Update 14

Update 14: Why are Wyvern's Wings so Veiny, Anyway?

Tch... Two months, and still, no hits I can actually pull off...

W-What are you talking about?

Bwagh!

S-Sorry!

Dammit, and I thought I was supposed to be the sneaky one.

Um... What was that about...hits?

Ah, shit, you weren't supposed to-- Wait, hold on.

Kid. Sharpe. Can you keep a secret?

Y-Yes!

Okay, listen: How'd you like to be a super cool, super stylish phantom thief?

What's the difference between a normal thief and a phantom thief?

Phantom thieves are really big and loud and they always announce that they're gonna steal something before they actually steal it!

That, um... That seems...dumb?

You'd think that, but if you're a really good thief, you can steal things even when they're being heavily guarded. Plus, if you target a specific thing, security tends to neglect the rest of wherever you're stealing from, so you can steal even more things.

You already...do this?

Yep. Well, uh, I've made a name for myself, at least. Ever heard of the Phantom Thief Windfish?

N-No.

FfffffffffffffI'm not gonna swear around the kid. ANYWYAY my point is that I need help to really make a name for myself and you're sneaky enough that you'd be a good fit and we'd get a lot of money for ourselves and also get to make some rich fucks really, really sad.

I'm... I'm in! As long as we don't get caught...

Trust me, kid, I don't think a former ninja and a sneaky archer are gonna get caught any time soon, heh heh heh...

Y-You said you go by Windfish when doing thief stuff?

Yep. HmmmmmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMM, what would be a good thief name for you...

Let's go kill Wyvern.

remember to bring flash bombs so you can knock it out of the sky

this joke will make sense to maybe two people

i am neither of these people

I'm one of them! But I'm also a scrub that uses bow that leaves the flash bomb to the melee combatants so

i am bad at monhun dont @ me

As you wait in anticipation, the Wyvern flaps its great wings and assumes a threatening posture.

So that's the thing that fuckin' grabbed you, huh?

Indeed.

Grr... This thing made us fret for a week, I'm gonna make it real sorry!

This thing's gonna regret fucking with us.

Actually, can monsters feel--

Pontificate later, kill now.

Leo's voice draws the attention of the Wyvern! It swoops toward him and the soldiers and attempts to capture them with its claws.

Whoa! It's faster than we thought! H-Here it comes!

The soldiers marvel at the Wyvern's incredible speed! Having underestimated their foe, the decoy unit prepares for battle!

I... I won't let them die!

Leo valiantly readies his weapon and confronts the Wyvern! You must hurry! The decoy unit won't be able to hold out for long! Now's your chance! Draw your weapons and slay the Wyvern!

Charge!

The pre-emptive is appreciated, as Wyvern has no qualms deleting party members.

Cason's gonna spam the fuck outta Frigid Slash.

Adan and Abby do the same with Spear Assist.

Chihaya sets up Great Warrior on herself, to prepare for Front Command usage.

Holly has nothing better to do this turn.

BIG DAMAGE

And Edel lays Freeze Arms on the front row.

Try me, flying lizard.

A cold front offensive!

That's...certainly a mishmash.

That's for just dropping some of us on the floor!

I'unno what I expected.

Cold as death!

Now that our setup is basically done, Adan and Abby enable Hero Battle.

And Chihaya does what I said she'd do.

I don't have to worry about Shining Breath just yet, so Holly uses Front Guard.

Edel uses Victory Vow to apply Attack Order...even though neither he nor Holly can really make use of it.

But what about Element Bo-- oh right, you rested before this fight. I keep forgetting.

Three. Two. One.

Idiot. Cason, Adan!

Freeze Arms makes Front Command counterattacks ice-elemental, which is, y'know, nice. You could see the same thing in effect in the alternate party video for Cernunnos.

It's more than nice--it's essentially a 1.5x multiplier to the Commands if the target has a weakness, plus whatever the Arms buff gives. Using most Shogun skills other than Twilight Hour is a little disappointing without an imbue and a weakness.

