Exo-Arcana Online

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Hoshigari turned to face Sushi Slice and Makidon, taking in the sight of their victory—the once-menacing Greatsword Skeleton Goliath now reduced to a smoking pile of blue-embered bones. Yet, instead of reveling in the moment, his gaze was met with the dumbfounded expressions of his two companions. Their mouths hung agape, eyes locked onto him in utter disbelief.

"Uhh... you guys good?" Hoshigari finally asked, breaking the silence.

At that moment, a comical bubble-popping sound echoed as both Sushi Slice and Makidon snapped out of their trance.

"Uh, yeah... We're good!" Makidon quickly blurted out, scratching the back of her head.

"Indeed! Thank you so much for your assistance in our Super Boss Extermination Quest!" Sushi Slice added, giving a light bow in gratitude.

"Yeah, Boss! Thanks a bunch! Honestly, if you hadn't stepped in, we would've been done for! We'd have to restart from the very beginning!" Makidon exclaimed, her signature wide grin plastered across her face.

Hoshigari raised an eyebrow at the enthusiastic praise, feeling a bit flustered. "Oh, uhh... you're welcome. Honestly, I was glad to help—it was fun!"

"Boss, you gotta explain tah' me how'd ya get in the air like that?! THAT WAS HELLA EPIC!" Makidon's excitement was practically vibrating through the air as she clenched her fists in exhilaration.

Sushi Slice nodded in agreement, her curiosity piqued.

"Oh... well..." Hoshigari rubbed the back of his neck. "I just used my Bouncer Rounds and a charged Hand-Held Cannon skill. Nothing too special..."

Before another word could be spoken—

Pling!

A familiar notification sound echoed in their minds, cutting through their conversation.

"Oh! Our rewards!" Makidon cheered, practically hopping in place.

Hoshigari furrowed his brows. "Wait... I got rewards too? How? I didn't even accept this quest with you two."

"Maybe assistance rewards? Or like... rewards for helping?" Sushi Slice suggested as she skimmed through her own notifications.

Hoshigari hummed in thought before focusing on his interface.

"Hmm... let's see..." 

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[Assistance Quest Rewards - For helping Player Makidon and Player Sushi Slice complete their Super Boss Extermination Quest - Greatsword Skeleton Goliath]

[Gained - +500 XP]

[Level 3 >>> Level 4 (LEVEL UP!)]

[Ranger Level 2 >>> Ranger Level 3 (LEVEL UP!)]

[Fixer Level 1 >>> Fixer Level 2 (LEVEL UP!)]

[Gained - 500 Creds (Split because of Assistance)]

[Gained - +15 SP (Split because of Assistance)]

[Gained - Big Burning Bone {Super Boss Drop Material}]

[Gained - Spotter Goggles (Rare)]

[Gained - Familiar Digi-Contract]

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Hoshigari's eyes widened at the last two rewards. "Huh? What are Spotter Goggles?"

A small holographic info panel materialized in front of him.

[Spotter Goggles - Rare Equipment]

[These high-tech goggles allow the wearer to detect enemy weak points. (Note: Does not work on Players.) However, against Players, the goggles can pinpoint their location, identify their current status, class, sub-class, equipped weapons, and even detect hidden players using invisibility skills. (+20 Perception Bonus)]

Hoshigari let out an impressed whistle. "Damn... that's actually really useful. Hella useful!" He turned to Makidon and Sushi Slice with a smirk. "And it goes great with my fit—oh wait... right... I'm still wearing basic starter gear. Damn, I need to get some real clothes and equipment when we get back to town..." he muttered to himself.

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Hoshigari barely had a moment to breathe before Makidon erupted into a triumphant cheer, practically bouncing on her feet.

"HELL YEAH! Got myself some cool new rare [Black Steel Gauntlets]!" she exclaimed, flexing her fists with enthusiasm. "They up my defense and strength by 15 and give me +5 agility! Hecks yeeeaaah!~ If I get the entire Black Steel Set, it'll be so sweet!~"

Sushi Slice, ever composed, nodded in satisfaction. "Indeed, I acquired a better katana called [Crescent Blue], and this [Magi-Amulet] increases my stamina by 5 and my arcana by 20."

Makidon immediately turned her attention to Hoshigari. "What'd you get, Boss?" Sushi Slice also looked at him with curiosity.

"Well... I got this rare equipment called 'Spotter Goggles,' which boosts my Perception by 30. It has a bonus effect that lets me spot weak points on AI targets, but for players, it reveals their info, details, and even their hidden locations..." Hoshigari explained, his tone casual.

