, wielding them like twin shortswords.

"Let's see who's better in close combat."

Shoryu's face twisted with rage. "QUIT PLAYIN' WITH ME! THOSE AIN'T EVEN MELEE WEAPONS!"

Roaring, he charged with a wide slash—Hoshigari sidestepped effortlessly. A piercing thrust followed, but Hoshigari slipped past it like a ghost. Shoryu swung wide in a sweeping arc, yet Hoshigari simply flipped back, evading with precision.

"STOP DODGING, YOU COWARD!" Shoryu bellowed, slamming down an overhead strike.

"Alright."

With a wicked grin, Hoshigari met the attack with a precise double pistol-whip parry. The clang of metal echoed through the clearing as he countered—

A right-handed overhead pistol whip. "I—"

A left-handed pistol whip uppercut strike to the chin. "Can still—"

A brutal lunging knee to the gut. "Kick—"

A whirling 360 spin. "Your—"

A thunderous tornado kick to the body. "ASS!"

Shoryu rocketed backward, crashing into the dirt in a coughing heap. But as Hoshigari landed, his Overclock Exo-Ability flickered out. The HUD scrambled. His body tensed.

"Shit! Not again! What is it with these damn timings?!"

Shoryu, struggling to rise, noticed the malfunction. His lips curled into a cruel grin.

"Hah… this is it for you."

Reequipping his mechanical bow, he nocked an arrow—bright blue flames igniting its entirety. The inferno danced wildly as he pulled the string taut.

"Feel the power of real scorching flames! Burn to cinders, you cocky bastard!"

The arrow streaked toward Hoshigari, an unstoppable force of destruction.

But then—

Hoshigari's frustrated grimace melted into a knowing smirk. Slowly, he unequipped his Zeus Revolver, his fingers tightening around the reequipped Viridian Coffin.

"Gluttony Ghoul."

The coffin's lid creaked open. A crimson ethereal skull burst forth, consuming the flaming arrow whole before retreating back inside. (This was skill is called Viridian Coffin Skill: Gluttony Ghoul) As the Viridian Coffin's Ether Bar surged to max capacity, humming with power. Hoshigari slammed the coffin into the ground, planting it upright.

"VHALZAKYR'S WRATH! RISE STRASH!"

A spectral entity erupted once again from the coffin—Vhalzakyr's spirit, a monstrous force of crimson fury. It lunged at Shoryu, cleaving him upward with a devastating rising slash.

Hoshigari wasted no time. Drawing his Ebonflame Desert Eagle, he locked onto the airborne Shoryu. The barrel glowed ominously as wings of fire burst from its chamber. A tiny, jet-black sphere materialized at the muzzle's end.

"THIS—" his voice rang out, reverberating with raw power, "is the might of true ever-scorching flames!"

A single shot.

"EBONFLAME SKILL: SOARING DARK PHOENIX!"

The bullet fused with the black sphere, transforming into a raging Dark Phoenix. It shrieked through the air, striking Shoryu mid-fall and dragging him into the heavens before detonating in a cataclysmic red-and-black supernova.

The sky burned. The battlefield trembled. And with it—Shoryu, leader of this Bloody Veil Clan's PK Group, was no more (for now, after this, he respawned back at his last respawn point, the Bloody Veil Clan's base).

As the embers settled, Hoshigari holstered his weapon, a victorious smirk playing on his lips.

"How's the taste of true ever-scorching flames, little dragon? Heh…"

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