Update 23: Night of the Living Dead (Nameless vs. Undead King)



Om...mani padme om...
...
Um.
Okay, sure, make me ask. Alexis, what are you doing?
The Undead King is a very aberrant existence. In response, I've decided to become one with nature to more properly fight against him.
But... Well, okay, does that-- Did you have to--
Alexis.
Magda.
Put on some pants.
I'm becoming one with nature!
That's not a request. It's a command. Put on some pants.
C'mon, Alexis, think of the kids! Raven's quaking in his boots, Mio's at an impressionable age, and you're going with Lily!
...Actually, that's a good point, how old is Lily? I need to know this for demographics--
PUT ON SOME CLOTHES, ALEXIS.
Gah! You don't have to tackle me!
YES I DO. Jana. Pants.
Right here! _{...Good luck, Raven. My condolences.
Mommy.}








You tread through the poison into a large room. Before you stands a clearly inhuman figure, the source of the dark presence.


Ooooooohhhh he's taller than I expected.
How did a Lunarian magician-turned-thief grow to those proportions?!
My guess? Magic.
He looks like a Yu-Gi-Oh card.
How absolutely revolting...
The small girl at your side begins to speak softly.


Undead King... Are you using the Ring of the Immortal?
With this terrified, quivering voice, she attempt to confirm that the monster before her is her target. Giving no sign that it's heard her, the creature speaks into your minds.


I AM LORD OF THE DEAD. I AM CALLED THE UNDEAD KING.
Yes, we heard you the first time.
BEING THAT YOU HAVE TRESPASSED IN MY KINGDOM, IT IS ASSUMED THAT YOU HAVE MADE PEACE WITH YOUR INEVITABLE DEATHS.
Not...really?
After saying this, the Undead King turns to Lily.
AS FOR YOU. A DESCENDANT OF MY PURSUER, I IMAGINE? IT MATTERS NOT. THE RING IS MY FOUNDATION. DREAMS OF LARCENY SHALL BE MET WITH THE COLD EMBRACE OF THE GRAVE.
As the voice goes silent, you sense an unbelievable bloodthirst directed at you... But you have no hesitation. In order for Lily to complete her quest, you'll have to overcome the monster in front of you. Your chests filled with purpose, you ready your weapons and glare at your enemy. In response, the Undead King begins to speak again, as if with an unmoving smile.
UNFORGIVABLE INSOLENCE. REFLECT ON YOUR MISDEEDS AS YOU SURRENDER TO THE SIREN CALL OF THE UNDERWORLD.
Oh my gods will you SHUT UP.
Vile thief, prepare for us...okay, for those six, to bring you to an end!
Oh, the irony of B calling someone else a thief.


VIDEO: Boss: Undead King



Undead King! I will defeat you!

N-now's not the time to get scared...









HAH! I feel nimbler than ever!
Is-- Is it really worth-- Worth just wearing pants?! What if you g-get hit?!
Long as he doesn't get hit and keeps attention away from us, I'm fine with it.



...What, exactly, are you doing?
Are you...blowing a fan? What?
Don't you feel more dodge-y with this?
Um, kinda, but... What's that on the fan?



...
Um, which one is he, again?
Sadamune!
Ooooh, right. He was a...you said wakizashi, right...?
Oh, those poor children.




You know, Lanzon, this girl is far more gentle when making us into bombs than you are. Hint, hint.
I'm quite comfortable with how I treat you three, A.


Not today, sword man!


Okay, um... W-what now?
Hit him? Ooh, poison him!
I-I've got a hunch poison won't really--
C'moooon, Raven, you can do it! He's just a big, ugly Yu-Gi-Oh monster!
...That's not really encoura--


YAAAAAAAAAGH!
...Uncanny...
Hmhmhm... I think I see what's going on here~
Ah, kids.

Hoohoo!



...The heck was in that miasma? That overblown zombie looks like he's in pretty bad shape.
There's a certain cliché phrase I could insert, but I won't.