Makidon's jaw dropped. "What?! Unfair! That's hella cool!"

"Indeed," Sushi Slice commented, nodding in approval. "That equipment is incredibly useful."

"Oh, and I also got this thing called a... uhh... 'Familiar Digi-Contract.' Y'all know what that is?"

But there was only silence..... Then—

"WHAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!"

Both Sushi Slice and Makidon shouted, their voices echoing as they then turned to him in complete shock.

"AAAAAH! WHAT? WHAT'S WRONG!? WHAT IS IT?!" Hoshigari yelped, thrown off by their intense reaction.

"YO! A FAMILIAR DIGI-CONTRACT IS BASICALLY ONE OF THE RAREST OF RAREST UNTRADABLE AND UNBUYABLE ITEMS THAT CAN ONLY BE GAINED FROM A VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY—VERYVERYVERYVERY—HELLA VERY LOW SUPER BOSS DROP CHANCE, MY GUY! AND YOU GOT IT THIS EARLY IN THE GAME YO!" Makidon ranted, her voice growing more exaggerated with every word.

"INDEED!" Sushi Slice added, her excitement uncharacteristically showing. "FAMILIAR DIGI-CONTRACTS ARE CONSIDERED AMONG THE MOST RARE ITEMS TO OBTAIN! THEY'RE USUALLY GAINED IN THE MID TO LATE GAME, BUT GETTING ONE THIS EARLY IS UNBELIEVABLE! AND PLUS, YOU GET TO PROPERLY LEVEL UP YOUR FAMILIAR'S LEVEL AT THE SAME TIME YOU ARE LEVELING UP YOUR OWNS!"

Hoshigari blinked, stunned. "Really? Goddamn... I must be hella lucky to get one then..." He scratched his head awkwardly.

"Yeah, dude! What even is your current Luck stat anyway?" Makidon asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Sushi Slice nodded vigorously. "Yes, I'm quite curious as well."

Hoshigari hesitated before answering meekly, "Currently... 35."

Again.... silence.....

...

Then—

"THIRTY FIIIIIIIVE?!?!?!?!"

They both practically exploded in unison, their disbelief shaking the air around them.

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As the weight of the shocking revelation settled in, Sushi Slice slumped against a tree, her normally composed expression betraying utter disbelief. Makidon, on the other hand, lay on the ground curled into a fetal position, as if physically stricken by the absurdity of the situation. The sheer improbability of Hoshigari obtaining a basically Super Mega Ultra Rare item this early in the game left them both completely, comically baffled.

"Uhmm..." Hoshigari muttered, feeling the awkward silence stretching between them.

Then, with a sudden burst of energy, Makidon shot up from the ground and pointed a finger at him. "So, you gonna use it?"

Sushi Slice, slowly regaining her composure, elegantly rose to her feet and gave a small nod of agreement. "It would be wise to see what familiar you obtain."

"Ah, yeah right. Let's check it out..."

[Used Familiar Digi-Contract]

A holographic contract materialized from his inventory and hovered in the air before gently landing on the ground. It shimmered, pulsating through a spectrum of colors.

"Uhh... why is it constantly changing colors?" Hoshigari asked, glancing between the two.

"Oh, the colors represent the rarity of the familiar you get," Sushi Slice explained in a composed yet informative manner. "Grey is Common—two skills. Green is Uncommon—three skills. Blue is Rare—four skills. Purple is Epic—five skills. Orange is Legendary—they have their own class and five skills. Red is Exotic—they possess both a class and a subclass along with five skills. White is Ancient—the rarest of all, granting their own class, subclass, an Exo Ability, and five skills. Skills level up to a maximum of five, while classes and subclasses can be upgraded to level three. However, an Ancient Familiar's Exo Ability cannot be leveled up."

"Yeah! But there's no way you're getting anything above Rare," Makidon scoffed with confidence. "No chance you're pulling an Ancient familiar. That's impossible, despite your stupid luck streak!"

"Indeed, this time—" Sushi Slice added, nodding firmly.

"Haha, yeah, you're—" Hoshigari was about to agree when—

The Digi-Contract suddenly stopped shifting colors, locking onto an unmistakable white glow.

[Ancient Rarity Familiar Rolled... Processing...]

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...

Silence...

Sushi Slice and Hoshigari turned their heads toward Makidon in perfect synchrony, their faces unreadable. Makidon, meanwhile, had gone completely still, her eyes wide in shock before she collapsed back onto the ground, curling once more into a fetal position.

