Update 39: My Girlfriend Who Lives in Canada





Gentlemen!
Oh, hello, Kaelin.
I present to you...a taken man!


...Like, by aliens, or...?
Where'd the man go? I have tips about living off the land, if need be.
No, no, I think he means like, taken by the tide. I think this man might've drowned!
Oh, no, Kaelin, please, my coffins only have so much room.
No, no, you bumbling knuckleheads, I mean me. I'm the taken man! Me!
What does "taken" mean in this context, exactly? Were you kidnapped?
...Fine. Here. Let me try one more time. Gentlemen! I...am no longer single!


BAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Snrk...pffffffffttttthahahahaha!
Bwaha, aha, ahahahahaha, ah, ah I can't breathe! I need, hahaha I need air!
Hahahaha, ahahahahaha, hahahahahahahaha!
Hehehehehe, haha, heh, that's a good one, Kaelin.
...It...it wasn't a joke. I have a girlfriend. I am a taken man, in the romantic sense.


HAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Hey, guys, I've got this fantastic new--
Sasha, Sasha! You have to hear this: Kaelin says he has a girlfriend!
Bwwwwwwfffffffhaaaaaaahaaaaahahahahahahahaha!

Aren't you exhausted?! I mean, you made it all the way to the summit of Yggdrasil, so why don't you just take the rest of the day off?


Nameless! Marvelous, I've heard you reached the top of Yggdrasil! You have to tell me all about it sometime!
O-oh, thank you.
...I don't think you've ever directly talked to us before.
But first... I want you to report to the Council. Lord Remus has been dying to hear the news.




You cleared Yggdrasil?! Way to go, Nameless! I'm proud I met you!


...So, somehow or other, you've witnessed the legend of Yggdrasil with your own eyes. *chuckle* Drinks are on me tonight. Drink all night, and tell me all about what happened.
I think we all drank enough last night. Thanks, though!



...Well done. That's all I have to say to you at this point. You've grown into fine explorers. I'm just glad I got the opportunity to watch over your guild from the moment it was created.



Nameless, I've heard you've seen all of Yggdrasil! You know this already, but I've thought for a while that if anyone would do it, battle the legends and triumph, it could only be you. Well done! Fantastic work!
I helped! So did my mom's lucky roller pin!
Now, I won't deny that I'm incredibly curious about what was up there... really incredibly curious, but first and foremost, I should praise you for your efforts. To the Council, who were founded simply to watch over Yggdrasil, you who have conquered it are truly heroes! As a representative of Earthrun royalty, I feel I should present you with this.


That said, even if you've reached the top, Yggdrasil still holds many mysteries. If you don't mind, I'd love you to keep up your exploration.



You...you really did it! That's amazing! To this town of Aeolis--no, to all of Arcadia, you are heroes!



A saleswoman just can't get a break, huh...
Aw, don't be too upset! You have me! You can grab me and hug me like a teddy bear if you get tired!
...Dosen, sometimes I don't know if I should find you adorable or creepy.





You find a familiar face in the room where you fought the Lord of the Primordial Darkness. When she notices you, she stands up and approaches.


So, we meet again, Nameless. Your subjugation of the Lord of the Primordial Darkness was no less than magnificent. You've shown me an uminaginable power held by the residents of Arcadia. As your Archon, I could not be more pleased. ...With that said, I thought that I should reward you with the legends you sought. Honor, wisdom, power, treasure... There were...all manner of legends, really.
Are you gonna fulfill all of them right here and now?! Eeeeee!
Let's see...this all said, you have braved the entirety of Yggdrasil, which has no doubt earned you honor.
...I... Yes, I suppose it has.
The perils you've faced have no doubt filled you with wisdom.
I'm not terribly sure about that one.
Speaking with me has elucidated the origins of Yggdrasil.
C'mon, that wasn't even part of the legends!
...All that's left is power and treasure. Very well then.