WAAAAAAAAGH!
GO, GO, RAVEN!
G... Go go, Raven, I suppose. My lords.





















Get out the plates, because you just got-- Wait, no, that doesn't have anything to do with this...
Eh?
Hope you're not feeling bonely down-- Bleh, no, that one's really bad...
What in the...?
You'll be looking up...at the grass. ...Gah, no, there's no grass here...
This seems forced.
The bosses before you are rolling in their--
Oh my god you were SO COOL out there!
Wh-- ...Gh... Oh... Bwaah...
...Wait a minute, Mio comes from a world where monotheism is the norm?
Oh my god oh my god oh my god how'd you do it?! How'd you poison it that badly?! That ice stuff was so cool!
Dah dee duh woo...
Looks like she broke him by hugging him.
Going by his cheeks, I'd say less "broke" and more "embarrassed." Hoh hoh hoh~

The Undead King, the eternal ruler of this land...slowly falls to the floor. His body quickly crumbles into nothingness, leaving behind a empty room, one so quiet that it leaves you briefly wondering if it was all a dream. However, your daze is interrupted when you notice a ring shining ominously on the ground where he fell.


The Ring of the Immortal. The stolen treasure... My family's greatest wish... It's finally...
All of that... For this one stupid ring.
Shut up. You're ruining the mood.
The girl by your side crumples to her knees, her face buried in her hands. Her long journey is finally at an end. You pick up the ring to hand it to her. When she looks up, she seems almost surprised by the tears in her eyes and wipes them away.
S-Sorry. I didn't mean to cry. I'm just...so relieved, I, uh, eheh...
As she grasps your hands in thanks, you can see Soleil slowly walking up from behind her.


Yo. I figured I should give that bucket of bones a taste of my blade while I was here, but, well, looks like you're already done here. Happens. That the ring, Lily?
Yeah, it is. My mission is complete!
Good. Then everything's settled, and no one's even dead. We should get back to town to get some rest.
The Reaper then glances at you. Unlike her usual, mocking smirk, she flashes you an impish grin before turning to leave.
Heh heh ha. Guess everyone's got their own way of saying thanks.
Hey, wait up Soleil! Uh, sorry guys, I gotta go! Really, seriously, thank you!
After thanking you one last time, she chases after Soleil while calling her name. With this, you've accomplished your mission to help them. You should report to the Council that no one was hurt.



Buh bah bee buh gah...
R-Raven?
I think he just needs some time to lie down, dear.
Oh, I can take him back to the inn!
Heh. Go ahead. We'll go tell Remus what happened. You just go and make sure he gets some rest.









Oh, Nameless. I've already heard the story from Soleil and Lily. So you were able to defeat the Undead King! Excellent work. Even as a member of the Council, I'm glad that those two have managed to complete their task. So I'd like to reward for your labor. Will you accept this?


But of course.






Now then, there's also the matter of you completing the third stratum, the Vanguard's Mortuary. To be frank, we of the Council know absolutely nothing of what comes next. According to the reports, there weren't any stairs in the Undead King's chamber, correct?
None that I could see, at least.
However, we believe that a way forward must lie hidden somewhere in the Labyrinth. After you've rested, would you be willing to go back and search for it? There must be some way to reach the uncharted 4th Stratum.
We've a guild member who badly needs some time to recover from...an event. But after that? Of course.




Bee tee dubs, thanks bunches for saving Lily! When I saw her come home to the inn, I was so overcome with joy, I started crying as I embraced her tiny head for a big ol' hug!
Aww.
Then Soleil punched me and I fell unconscious.
Ahh.
My heart beats with joy in wild abandon that one of our best customers is still doing A-O-Great! I guess it's true what they say--"you don't appreciate what you have until it's already gone."
...Ah, Genetta, dear...
...Why are you looking at me like that?



Lily came back! Good work, Nameless! Those two are good customers; it makes me glad they're safe, and they're glad too, which also makes me glad! It's like a gladness bargain sale! Speaking of bargains, why not buy something in honor of her safe return?
...Never change, Ceric.