"To be honest, at this point, I am not even surprised anymore," Sushi Slice muttered, rubbing her temple.

"Sigh Are you okay... Makidon?" Hoshigari crouched down, concerned.

"Screw you and your stupid dumb luck," she mumbled, her voice dripping with comedic misery.

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Pling!

[Familiar has been processed...]

Makidon instantly shot up, all previous despair forgotten. "Now look! Watch it be some sort of godly creature, maybe even an overpowered beast or golem!"

As the familiar began materializing, the trio leaned in eagerly—only to witness something... rather short emerge.

[Player Hoshigari's Familiar has been processed...]

A small, humanoid-like, bright yellow skinned frog, clad in sleek dark purple ninja garb, a Ninjatō (ninja's version of katana) stowed and sheathed below on his back near his waist, and a long red scarf that is hiding his mouth, knelt before Hoshigari and spoke in a refined tone. "Master Hoshigari, I, as your familiar, kindly ask to be granted a name."

[Familiar Name...]

Makidon blinked. "It's... a frog?"

"A ninja frog?" Sushi Slice added, tilting her head slightly.

And it took a few seconds before-

"The frog can speak?!" Makidon and Sushi Slice exclaimed in perfect unison.

Hoshigari scratched his chin thoughtfully. "A name, huh? Well... you're a ninja, and ninjas move swiftly in the night... Hmm... Noctatsu. Yeah, yeah! Noctatsu sounds good."

[Noctatsu - Familiar Name Registered]

The frog familiar bowed once more. "Noctatsu. Yes, thank you, Master Hoshigari, for granting me a name..."

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As then Noctatsu's details popped up on a digital screen...

[Noctatsu]

Level 1

Familiar Rarity: Ancient

Species: Shinogama

Class: Ninja (Level 1)

Sub-Class: Thief (Level 1)

Exo Ability: Umbral Clone Mirage

Melee Attack: Ninjatō Slash

Ranged Attack: Shuriken Throw

Skill 1: Ricochet Slashing

Skill 2: Poison Smoke Blow

Skill 3: Triple Aqua Shuriken

Skill 4: Tongue Whip

Skill 5: Full Launch, Venom Bladed Severance

As Noctatsu continued "I shall do my utmost to support you as a familiar and friend!"

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With a swift leap, Noctatsu landed gracefully on Hoshigari's shoulder.

[Noctatsu has joined your party!]

[Your Party]

[Hoshigari (Level 4)]

[Noctatsu {Familiar} (Level 1)]

Hoshigari smiled warmly. "Glad to have you onboard, Noctatsu. And you don't have to call me Master"

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"Oh? Who are these two?" Noctatsu inquired, glancing at Sushi Slice and Makidon.

"The black-haired one is Sushi Slice, and the blonde one is Makidon," Hoshigari introduced.

"You can just call me Sushi," she said with a graceful nod.

"And ya can just call me Maki!" she grinned.

Noctatsu's gaze shifted between the two before settling on Makidon's weaponry. "Nice to meet you, fair maiden Sushi and... Maki."

A beat of silence.

Makidon's eye twitched. "HEY! THAT'S RUDE, YOU DUMB LIL' FROG!"

Sushi Slice discreetly covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, while Hoshigari struggled to do the same.

He then thought to himself, "Huh... playing with others ain't so bad, oh wait... these guys are just random people I have met, though..."

Feeling unsure about how he feels, he just came to a conclusion where he was about to split up with the two and say goodbye...

Until-

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"Oh, right, boss, you wanna join our party?" Makidon suddenly asked, her usual energy returning. "We'd love to have ya!"

"Indeed! We would love to keep playing with you," Sushi Slice confirmed with a polite smile.

Hoshigari chuckled in his foolish thought before. "Yeah, sure. Alright!"

[Player Sushi Slice has sent you a friend request]

[Sushi Slice - Friend Request Accepted]

[Player Makidon has sent you a friend request]

[Makidon - Friend Request Accepted]

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[Sushi Slice has sent you a party invite]

Hoshigari took a deep breath before pressing 'Accept.'

[You have joined Sushi Slice's party]

[Sushi Slice's Party]

[Hoshigari (Level 4)]

[Noctatsu {Familiar} (Level 1)]

[Sushi Slice {Leader} (Level 6)]

[Makidon (Level 4)]

With that, the party was officially formed!

