Exo-Arcana Online

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(Note: This chapter is LONGER than usual. So enjoy it!)

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Akito exited the school washroom, he looked out the wind to see the cool and breezy air outside, as he went back to his classroom and grabbed his Bento Box and exited, heading to the rooftop.

He ascended the stairs and pushed open the door to the school's rooftop, adjusting his scarf as the crisp air greeted him. The autumn chill made the rooftop an ideal escape. A blanket of thick clouds loomed overhead, the cool wind brushing against his face.

As he stepped onto the rooftop, he noticed two students already there, engaged in conversation while enjoying their lunch.

One was a black-haired girl with long twin-braided pigtails and circular glasses, sitting with a composed, diligent posture.

The other was a gyaru with long blonde hair fading into white at the tips, her uniform slightly loosened for comfort. They were talking casually when Akito sat down a short distance from them.

"Cold weather today, huh?" Akito greeted, his voice carrying a casual friendliness.

"Yeah~ It is pretty cool today," the gyaru replied in a lighthearted tone, swinging her legs playfully.

The black-haired girl simply nodded in acknowledgment, her focus remaining on her food. Akito gave a small smile before settling in, unwrapping his bento and pulling out his phone. He scrolled through videos about EAO—gameplay guides, lore, strategies, anything that could enhance his experience in the game.

Meanwhile, the two girls continued their conversation.

"You know, the teacher last period was complaining about my style again. Can you believe that?!" the gyaru huffed, dramatically flipping her hair.

"Well, it is against the uniform guidelines, Maki," the black-haired girl pointed out matter-of-factly.

Maki pouted but quickly moved on. "Anyway, I wonder how Boss is doing. He did say he has school like us. By now, it should be his lunch break. I'll send him a message on EAO Friend Chat."

"You sure you won't be disturbing him?" Tsuchi, the black-haired girl, asked.

"Don't worry about it, Tsuchi~" Maki waved her off and began typing.

[EAO Friend Chat]

Makidon: Yo Boss, I know ur in school, like us. Just wanted to check what's up!

A second later—

Pling!

The notification sound rang from Akito's phone, drawing Maki and Tsuchi's attention.

"Oops, forgot to turn off notification sounds," Akito muttered, glancing at his phone. He saw the message and smirked before replying.

[Message from Makidon!]

Hoshigari: Heya, Maki. Doin' fine, just eating lunch rn.

"He's replying!" Maki whispered excitedly.

Tsuchi, now curious, glanced at Akito as he continued eating. A thought crossed her mind. Leaning towards Maki, she whispered, "Maki, send him this: 'What is currently around your surroundings?'"

"Why?" Maki raised an eyebrow.

"Just do it. Watch his reaction," Tsuchi smirked, her voice holding a knowing tone.

Maki shrugged and sent the message.

Makidon: btw, what is currently around your surroundings?

Akito read the message, slightly puzzled but typed back.

Hoshigari: Weird question, but alright. Gimme a quick moment.

He lifted his gaze, scanning his surroundings before typing his reply.

Hoshigari: Currently I'm on top of a roof, so there are roof fences and two girls nearby.

Maki and Tsuchi exchanged glances, their suspicions confirmed. Maki's eyes sparkled with excitement, but Tsuchi kept her composure. She swiftly took Maki's phone and sent the final confirmation message.

Makidon: And are those two girls one diligent black-haired girl with glasses, and the other a blonde gyaru?

Akito blinked, startled. "Huh?! How did you—" He looked up at the two girls, who were now waving at him with mischievous playful-like grins.

His jaw dropped, utterly dumbfounded. "WAIT, DON'T TELL ME YOU GIRLS ARE—"

"HAHAHA! That's right... Boss!~" Maki burst into laughter. "I didn't know our boss was this close by!" She practically bounced over to him, throwing an arm over his shoulder.

"Indeed! It certainly was a surprise," Tsuchi added with a polite nod.

Akito chuckled, still reeling from the shock. "Honestly, quite a surprise that we met face-to-face this early."

"Yeah! I mean, out of the 123.3 million people all over Japan, we were actually this close by? Unbelievable!" Maki grinned widely.

"Haha... yeah..." Akito responded, still processing the coincidence.