As promised, power and treasure.
Powerful treasure, no less.
Now, I have another topic to discuss with you. I mentioned earlier, but your defeat of the darkness was the end of my duty on this world. I plan now to leave this land and head to a new world in need of assistance. I've already opened the route, but...contact with my homeworld has suddenly ceased. We Archon travel from world to world under the orders of our homeworld, and have ships prepared for this purpose, but without contact with the homeworld, I have two choices: either I can give up and stay here on this world, or travel the route without a ship.
Let's see, carry the two, divide by i, account for asymptomatically approaching ∞... Wait, distance aside, wouldn't you be travelling through--
...I've watched over this world for...quite a long time. Not just because of my duty, but because I loved the people of this planet. However, now that you've all fully matured, I wish to go and watch over another new frontier. Nameless, as explorers, I ask you this: will you not assist me, and escort me to my next assigned planet? Your only reward will be further adventure in unknown lands, but... I believe this is a good deal nonetheless, for you.
MORE ADVENTURE?!
I see no reason to turn her down, frankly.
My gauntlets yearn for new boxing techniques, and practicing those outside the Labyrinth is...boring, frankly.
Ooh, I wonder what kinds of rare metals you can find in...wherever we're going.
Hey, I'm not doing anything else for the time being.
I see. Thank you. The entrance to the passage is beyond this door. Let's go as soon as you're prepared.
As she says this, she turns her head towards the door. If what she says is true, then up ahead lies even more to explore. If you're prepared, then there's no reason to hesitate. Open the door, and keep moving forward.


...Um.
That...tear is swirling, yes?


As you pass through the door with Archon, you're met with an unprecedented sight. The wall in front of you has collapsed, and the path continues beyond it. Or...something. It's not at all clear what lies beyond the wall. It flows like water, but...a completely different phenomenon has stopped your feet.
I can't say I was expecting this.


Is something wrong, Nameless?
Yeah, actually. What is...this?
You explain your feelings on the enigmatic sight before your eyes.
Hm, so you'd like to know whether we can make it?
That's one way of putting it, I guess. Wouldn't wanna disappoint Iseria by disappearing outta nowhere.
You needn't worry. Keep moving forward, and we'll naturally arrive where I need to be.
Her answer wasn't especially reassuring, but you can tell from her face that she wasn't lying. And based on her nonchalant attitude, you can tell that this...thing isn't dangerous. In which case, there's no way to answer your concerns other than to throw yourselves into this dubious stream. If you're prepared to entrust your safety to its currents, then step forward.
Welp. See you on the other side, guys!


VIDEO: 6th Stratum Intro





Oh my...everything.
Can't say I was really expecting this.
SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE OH MY GOD WE'RE ACTUALLY IN OUTER SPACE WE'RE IN THE NIGHT SKY I WONDER IF MOM CAN SEE ME!
P-probably not, Dosen. ...How far are we from home, anyway?


What awaits you after travelling from the summit of Yggdrasil is a huge expanse interweaving both light and darkness. All you can see in the immediate vicinity are broken and unstable paths stretching out, with the rest fading out into limitless darkness. As you stand there in shock, Archon steps forward and begins to speak.


This is the route through the cosmos which will lead to my destination. I mentioned this earlier, but I lack any sort of combat capabilities--as a result, I apologize, but I'll be relying entirely on you.
As long as you stay in the back when we fight, there shouldn't be issues.
Yes, you wouldn't want to feel the sheer force that emanates from his hatred of monsters when he punches them.
Is that the wind kinda force or the energy kinda force?
...Neither. Alexis, please don't give him ideas.
I'd like you to follow the route until we arrive at the next planet in need of my assistance. Please know; we are no longer in Arcadia's Yggdrasil, and the laws of its universe mean nothing. As a result, you'll be facing many dangers. This place is host to beings stronger than any you've ever encountered... Proceed with caution.
You nod in acknowledgement of her words before beginning your exploration of the new stratum, your hearts pounding with excitement.

...Cece's gonna have to see this.

Good to know that these things are here for us, even in space.




Whoa whoa whoa, guys, BREAKING NEWS. Did you know you can find Moon Apples and wheat and stuff even up in the unknowable cosmotronic void of the 26th floor and beyond?!
...I feel as though I should question how.
What does it even taste like? Oh no. I've made myself hungry. This is a disaster.