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"Alrighty! Before we get started with our next quest and journey, let's... uhh... buy some better clothes, gear, and equipment at the Bazaar Market..." Hoshigari suggested

"Yeah, I agree with that!" Makidon agreed expressively

"Indeed!" With Sushi Slice following after

"But first, I gotta distrubute my stat points" Hoshigari said

"Oh right, me too!" Makidon responded

"I as well" Sushi Slice also responded

[Available SP: 15]

"Let's start with the most important stat attribute..."

[+10 SP Added to Luck]

"Heheheh" Hoshigari lightly chuckled

"Ya just added more stat points to luck, didn'tcha?" Makidon questioned begrudgingly

"No!~" As Hoshigari comically and comedically declined

"Now... hmm..."

[+3 SP Added to Defense]

"And..."

[+2 SP Added to Dexterity]

[SP Distributed]

-[Status Attributes (Updated)]-

Vitality: 10

Defense: 15

Strength: 20

Arcana: 5

Perception: 20

Dexterity: 22

Agility: 20

Stamina: 15

Luck: 45

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"Alright, ya'll done with your stat distributions?"

"Good here, boss!" Makidon confirmed

"I'm done with mine as well" With Sushi Slice confirming too

"Let's head back to Astravyr to get some better gear"

As Makidon and Sushi Slice nodded in confimation as they began walking back to Astravyr

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...

But they never ever knew, that a player, we (us readers) have seen before, named Yukinox, had recorded and broadcasted their entire fight to the point where Hoshigari obtained and used a Familiar Digi-Contract and rolled an Ancient rarity familiar...

...

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The bustling streets of Astravyr were alive with activity as Hoshigari and his party made their way toward the heart of the city. Players and NPCs alike filled the roads, some engaged in trading, others lost in conversation, while a select few had their eyes locked onto Hoshigari. The reason? A mixture of awe and curiosity. Some recognized him for his growing reputation, while others were stunned to see him accompanied by a Familiar so early in the game.

Unbeknownst to Sushi Slice and Makidon, Hoshigari already had a slight growing name for himself in this world.

As they walked through the lively Bazaar Market, the air was filled with the aromas of roasted meats, exotic spices, and freshly baked bread. The vibrant banners of shop stalls fluttered with the breeze, displaying an array of goods—armor, weapons, accessories, potions, and more.

"Alrighty," Hoshigari muttered as he pulled up his Digi-Map, scanning the area for their destinations. "Male clothing is mostly located at a place called Valor & Vogue... For female clothing... a place called Celestia Silks..."

Makidon nodded. "Alright. Sounds good."

"Mhm," Sushi Slice confirmed, adjusting her gloves.

"After getting some better-looking clothes, we'll hit up the Aegis Forge—best armory in the Bazaar Market," Hoshigari continued. "Once we're done buying armor and gear, you guys can go grab yourselves some better weapons at Bladewright's Haven. Sound good?"

"Got'cha, boss!" Makidon gave a thumbs-up.

"Understood," Sushi Slice replied with a nod.

"But what about you, boss?" Makidon asked curiously. "Where you headin' for weapons?"

"A gunsmith shop called Techxcaliber," Hoshigari answered. "I'll meet you guys back at the fountain in the middle. And I'm expecting to see some hella clean fits when I return, got it?" He smirked.

"Oh, you can count on that, boss!" Makidon declared confidently.

Sushi Slice simply nodded again, a small smile forming at the corner of her lips.

With their plans set, they split up, each heading their separate ways to spend their hard-earned credits.

(Note: Hoshigari currently has 1,030 Credits)

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As Hoshigari walked through the Bazaar Market, Noctatsu perched on his shoulder, the tiny ninja frog glancing around in fascination.

"Hoshigari?"

"Yeah?"

"Are there more of my kind?"

Hoshigari raised an eyebrow. "You mean more poison frogs?"

"We are not just any poison frogs! We are a near-extinct species of Golden Poison Dart Frogs that have mastered the ways of the ninja and shinobi," Noctatsu said proudly, crossing his small arms. "We are called the Shinogama! The fastest frogs in existence."

"Shinogama, huh?" Hoshigari mused.

"Indeed!" Noctatsu reaffirmed.

"Shinogama just means 'Ninja Frog' in Japanese…" Hoshigari sighed internally. "Jeez, devs, couldn't come up with something more creative?"

Despite his thoughts, he smirked, patting Noctatsu on the head before stepping into Valor & Vogue.

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The store had a luxurious yet modern atmosphere, racks of finely crafted clothes arranged neatly. A well-dressed receptionist greeted him as he entered.