"Maki, you're being too pushy," Tsuchi scolded lightly.

"Haha! My bad!" Maki released him.

With a formal air, Tsuchi straightened her glasses and introduced herself. "Apologies, I am Tsuchi Aokawa, Class 2-C, the player who controls Sushi Slice."

"And I'm Maki Kazehara! Class 3-B, otherwise known as Makidon!" Maki followed with a dramatic pose and a thumbs up.

"Nice to meet you, Aokawa-san, Kazehara-senpai. I'm Akito Hoshigane, the player who plays as Hoshigari."

"Oh please!~ You can just call me Maki, Boss!"

"And you can just call me Tsuchi."

"Alright, you guys can call me Akito then."

"Nope! Still calling you Boss! Haha!" Maki giggled as she ruffled his hair playfully.

"Maki, aren't you treating me kind of like a kid?" Akito sighed.

"Nah!~ Boss is Boss!" Maki affirmed, continuing to mess with his hair.

"Sorry about her, Akito," Tsuchi chuckled. "She gets a tad clingy and overly friendly when meeting new people. I got the same treatment when I first met her."

"Haha... alright," Akito muttered, finding the energy infectious.

The three of them continued chatting and laughing, the rooftop turning into an unexpected gathering spot.

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...

But none of them noticed the figure lingering behind the closed rooftop door.

Nozomi Nozuki stood just out of sight, having overheard the entire conversation. Her expression darkened with intrigue as she processed the revelation. Holy Damn!...Sushi Slice... Tsuchi Aokawa. Makidon... Maki Kazehara. And that Hoshigari... I knew it! IT WAS THAT AKITO HOSHIGANE!

She clenched her fists, her mind racing. This private information was significant—far more than she had anticipated. But she wouldn't reveal it. Not to her clan. Not to anyone.

...

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As the school day came to an end, the trio—Akito, Maki, and Tsuchi—walked home together, their conversation light and filled with the usual playful banter. The streets were lined with a soft golden hue from the setting sun, and a crisp breeze rustled the leaves along their path.

"Oh, by the way, Boss, I haven't seen your Exo Ability yet!" Maki suddenly brought up, turning to Akito with curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, I haven't either," Tsuchi added, adjusting her glasses.

"Well, I haven't seen you two's either," Akito replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Maki grinned. "Oh, mine's called Break Storm! It's a Rare-Tier Exo Ability—the player's version of a Super Boss Rage Mode! It boosts my vitality, defense, strength, and dexterity!"

"Sounds OP," Akito mused, raising an eyebrow.

Maki smirked but then quickly followed up, "Buuut it has a downside. It heavily lowers my perception, agility, and stamina, so I gotta invest more stat points in those to balance it out." She scratched the back of her head, laughing awkwardly.

"Still sounds strong," Akito remarked.

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"How about you, Tsuchi?" he asked.

"Oh… I've actually been using mine this whole time," she said nonchalantly.

"It's a Legendary-Tier passive," Maki chimed in, gesturing dramatically.

Tsuchi continued, "My Exo Ability is called Gale Reformation. It's a Legendary-Tier Permanent Passive ability that converts all of my main class skills—in this case, my Samurai Class skills—into wind or air-based abilities."

Akito's eyes lit up. "That's really cool! With your white oni mask in EAO and your wind-based abilities, you could totally be called the Demon of the Wind! That sounds like an awesome nickname for you."

Tsuchi pondered for a moment before nodding in approval. "I suppose that does have a nice ring to it."

Maki chuckled. "Yeah, sounds like something straight out of a legend!"

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"What about you, Boss? What's your Exo Ability?" Maki then asked.

"Oh, right. Mine's called Overclock."

"Overclock?" Maki repeated, tilting her head. "Never heard of it before."

"Yeah, same here," Tsuchi added.

"That's because it's from the newest Tier—Specialized Cyber-Tier Exo Abilities."

There was a moment of silence.

"...Huh?" Maki blinked.

Then, suddenly—

"HAAAAAAAAA?!?!?!" Both Maki and Tsuchi shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the street.