Ngh... Nope, not enough.

Thank god for the Scarlet Evil Eye, honestly.

And because of all of the passive healing we have (Encourage, Hero Battle, Royal Veil, the Scarlet Evil Eye's own regen), Chihaya's already back up to full.

Who needs a Medic when you've got approximately eleventy-billion sources of passive healing?

can vouch for this since i kinda uhhhh don't even use my medic much, nor my war magus; sovereign is heals and buffs

Ehhhhhhhhhh. It saves Adan and Abby some TP.

🍧

I don't think shaved ice with Wyvern blood would taste great...

😶

Man, we're chewing through that HP pretty quickly.

Now that Shadow's here, Cason puts himself in the back row and turns on Brave Heart to conserve TP.

That the best you got? Whacking me with your tail? Boring.

Okay, yeah, it's over.

UrrrrrrGAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Is-- Was that...a burst of love for Edel?!

Wha-- No!

I'm not sure if I would want a love for me to manifest with that much shadowy fire.

You're slacking, you two.

Only because you got the last hit before I could!

Yeah, that's not really fair...

Who's the teacher here?

I rest my case.

ez

Oh yeah, I modified the game to always drop Wyvern's conditional. Fuck that "kill on first turn" nonsense, that's always just a "come back later, idiot" sign. And, well, I don't have Formaldehydes yet, so...yeah. Just saving myself some time down the road.

One clean hit could easily fell even the strongest of adventurers, but you fight cautiously and manage to avoid any fatal blows. A slew of well-placed attacks from your party heavily scars the dreadful Wyvern. Suddenly, it enters its final moments. The Wyvern lets out one last cry as it falls to the ground below. Well done! You've emerged victorious against the deadly Wyvern!

Well done, everyone!

And all with barely a scratch on any of us.

Except for that electric breath on me.

In my defense, it's pretty hard to see that coming.

Fair, I guess.

Oh, right, you were here too. Good job.

With the Wyvern now defeated, Leo runs over to you. You thank him for his hard work and rejoice in the fact that you're all still alive.

The soldiers step forth to shake Leo's hand.

Thank you for protecting us. There wasn't a single casualty.

No one died...? Even though you were with me...?

Leo lets the thought sink in.

We told you.

That said, we'll want to get any injuries treated as soon as possible.

Leo then takes it upon himself to escort the soldiers back to Maginia. He suggests you investigate the Wyvern's nest before you leave, then returns to the city. You are free to search for a path through this labyrinth, or you can report to HQ first and come back later.

I suspect...

Aha, there we are.

There's one of these in every labyrinth, and they're fairly important to get if you plan on coming back and fighting the boss again, for any given reason.

i'm just incapable of leaving a staircase unexplored, so it works out

really it's a big case of "i didn't need it, but i appreciate it anyway"

Leo praised your skills as well. Now then, proceed with your report.

Leo, I must commend you as well. Thanks to your flawless performance, we completed the mission without any casualties.

And we had the first-rate support of Aeon Guild.

...You sure about the "first-rate" part? We're just a guild. Anyone else could've-

Come on, Adan, let's revel for a bit.

That may be true... However, you deserve credit as well. This was a victory for all of those involved.

You shouldn't let it go to your head, but there's no need for excessive modesty either. Be proud of the work you've done.

There is much left to explore on the Isle of Solitude, and we've yet to glimpse any Lemurian treasures. Finding some would certainly help boost morale... That reminds me, Aeon Guild. You first came to HQ under unique circumstances. I believe we have yet to explain what these treasures are, am I correct?

Hey, yeah, hang on, what the heck are we searching for anyway?

Well then, now is a good time to tell you. There are many Lemurian treasures: ships that freely soar the skies, teleportation devices, and even an elixir of eternal life... However, of those treasures, the one most sought after is that which brings everlasting prosperity to whatever nation possesses it.

My first instinct is to question "how," but go on.

Maginia's main objective is to obtain that treasure. For that, we must reach Yggdrasil... Are there any questions thus far?