Whoa, I can't believe Yggdrasil extends beyond the planet... or, y'know, whatever! I thought you might be kind of glum after discovering you aren't actually done, so here's a silver lining from your buddy Ceric: This means that you'll be getting me things people REALLY have never seen before! It's win-win!
Can't say we were particularly upset, but hey, whatever makes you happy, Ceric, ol' bud.


So you're telling me there's another stratum above that last one? And this one's not even on the planet anymore? Sheesh, does Yggdrasil follow any rules...? Oh my, you people don't even seem all that surprised.
It takes an awful lot to faze me these days.


Oh, that one's from Edgar. You should talk to him yourself at the Explorer's Guild. Off you go then! Good luck.
This one's from a nobleman in town. He's sparing no expense to collect materials from powerful monsters from all over Yggdrasil, from the 1st stratum all the way to the fifth. Specifically, he wants rare materials that can only be obtained by defeating the monsters in special ways. Your targets are a Red Iron Crayfish, a Tunnel-Visioned Predator, a Decapitating Executioner, a Two-Headed Pursuer, and a Calamity-Inviting Plague, for five in total. Hmm, saying it out loud makes it sound like quite a lineup, to be honest. I'm sure it'll be tough, but I know you can do it if you're careful and patient. Good luck.


Ah, Nameless. Been waiting. Now, let me explain; you've beaten that Crystal Dragon in the 4th Stratum, yeah?
A while ago, yup.
I hear you can get a real crazy rare crystal from it, but only if you take it down fast--I mean, 10 actions from when you run into it fast. I want you to do it. Might be tough, but hell, job's a job, right?
Why didn't you tell us that sooner?! Ooh, I bet Cece's gonna want one. Okay, so we'll just have to fight it two times...


So... Your journey continues even beyond the summit of Yggdrasil? Frankly, I'm at a loss for words, but one thing is for certain. You are explorers. And as long as there are unexplored lands, that is where explorers belong. But please don't forget that you have people waiting for you to come home.






...
Well, that's just ridiculous.

Let's see... Do you cut off all of an octopus's limbs to prevent it from cloning, or is that just worms?


Not a concern when it's melted on the floor!
R-Raven gave you that...thing back?
He and Mio were busy playing something, so I took it with Cecil's permission!
...I gave you no such-- Oh, it doesn't matter.




Okay, now more than ever, I gotta wonder: who put this here?
A more pressing question, I feel, is "what is this?"
Well, we're not going any further without walking into it, so... Here goes nothing, as it were.


Pretty.





26F, D5 Chop Point

• Hatflower Branch. 30% chance. Sells for 900 en.
• 1 needed to make Hatflower Scepter (+94 ATK, +155 MATK, VIT Up 3, Silver x4). Costs 104000 en, sells for 41600 en.
• 2 needed to make Floral Mitten (+35 DEF, +42 MDEF). Costs 30000 en, sells for 12000 en.
• 1 Three-Headed Canine Tooth (Grim Dog normal) and 1 Hatflower Branch (6th Stratum Chop 1) are needed to make Rune Circlet (+42 DEF, +35 MDEF). Costs 35500 en, sells for 14200 en.
• Tripod Cedar. 68% chance. Sells for 1000 en.
• 1 needed to make Sad Cypress (+98 ATK, +143 MATK, WIS Up 3, Silver x4). Costs 93500 en, sells for 37400 en.
• 1 Pointy Imp Wing (Innocent Devil normal) and 1 Tripod Cedar (6th Stratum Chop 2) are needed to make Demon-Hunting Scythe (+129 ATK, +129 MATK, VIT Up 3, Silver x4). Costs 90000 en, sells for 36000 en.
• Upside-Down Tree. 2% chance. Sells for 5000 en.
• 1 needed to make Starbreak Shield (+48 DEF, +44 MDEF, +15% instant death resistance). Costs 57000 en, sells for 22800 en.
• Ambush Chance: 10%

I'm getting the oddest sense of dread about this stratum.
Aw, is Princeboy getting cold feet now, after all these months of exploring? C'mon!
...Princeboy? Honestly? Are we collectively running out of ribbing nicknames?



