"Ssssshhhhh! You two are so friggin' loud!" Akito hissed, frantically looking around to see if anyone heard them.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Maki nearly grabbed him by the shoulders. "A Cyber-Tier Exo Ability?! A Special-Tier Cyber-Tier Exo Ability at that?!"

"HOW?!" Tsuchi added, her normally composed expression cracking.

Akito sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Yes, yes, my Exo Ability is called Overclock. It's a Special-Tier, Cyber-Tier ability."

Maki groaned. "HOW THE HECK DID YOU GET A FRIGGIN' SPECIAL-TIER, NONETHELESS THE NEWEST CYBER-TIER EXO ABILITY?!"

Tsuchi crossed her arms. "Well… it is Hoshigari."

Maki squinted before realization hit. "Oh right… Mr. Dumb Luck himself."

Akito sighed again. "I really hope that nickname doesn't stick."

As they reached an intersection, Akito stopped in front of a familiar house. "Welp, this is my stop. See you all in-game."

"Alright! Ours is far further ahead," Maki said, waving him off. "Oh, and don't take your sweet time! Me and Tsuchi are gonna stop by the convenience store before heading home. You can either wait for us and do something at Astravyr, or head over to the next town—just send us the town name and we'll meet up! See ya, Boss!~"

"Bye, and see you later, Akito!~" Tsuchi added with a small smile.

Akito chuckled. "Yeah, see ya."

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As Akito settled into his bed, dressed in comfortable home clothes, he placed his VR headset back on.

"Game Continue!"

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

His Exo-Arcana Online avatar, Hoshigari, materialized in the Barren Ruins, the last location he had logged out from. As soon as his digital form stabilized, Noctatsu then materialized after, perched on his shoulder,

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-[Barren Ruins]-

"Welcome back, Sir Hoshigari," Noctatsu greeted in his usual formal tone.

"Hey again, Noct."

"Noct?" Noctatsu tilted his head in confusion.

"That's your nickname now."

"Oh, ok then," Noctatsu responded, accepting the new moniker with a nod.

Hoshigari stretched, rolling his shoulders. "Alright, let's see what I can do while waiting for Maki and Tsuchi... hmm."

"If I recall correctly, you gained a significant amount of status points from your last battle with the Pillar Golem, along with a new weapon," Noctatsu reminded him.

"Ah, that's right! My stat points! Thanks, Noct."

"No problem at all, Father," Noctatsu replied instinctively before freezing. "I- I meant Sir Hoshigari," he hastily corrected, flustered.

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Hoshigari blinked at him but shrugged it off, focusing on his stats.

[Available SP: 55]

"Yeah~ That's a load of stat points, alright. Let's see... gotta start with this first!"

[+20 SP Added to Luck]

"Now, gotta add some to Perception for better focus and precision..."

[+15 SP Added to Perception]

"Now... hmm... more stamina."

[+5 SP Added to Stamina]

"And I'm really low on Arcana and Vitality... Sooo..."

[+10 SP Added to Vitality]

[+5 SP Added to Arcana]

"And... accept!"

[SP Distributed]

-[Status Attributes (Updated)]-

Vitality: 25 (+5)

Defense: 35 (+19)

Strength: 50 (+5)

Arcana: 25 (+5)

Perception: 60 (+25)

Dexterity: 45 (+5)

Agility: 40 (+15)

Stamina: 40 (+15)

Luck: 75 (+5)

"Yup! I'm definitely going all in on a Perception and Luck build!" Hoshigari declared.

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"Now… let's check my inventory. Inventory Menu, open!"

-[Inventory Menu (!)]-

[20 Vita-Vials]

[34 Bouncer Rounds]

[5 Sticky Slime Rounds]

[3 Jiggle Bounce Slime Rounds]

[7 Rock Spike Splitter Rounds (New)]

[5 Flamethrower Rounds (New)]

[StrikerM10 Handgun]

[The Pillar Pistol (New)]

[50 Bones {Material}]

[Big Burning Bone {Super Boss Drop Material}]

[78 Shattered Rock Golem Chunks {Material} (New)]

[9 Shattered Pillar Golem Pieces {Super Boss Drop Material} (New)]

[Refined Black Stone Pillar {Super Boss Drop Material} (New)]