Oh, good work on saving Lily, everyone. Thank you. Lily just kept blabbering on and on about you, you know. You might even get famous for this. That said, Lily and Soleil are really popular too, so maybe I'm just jealous. In all sorts of ways. *chuckle* Anyway, good work.
Cookie: Have you heard? Lily came back! And I got to thank her and give her the cookies and everything! And she seemed so touched! Dunno why, but I'm so glad!
This Guy: I'm so glad Lily came home safe. And she was smiling brighter than ever... I guess my next obstacle is that I've never even talked to her...
That is quite a large obstacle, yes.



Oh, it's you guys, huh? I hear that whole business with those other two went well. That's a load off my mind. That's it for the 3rd Stratum, then, eh? I wonder what's up ahead. I'm sure it'll be quite the sight...



Thank you for saving Soleil and Lily. Your contributions are appreciate by all of the town. I hope that, after you've rested, you'll push further and find a path to the next stratum.
That is, in fact, the plan.
...I'm sorry that I do nothing but make demands of you, but there's not much else that I can do from here. Good luck, and stay safe.





VIDEO: 4th Stratum: Prismatic Druse Intro



Oooooooh...
It's so pretty! Ooh, ooh, Raven, look at this one!
Crystals and precious gemstones as far as the eye can see.
Ohhhhh, what I would give to be a living thief with knowledge of this place...
You really have no shame, do you?
We all gave that up a long time ago, I think.
It's gorgeous...but I also have a strange, ominous feeling.
Oh, we can worry about that later~


As you follow the uncharted path up the stairs, you find yourselves in a section of the Labyrinth covered in brilliant cystals. Among them, you could swear you can see some rare and valuable gems. It seems you'll have to explore this new stratum while blinded by their gleam.


As you navigate the dazzling paths, you find the road blocked by a giant crystal. You can see around it to a path beyond, but it doesn't seem like you'd be able to squeeze past it.
Perhaps I can find a fault in it!
Just to test, you try hitting it a few times, but it's quite hard and trying any further right now seems like it would be a waste of time.
...Damnation.
Damnation? Really? That was old and antiquated when I was alive.



So doctor, gimme the news; can you find expensive crystals in the new stratum or no?
Yeah, I guess? Why do you ask?
Y'see, my older sister got this crazy idea running through her head that she could pay off her bar tab with them, and started running off faster than a cheetah's uncle! Fingers crossed she doesn't get drunk and bother the explorers??
Ah, the wonders of irresponsible older sisters...



Hey, how's it going?
We got to a new stratum! It's filled with crystals and everything!
What?! You're already in the 4th Stratum?! Gosh, I know I've said I'm expecting a lot from you, but wow. Never thought you'd really do it. Nobody's ever been past the 3rd Stratum before, it's a totally uncharted frontier...bring back one of those Dragon Crystals and you're practically going to start a gold rush! Things'll go bananas here in town!
And you don't want to get in on this?
...Who, me? Nah, I'm just a shopkeeper. I'm not gonna go out there and dig for rocks, I'll just buy them from the people who do!


Congratulations on reaching the 4th Stratum. Now that you're the first people to set foot in the virgin 4th Stratum, I'm sure I'll be getting a deluge of requests asking for you by name. So you can expect to be busy. I'll be working you to the bone.
Ooooough...
*chuckle* Calm down, that was a joke.


...Damn, though, can hardly believe you actually managed to clear the 3rd Stratum before anyone else.
Why do you say that?
Well... Eh... I mean, for a while there you looked so green I could have you on my dinner plate, but somewhere along the line I started thinking, "Those Nameless kids are probably gonna be the first ones to reach the 4th Stratum." Cause I've seen the looks in your eyes. I've seen how you look at the Labyrinth like a wild animal eyes its next meal. So, basically, I can actually believe it.
And I also believe this: you guys might very well be the ones to achieve the dream of all explorers, and reach the top of Yggdrasil.