Oh, that's gonna get real annoying, real fast.






Hey, Jana, is there room at the circus you came from for tricks with big explosions?
I, uh... I guess if you could survive blowing yourself--
Okay, let's see, I just gotta turn it like this to--
DOSEN, NO! _{...Don't give Dosen ideas, Jana.}







I already miss the tree, honestly.


















Dying to these things...is the absolute worst...





Begone, wretched avians.























f




G-goodness, that's c-cold.
Three of your compatriots are dead, one of them is unconscious, and that's all you can think to say?





Aw, come on.
Of all the times for the universe to end, it had to happen right as we were just about done with Rainbow Road.
Okay, maybe if I restore it to like 10 seconds ago, and then one of us pauses immediately...




Even in shadow, I already hate that thing.


Oh yeah, I really hate it now.














Hey, you wanna hear something great?
I could do with something nice after what we just went through, yes.
Cats. Cats're greaaaat. They're super ultra cute. You've got the tiny eyes, the fluffy fur, their squishy little pawpads... Sigh. I wish I was a cat. I'd just leave the inn to my little sister and bum off of her earnings to eat whatever I like, goof around whenever I want, come home without caring if anyone is worried about me, sleep whenever and wherever I like, even all over my little sister's important family heirloom cookware... Oh my word! At some point I just started describing my older sister!
Uh...
So if she's a cat, if I think of her like a cat, maybe I can find it in my heart to forgive her for being so insanely annoying, like, all the time! ...Nope. I got nothing.
And I thought I had complex family dynamics...



Whoa, you got to the 27th floor already? Everything you get from the 6th stratum is so exciting hours pass in the blink of an eye! Keep it coming, guys! This is good stuff!



I hear you've ascended to the 27th floor. Not that separating the sixth stratum into floors even makes all that much sense. ...No, I suppose Yggdrasil's never followed our idea of common sense in the first place. I wonder if a day will ever come when we fully understand it? Oh, right. Maybe that day will come when you're done with the sixth stratum.
Honestly, I doubt it.



That one comes from Genetta, the innkeep. Sounds like she's worried that she doesn't have any friends her age. If I were younger I'd love to volunteer myself but... Oh, let's not talk about my age. Just go talk to her at the inn.


Nameless. How're things?
We're up to the 27th floor. Or, uh, section maybe? It's kinda hard to tell with that place.
The 27th floor, huh? Sounds like they're alright, then. Hearsay tells me that the 6th stratum's monsters are real...weird. Can't think of a better word. So, don't get cocky, keep up the good work... How long am I gonna keep saying this crap?
Until we're done, I bet!



Aeolis has been receiving many tourists as of late.
...Why?
Why? Well, because of you, of course. Word of your exploits has spread throughout the land, and many young folk who look up to you have been gathering here. Seeing them all, preparing their equipment and learning how to draw maps of the first floor, it reminds me of how you were when you first arrived. And just as you overcame the danger and matured, we, the Council, wish to support them all as well.



Welcome home, oh man, it's my favorite customers! After this long you'd think I would be able to recognize the way you walk in. Anyway, so you're here because of the request at the bar, right?
Exactamundo.
So, here's the deal. ...I've been worried because I don't have any friends my age. I mean, I've been working at the inn for as long as I can remember, and I can't even remember the last time I just hung out with my pals! I don't even remember if I have ever done that! It's tragic! So here's where you come in: My celebrity friends are going to help me make friends!
Ah, G-Genetta, dear, we're...explorers. I mean, I consider myself a bit of a social butterfly, but some of us...
...What do you mean, "how in the world are we supposed to do that?"
That's...not what I said, sweetie...
Uhhh, I guess maybe we should start by heading to the plaza and seeing if there's anybody my age hanging out, being chill and socially acceptably anti-establishment? Yeah! That's a great idea! I'll meet you at the plaza!

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