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"Oh right, this Pillar Pistol, gotta check it's stats"

[The Pillar Pistol]

[This pistol shoots sharp rock bullets that deals heavy blunt and piercing damage, but the downside is that is has a very slow fire-rate and high recoil, it acts as a desert eagle with only 7 shots of ammo]

Rarity: Epic

Base Rounds: Blunt & Piercing Sharp Rock Bullets

Body Damage: 25-30 hitpoint damage (40 critical hitpoint damage)

Head Shot Damage: 50 hitpoint damage (60-65 critical hitpoint damage)

Firing Type: Semi-Auto

Ammo Capacity: 7

Effective Range: Short, Medium & Long

Bullet Drop: Very Low

Recoil: High

As Hoshigari whistled in amazement, he grinned and declared, "Damn!~ That is... really good! Oh! And this can be fusion upgraded! We gotta head back to Techxcaliber!"

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With his stats and inventory now checked, he turned to his familiar. "Alrighty, Noct. We're heading back to the Bazaar Market!"

"Aye aye!" Noctatsu responded with enthusiasm.

(Note: Hoshigari currently has and gained 15,710 Credits in total)

The two made their way through the bustling streets of Astravyr's Bazaar Market, the city alive with the chatter of traders and adventurers. Upon reaching Techxcaliber, Hoshigari stepped inside the weapon shop, the scent of familiar metal and enchantments filling the air.

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Maeve, the shop's skilled blacksmith, looked up from her work, her expression brightening. "Welcome!—Oh, it's you!~ Welcome back, great tah see ya again, Hoshigari!"

"Hey again, Maeve!" he greeted with a nod.

She tilted her head, noticing his companion. "Ah, I see ya got yerself a familiar! How peculiar!~ So, what'cha here for, luv?"

"I'm looking to fusion upgrade my new guns."

Maeve smirked. "Aye! Fusion upgrades may cost ya, but it'll be worth every cred, luv. Alright, show me what ya got."

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Hoshigari placed his [The Pillar Pistol] on the counter, along with the materials he had collected, including some rare Super Boss Drop materials.

Maeve examined them carefully. "Hmm... aye! With yer Pillar Pistol, I could fuse it with 30 Shattered Rock Golem Chunks, 10 Bones, 5 Shattered Pillar Golem Pieces, and that Refined Black Stone Pillar. That'd give ya [Black Shard]—a stronger version with a tad faster fire rate, lessened recoil, and an ammo capacity boost to 8. It'll cost ya 2,850 Creds though. Can ya afford it?"

Hoshigari nodded confidently. "Yeah, I can afford it."

"Alrighty then, I'll get started!" Maeve declared as she snapped her fingers.

The Pillar Pistol floated above the counter as the materials began circling it, slowly fusing together. She then pulled out her golden hammer, its surface engraved with mystical sigils, and struck the weapon. A bright, blinding light burst forth, forcing Hoshigari to shield his eyes with his Spotter Goggles while Noctatsu covered his face with his red scarf.

As the light faded, they both uncovered their eyes, revealing the newly reforged weapon: [Black Shard (Epic)]

Maeve handed it over with a grin. "Here ya go, luv! That'll be 2,850 Creds."

Hoshigari transferred the payment without hesitation, watching his credit balance drop.

[Credits: 12,860]

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"Anythin' else, luv?" Maeve asked, resting her hammer on her shoulder.

Hoshigari pondered for a moment before recalling another weapon in his inventory. He pulled out his PiercingAqua Handgun and placed it on the counter. "How about this?"

Maeve's eyes gleamed with interest. "Oh! Aye! If ya wanna upgrade yer PiercingAqua, I'd need 15 Bones, the rest of yer Shattered Pillar Golem Pieces, and that Big Burning Bone ya got there. That'd turn it into [Molten Magnum]."

She then smirked. "And yer actually lucky! Yer newly upgraded [Black Shard] can be weapon fusion upgraded with this [Molten Magnum (Rare)] to create a Legendary Rarity Desert Eagle called [Ebonflame]. It'll cost ya about 5,000 Creds over... but since yer a well-liked customer, I'll give ya a discount—only 4,000 on the dot. What'dya say, luv?"