Thanks to you, the Council has gotten its first concrete confirmation of the 4th Stratum's existence. Our reports indicate that stories of a colossal cavern of crystals, untouched by human hands, has attracted not only explorers, but even members of the townsfolk. ...Good grief, but it is frustrating. We can't very well stop all unlawful entry into higher areas of Yggdrasil, but...could I count on you all to protect anyone who's run into a fray they can't defend themselves in?
Of course!


Oh, that one? Um, let's see here... It's from a local architect. The client should be in the bar right now, so would you mind asking them for the details?
This one's from the same girl who wanted those rocks back in the third stratum. Do you remember her? She specifically asked for you by name.
...Ah, yes, her.
*chuckle* I guess she's taken quite a liking to you. She's waiting for you in the bar, so go talk to her for the details.
So you took that one, huh? Thanks, that really helps me out. A little while ago a group of soldiers went into the Labyrinth, but they failed to return at the scheduled time. They're organizing a search party as we speak, but there's a lot of paperwork and red tape associated with that, so that's not gonna cut it for an emergency rescue. So that's why they put out a request for explorers too. The soldiers were meant to be heading towards this area of floor 13.



And if you find the soldiers, please give them this.


It contains food and water, as well as an Ariadne Thread to get them home. I sure hope they get home in one piece...


Girl: Hey, its the explorers! Hello! Thank you so much for showing me that ore the other day! Um...does this mean you've accepted my request?
Indeed.
Girl: All right! So, hey, uh, have you seen any crystal monsters? I heard that the crystal forest in the Labyrinth is full of 'em. I really really really wanna go see them! But it's too dangerous for a kid like me to go there myself, right? So I'll to settle for the next best thing. If you find any materials dropped by monsters with crystal bodies, could you come here and show me them? Thanks a bunch!
Architect: Hm? Do you have some business with me?
Are you, um, the architect that posted the request?
Architect: Oh! So you took the request! Thank you, I'm in your debt! I suppose you've already heard, but I'm an architect. Recently I discovered some notebooks in my grandfather's old storehouse, and one line in particular caught my eye. "Shining Bark, sleeping in the crystal forest." Accompanying it on the page was a beautiful sketch of the most marvelously shining wood. The moment I saw that, something inside me clicked. I just had build a house out it, the most beautiful house anyone's ever seen! With that in mind, I'd like to ask you fine explorers to collect some Shining Bark from the crystal forest. Even just 1 should be enough, but the more you bring the more I'll reward you. I'm prepared to pay for up to 5. I'll leave the exact number up to your discretion. Good luck.

Fencer: My, if it isn't the good folks from Nameless? I hear tell that you've actually reached the 4th Stratum! If it's no bother, could you tell me what it's like up there?
Really pretty! There's crystals and gemstones everywhere!
And, erm, some of those crystals happen to be right in our paths.
Fencer: I see, so they have large crystals blocking the paths... That must be troublesome, even for the monsters who live there. I wouldn't be surprised if clearing the path expanded their territory as well. On the other hand, that might just create the opening you'll need.
Bunny: Hey hey, have you heard? There this super cool guy named Hansuke who's clearing the Labyrinth, like BAM! Tee hee hee, when I grow up I wanna be a sparkly mega-awesome explorer like him!
Blue Mage: Wait...are you THE Nameless? The guys who got to the 4th Stratum?
Mm-hmm!
Blue Mage: My gosh, what an honor to meet you! My guild's been stuck for a while because of this stupid Cestus we've got. He's the kinda guy who'd boil the dirt under his fingertails and try to get you to drink it... I mean, I guess he's useful sometimes, but oh how I wish I could just explore the Labyrinth myself. *sigh*
Former Miner: Ha ha ha, I hear the latest stratum is some kinda crystal forest. Back in my day we ain't never had anything crazy like that, but I do have some experience with crystal caverns. We used to carry a heavy pickaxe to clear 'em away, and even then it would take two swings to get 'er done. A real pain too, 'cause with each swing the beasts would get closer and closer! We'd be prayin' for our lives each and every time. Ha, still, those was the good ol' days...
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