"Welcome in!"

"Alrighty," Hoshigari said, cracking his knuckles. "Time to spend some creds."

[Purchased Red Scarf - 10 Creds]

[Purchased White 0G5 Logo T-Shirt - 5 Creds]

[Purchased Dark Brown Belt w/ Red Cloth Pieces - 5 Creds]

[Purchased Black Baggy Cargo Pants - 10 Creds]

[Credits: 1,000]

"Alrighty! Time try these on!"

[Neck Equipment - Red Scarf (+2 Defense)]

[Torso Equipment - White 0G5 Logo T-Shirt (+5 Defense)]

[Waist Equipment - Purchased Dark Brown Belt w/ Red Cloth Pieces (+2 Defense)]

[Legs Equipment - Black Baggy Cargo Pants (+5 Defense]

[+14 Bonus SP Added to Defense]

Defense: 15 (+14)

After changing into his new outfit, Hoshigari checked himself out in the mirror.

"How's this look, Noctatsu? Fly?"

Noctatsu smirked. "Very fly indeed!" Then he blinked and started looking around. "Wait… A fly? Where?!"

Hoshigari burst into laughter. "I know, right?! And all this was cheap, too!"

With that, he exited the shop. The receptionist waved him off. "Come again!"

"Next stop, Aegis Forge."

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As they made their way through the bustling market, Hoshigari suddenly covered Noctatsu's eyes as they passed a food stall.

"Sniff Sniff That smells good! What is it, Sir Hoshigari?" Noctatsu asked.

"You don't wanna know," Hoshigari quickly said, picking up the pace past the vendor selling skewered fried frogs.

Finally, they arrived at Aegis Forge, stepping into the armory's grand entrance. Rows of shining armor and durable equipment lined the walls, organized by class. Hoshigari browsed the Classless-based section until a certain pair of dark red, mechanic-style worker gloves caught his eye.

"Hmm... What are these?" He muttered as he picked up a pair of dark red mechanic-looking worker gloves

[Crimson All-Work Gloves - Epic Equipment]

[These gloves give the wearer +5 Status Points Bonus to all Status Attributes, if upgrade; Status Points Bonus will be added by 2, and so on... (Effect only works if you wear both gloves)]

[Price: 400 Creds]

Hoshigari's jaw dropped. "HAA?! THE HELL?! WHY HAS NO ONE BOUGHT THESE YET?!"

Noctatsu nearly drew his blade at Hoshigari's sudden outburst.

"I'm not wasting this chance," Hoshigari said, pressing the purchase button without hesitation.

[Purchased Crimson All-Work Gloves - 400 Creds]

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"Alright, let's see what else they've got."

Moving toward the Ranger-based equipment, he came across a pair of dark brown boots. The wing engravings on the sides began to glow light blue as he picked them up.

"Hmm? How 'bout these?" Hoshigari questioned

[Hermes Boots - Rare Equipment]

[These boots give you +10 Agility Bonus, +10 Stamina Bonus, and a bonus effect where it allows you double jump mid-air with a cooldown of 5 seconds, if upgraded; the cooldown will be lowered by 1, and so on...]

[Price: 150 Creds]

"Oh, these are gonna be sick with my Bouncing Round shots. No need to rely on Jiggle Bounce Slime Rounds for landing anymore!"

With another press of the purchase button, 150 credits were deducted.

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"Alright, let's put on these bad boys!" He exclaimed with joyous smile

As he eagerly equipped his new gear.

[Face Equipment - Spotter Goggles]

[+20 Bonus SP Added to Perception]

[Left Hand Equipment - Crimson All-Work Gloves (Left)]

[Right Hand Equipment - Crimson All-Work Gloves (Right)]

[+5 Bonus SP Added to All Attributes]

[Foot Equipment - Hermes Boots]

[+10 Bonus SP Added to Agility]

[+10 Bonus SP Added to Stamina]

[Bonus SP Added & Distributed!]

-[Status Attributes (Updated)]-

Vitality: 10 (+5)

Defense: 15 (+19)

Strength: 20 (+5)

Arcana: 5 (+5)

Perception: 20 (+25)

Dexterity: 22 (+5)

Agility: 20 (+15)

Stamina: 15 (+15)

Luck: 45 (+5)

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With a triumphant grin, he stretched his arms. "I'm done with my clothing and equipment, and my gear and weapons are currently still well maintained... Alright! Time to meet back up with the others."

With Noctatsu nodding in agreement, the two exited the shop, ready for whatever came next.

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