Hoshigari's eyes widened. "That sounds... really powerful." He then smirked confidently, placing [Black Shard] on the counter. "And I'm all in for it!"

Maeve chuckled. "Good choice, luv! She's a real beaut!"

She performed the same ritual, forging [Molten Magnum] first. Then, she picked up both [Black Shard] and [Molten Magnum], channeling warm yellow energy through her palms as she pressed the two weapons together. A golden-orange glow enveloped the fusion process, radiating immense heat.

When the light dissipated, floating above the counter was the masterpiece itself: [Ebonflame (Legendary)].

Maeve smirked and playfully tapped the counter. "Payment first, laddie!~"

Hoshigari chuckled and transferred the credits.

[Credits: 8,860]

To him, it was worth every single cred.

Maeve leaned on the counter. "Aye! Take good care of her, Hoshigari!~ She's got real power in 'er!"

"I will! Thanks again, Maeve!" he called out as he exited Techxcaliber.

"See ya again, laddie!"

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Once outside, Hoshigari marveled at his new weapon.

[Ebonflame]

"The strength and arcana of the Dark Phoenix, Ashen, in your very hands"

[This pistol shoots magma bullets that deals heavy blunt and piercing damage that also simultaneously deals fire and rock damage, it has a medium to high fire-rate and low recoil, it acts as a desert eagle with 9 shots of ammo]

Rarity: Legendary

Base Rounds: Blunt & Piercing Magma Bullets that simultaneously deals fire and rock damage at the same time

Body Damage: 50-60 hitpoint damage (80 critical hitpoint damage)

Head Shot Damage: 100 hitpoint damage (200 critical hitpoint damage)

Firing Type: Semi-Auto

Ammo Capacity: 9

Effective Range: Short, Medium & Long

Bullet Drop: None

Recoil: Low

Legendary Skills of the Ebonflame:

(Note: Legendary Rarity to higher rarity weapons have their own built in Skills)

> Phoenix Wing Impact (A pistol whip that deals 25 damage and a cooldown of 1 second to AI enemies, but only 15 damage and a cooldown of 5 seconds to players, and inflicts burn for 20 seconds) (Note: Burn Status Effect deals 2-4 damage over time)

> Thermal Ignition Shot (Charges a bullet, transforming it into a superheated beam of flames that deals heavy piercing and flame damage)

> Soaring Dark Phoenix (Fires a black and red bullet that morphs into the dark blazing phoenix, Ashen, incinerating everything in its one-way path to ashes, if AI enemies get hit by the dark phoenix they recieve 400 guaranteed dark, rock, and fire damage, but if players get hit by the dark phoenix they recieve 250 guaranteed dark, rock, and fire damage regardless if they are blocking or not, the only option they have is to try and dodge it)

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Hoshigari grinned, spinning his newly acquired weapon in his hand before holstering it with a satisfying click.

"Hahaha! Hella neat!" he exclaimed, the excitement in his voice clear as day.

Noctatsu, ever composed, nodded in approval. "Indeed, Sir Hoshigari. Your new weapon is surging with power." His eyes gleamed as he observed the Ebonflame, the air around it subtly radiating heat, as if the very spirit of the Dark Phoenix, Ashen, slumbered within.

-[Equipment Menu]-

-Equipment Menu Updated]-

[Left Handed Weapon - Ebonflame]

Hoshigari took a deep breath and pulled up his Digi-Map, its holographic interface flickering to life. A glowing waypoint marked their next destination. "Alrighty! Let's see… The next town over is… Gloamhaven, the town shrouded in mist and fog at night. Sounds... mysterious as hell."

Noctatsu folded his arms. "What about fair maiden Sushi and lady warrior Maki?" His crimson scarf fluttered slightly as he turned toward Hoshigari for an answer.

"They said they'll catch up with us later." Hoshigari replied nonchalantly, dismissing the thought with a wave of his hand.

Noctatsu nodded in understanding, his sharp, disciplined stance unwavering. "Understood! Ready, sir!"

With that, they stepped beyond the grand gates of Astravyr, leaving behind the neon glow of the Bazaar Market and the bustling town life.

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...

Once again, unbeknownst to Hoshigari, a shadow moved amidst the rooftops. Yukinox, his self-proclaimed number one fan, crouched low, his eyes locked onto him. He watched him disappear beyond the horizon. "Huh... Where are you going now?" he whispered to himself.

With a swift movement, he jumped off the ledge, disappearing into the darkness (despite not even being a stealth class), his pursuit beginning. He's definitely not an in-game stalker… 

...

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-[Gloamhaven]-

The journey had been somewhat long, but finally, Hoshigari and Noctatsu arrived at Gloamhaven—the town swallowed in mist, under the morning sun, and fog, under the moon.

The damp cobblestone streets shimmered with moisture, their slick surfaces barely touched by the weak daylight struggling to break through the ever-present fog. Gothic spires and iron-laced balconies loomed over the narrow alleys, their details obscured by the mist that clung to the air like ghostly tendrils. Lanterns, flickering with an eerie glow, lined the streets, their dim golden light doing little to dispel the gloom. Despite the quiet hum of the town's activity, there was an unnatural stillness—an odd presence lurking just beyond sight.

Hoshigari adjusted his coat, glancing at Noctatsu, who visibly shuddered.

"Sir Hoshigari... This place feels really odd."

"I feel the same way, Noct. Kinda sketchy…"

"We just need to find this town's Grand Hall," Noctatsu suggested, scanning the misty streets.

Hoshigari checked his Digi-Map, his eyes narrowing. "Actually, there is one. It's called Veilkeep Hall. Looks like it's this way."

The two pressed forward, their boots echoing against the wet pavement as they approached Veilkeep Hall. It stood apart from Astravyr's Grand Hall—more imposing, its architecture lined with elaborate gargoyle statues, dark-stone pillars, and heavy iron doors. The mist swirled lazily around its entrance, as if reluctant to reveal what lay inside.

"Huh… definitely different from Astravyr's Grand Hall."

"I-Indeed… It's uhh… eccentric?" Noctatsu murmured.

"Let's just head in."

"Agreed."

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-[Gloamhaven's Veilkeep Hall]-

The hall buzzed with activity, players gathered around request boards, conversing in hushed excitement. The scent of parchment, candle wax, and something faintly metallic lingered in the air.

They approached the reception desk, where a gothic-clad receptionist sat, lazily twirling a strand of her dark hair.

"Hello there," Hoshigari greeted.

The receptionist, barely lifting her gaze, exhaled a bored sigh. "Mhm, yeah. Name's Addie. Welcome to Veilkeep Hall." Her fingers flicked in the air, and a translucent quest menu materialized before them. "You can take on these quests around Gloamhaven. Harder than Astravyr's, but the rewards are worth it. Hope you enjoy your stay or whatever."

Hoshigari scrolled through the list but paused, curiosity tugging at him. "By the way, Ms. Addie, do you know why Gloamhaven gets flooded with mist and fog every night?"

Addie's dark lips curved slightly. "Oh, that? No clue. But if someone could figure it out and solve the problem, let's just say… they'd be handsomely rewarded." Her voice took on a playful lilt, but there was an unmistakable undercurrent of unease.

Hoshigari hummed in thought. Something about this place was kinda off.

A sudden Pling! interrupted his musings.

[Player Makidon is Online!]

Pling! [Player Sushi Slice is Online!]

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Hoshigari glanced at the group chat notifications.

[EAO Group Chat]

[Makidon]: Yo! Boss, where u @?

[Hoshigari]: Took u long enough. Gloamhaven.

[Makidon]: Shut up! Me n Sushi are heading there rn.

[Hoshigari]: lol

[Sushi Slice]: We'll see you there!

[Hoshigari]: Alrighty.

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"So… Makidon and Sushi Slice are heading here," Hoshigari said, closing the chat. "We should hold off on accepting a quest until they arrive. Wanna grab food in the meantime, Noct?"

"I agree," Noctatsu nodded. "I wonder if they have flies in this town…"

"…Probably not," Hoshigari deadpanned. "I wonder if they have dango."

"Dango?" Noctatsu tilted his head.

"It's a sweet treat."

"Ah…" Noctatsu nodded, suddenly intrigued. "Then let us seek this dango that you want to try"

Hoshigari chuckled "Yeah" as they headed into the light mist-laced streets in search of snacks, the creeping mist trailing at his heels.

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-[Murkmire Swamp - A Swamp Nearby Gloamhaven]-

[Credits: 8,850]

The air was thick with humidity, a damp heaviness clinging to every surface. The distant croaks of frogs and the hum of insects filled the eerie silence of the Murkmire Swamp. The gnarled trees loomed over the fog-covered ground, their twisted roots snaking through the sludge like grasping fingers.

Hoshigari sat lazily on the damp ground, a stick of dango in his hand. He took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. "Huh… I guess dango exists here too." He muttered between bites.

Perched beside him, Noctatsu flicked out his long tongue, expertly catching a fly midair. He swallowed it whole and gave a satisfied sigh.

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The peaceful moment didn't last.

ZZZRRRTWHOOOSH!

A sudden, crackling surge of energy shot toward Hoshigari from behind.

"Sir Hoshigari! Behind you!" Noctatsu shouted.

Reacting on instinct, Hoshigari launched himself into a side flip, narrowly dodging the electrified attack. He landed in a crouch, his hand gripping Ebonflame as he turned to face their assailant.

-[You Have Encountered the Rare Encounter Beast - Storm of the Bog]-

A monstrous dark green colored panther-like beast emerged from the swamp. Standing on two powerful legs, its entire form was cloaked in moss, weeds, and tangled vines. Its red eyes glowed like embers in the mist, and jagged, protruding lightning-charged spines crackled along its back. Its forearms were thick with muscle, ending in massive, electrified claws that pulsed with raw lightning power.

The beast let out a bone-shaking roar.

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Hoshigari's lips curled into a smirk as he aimed Ebonflame at the beast. "Well, well… I was getting bored. You'll do nicely for testing out my new gun!"

Without hesitation, the Storm of the Bog lunged forward with blistering speed. Hoshigari rolled to the right, evading the attack, and squeezed the trigger—three rapid shots struck the creature's side, searing through the moss-covered hide.

Noctatsu capitalized on the moment, leaping into the air and unleashing his Triple Aqua Shuriken Skill directly onto the beast, the spinning water projectiles cutting into its flesh.

The beast roared in fury, dropping to all fours before launching itself at Hoshigari once again. Anticipating the attack, he braced himself and activated Ranger Pistol Skill: Pistol Whip Parry. The instant the beast's lightning claws came within reach, he slammed Ebonflame's butt of it's handle against them with precise timing.

CRACK!

A perfect parry.

The force sent the beast stumbling backward, rolling across the mud. Hoshigari didn't hesitate—he rushed forward, jumping onto its back and grabbing onto its thick fur.

Ebonflame Skill: Phoenix Wing Impact!

He drove his weapon down onto the beast's body repeatedly, each repetitive flaming pistol whip strike igniting bursts of black and red fire that seared its hide and inflicted continuous burn damage. The creature snarled in agony before its body surged with electricity.

Recognizing the danger, Hoshigari pushed off and rolled away just as a violent surge of lightning exploded outward. As he shot the beast three more times again and distanced himself.

The muscle-built panther beast snarled and prepared to strike as it gathered electrical and lightning energy in it's—but it didn't realize Noctatsu had positioned himself in the trees above.

In a flash, Noctatsu dropped from above, his ninjato gleaming as he drove the blade deep into the creature's back. The beast thrashed wildly, trying to throw him off, but his webbed grip held firm.

"MASTER! SHOOT IT!" Noctatsu gritted, struggling to keep his blade embedded in the creature's flesh.

Hoshigari narrowed his eyes. He shot the beast twice as he then flipped open Ebonflame's chamber—only one bullet left.

Perfect.

"Do you like fire, bog beast?" He questioned, as dark and red heat radiated from the gun's barrel as he activated Ebonflame Skill: Thermal Ignition Shot. Black sparks and red embers surged around the gun as he leveled the aim. The energy compressed within the chamber, building into a devastating shot. "I SURE HOPE YA DO!"

The beast roared in defiance.

Hoshigari pulled the trigger.

As a powerful superheated beam of black and red fire erupted from Ebonflame, piercing clean through the Storm of the Bog's body. The beast let out one final, ear-splitting screech before collapsing to the swamp floor, steam rising from its smoldering wounds, as it slowly dematerialized...

-[You Have Defeated the Rare Encounter Beast - Storm of the Bog]-

[Gained - +300 XP]

[Gained - 500 Creds]

[Gained - +20 SP]

[Gained - 18 Storm of the Bog's Lightning Sharp Claws {Boss Materials}]

[Gained - Spark Light Shooter (Rare)]

[Gained - Ring of the Lightning Beast (Epic)]

As the body of the beast twitched one final time before going still, Noctatsu hopped off and flicked the blood off his ninjato. Hoshigari blew smoke off the barrel of his gun before spinning it back into its holster.

"Well," he said, exhaling. "That woke me up."

Noctatsu sighed, wiping swamp muck off his sleeve. "Perhaps now we can enjoy our snacks in peace?"

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"Well, I already finished mine, you can continue with your fly snacks if you want, I'm thinkin' of checkin' these goodies!~" Hoshigari said as he opened his status menu as Noctatsu went back to eating flies

[Available SP: 20]

"Of course..."

[+10 SP Added to Luck]

[+10 SP Added to Perception]

"Aaaaaand accept!"

[SP Distributed]

-[Status Attributes (Updated)]-

Vitality: 25 (+5)

Defense: 35 (+19)

Strength: 50 (+5)

Arcana: 25 (+5)

Perception: 70 (+25)

Dexterity: 45 (+5)

Agility: 40 (+15)

Stamina: 40 (+15)

Luck: 85 (+5)

>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---

"YUP! Not ashamed at all!" Hoshigari chuckled, then pulled out a small ring from his inventory.

Sliding it onto his finger, he flexed his hand. "Unfortunately, this zip-zappy ring is covered by my All-Work Gloves... but eh, extra stats are always good."

-[Equipment Menu]-

-Equipment Menu Updated]-

[Left Ring - Ring of the Lightning Beast (+10 Arcana & +10 Vitality)]

[+10 Bonus SP Added to Arcana]

[+10 Bonus SP Added to Vitality]

[Bonus SP Added & Distributed!]

-[Status Attributes (Updated)]-

Vitality: 25 (+15)

Defense: 35 (+19)

Strength: 50 (+5)

Arcana: 25 (+15)

Perception: 70 (+25)

Dexterity: 45 (+5)

Agility: 40 (+15)

Stamina: 40 (+15)

Luck: 85 (+5)

>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---

Just then—

"Yo, Boss! Damn... looks like you were busy!"

Maki's voice rang out as he and Sushi Slice approached. Sushi chuckled. "You are covered in mud."

"No kidding. Had to face off against that damn Storm of the Bog beast!"

Maki's eyes widened. "HUH?! YOU BEAT THAT RARE ENCOUNTER BEAST ALREADY?! DAMMIT, WHY DO YOU HAVE STUPIDLY DUMB LUCK AND GREAT SKILL AT THE SAME TIME?!"

"What did you get?" Sushi asked curiously.

Hoshigari smirked. "Its claws, a rare gun, and this epic rarity ring called Ring of the Lightning Beast."

Sushi nodded. "Ah, that ring grants easy access to lightning arcana. A good tool."

"Yeah, boss, that sounds sick!" Maki chimed in.

"It is," Sushi agreed. "But for now, let's pick up a quest—I need materials for my new katana."

"Same here! Gotta gather some mats for a better greatshield and some sturdier and better armor," Maki added enthusiastically.

Hoshigari sighed, glancing down at himself. "Yeah, yeah… but first, I need to wash off all this damn mud."

Sushi and Maki chuckled, realizing he was still caked in dirt from his earlier battle.

With laughter in the air, the trio set off toward Gloamhaven's Veilkeep Hall, trading playful banter along the way, their camaraderie growing stronger with each step.

>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---<<<>>>---

...

But... unbeknownst to them... a certain top-ranked player was also heading toward Gloamhaven, investigating the swamp's mist and fog mystery under orders from their clan leader.

Perhaps... this unexpected encounter would change the world of EAO forever.

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