What's this thing even look like?

The specific shape or form of the treasure is unknown, but according to Lemuria's records, the country used all of its resources creating it. Unfortunately, no major details were found in Lemuria's records. Both its form and function remain a mystery.

Great, I'm sure that'll be easy to find.

Still, the records state the treasure lies at the foot of Yggdrasil. All we can do is trust the information we have. Also, we've received word there are others besides us who have begun searching for it.

Hearing that raises a new question.

Please, wait, one question: others?

Are you familiar with the people known as the Seafarers? They are descendants of the Vikings and have lived at sea since ancient times.

They once made a living from pillaging, but nowadays they're more like scavengers, seeking sunken or buried treasure at every turn. In recent years, a young leader of theirs, appropriately named the Seafarer Princess, has been scouring the world's many ruins. Rumor has it this Princess has actively led her people both far and wide and made countless discoveries at said ruins. She's also said to have possessed a superhuman memory since birth and be fluent in many languages. They say no target escapes her. Recent reports tell us this Seafarer Princess and her men are headed to Lemuria as we speak. We may eventually encounter them... Under absolutely no circumstances can we allow them to take the treasure.

It's never easy with this place, is it?

Do you now understand our goal? Well then, I ask that you continue in your search for the treasure. I am quite confident your efforts will lead us straight to it.

What is it!?

Miss Wiglaf has discovered a new labyrinth in the Isle of Solitude's northern region! Many adventurers from the base camp are already well on their way there!

Well, that didn't take long.

Understood. I take it you heard that as well, Aeon Guild. Once you've had some time to rest and recover from your mission, I ask that you join us on this next outing. Until then, you are dismissed.

Ah, a locale from the Armoroadian Yggdrasil.

If it's as humid as Armoroad, I'm gonna scream.

🌊 🏄🏽

As fun as that sounds, we both know that neither of us are surfers.

The waters here are either too rough or too calm for surfing, anyway.

Ah, fuck, it is humid.

At least the scenery is very easy on the eyes.

A colorful collage of flowers dazzles you. This place feels almost like a nature trail rather than a labyrinth... However, no matter how beautiful it may be, it's still a dangerous place. You acknowledge that you must advance with caution.

except we're immediately going to leave because new quests appear as soon as you get to a new floor, including the first floor of a stratum/labyrinth

they really need to stop doing that

what no that's ideal game design what are you talking about

KUJU WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Oh, hello, Napier.

Weird to see you out of your shop. What's up?

If you get a second, would you mind stopping by the Firm? I'll be waiting.

I mean, we're right here, but sure.

Just who I wanted to see. I have an issue I'd like you to handle for me.

Now, I would normally forward this type of thing to the tavern... But since you're such good customers, I'd like to entrust this directly to you. So, how about it?

If you're paying, sure. What've you got for us?

I want you to assist in training a client--a certain prospective adventurer. I've mentioned before that I used to keep shop in an ocean city far away, haven't I? Well, an acquaintance of mine from there joined me when I relocated to Maginia. She seems talented enough for the adventuring business--but sometimes, I'm not so sure... I'm glad she wants to contribute, but to be honest, the other adventurers who have joined her party have all considered her a lost cause.

Well, that's rather rude.

I couldn't just turn a blind eye, so I contemplated on it until, finally, I remembered your guild! My request to you is simple. Accompany her into the labyrinths and battle monsters. She should be able to pick up a thing or two from such skilled adventurers as yourselves. Of course, I wouldn't ask you to do this for free. I promise there will be a reward. So... Are you going to do it?

Again, if you're gonna pay for our time, sure.

Very well, then. I'm counting on you. The client's name is Charis. She's said that she'll be waiting at the newly discovered labyrinth, the Waterfall Wood. Meet up with her at the entrance once you are ready. I will leave it to you then. Best of luck.

Wyvern's Wing (+41 ATK, +36 MAT, Whirlwind): Made from 1 Tough Wing (Wyvern Drop 1). Costs 1640 en.

Whirlwind: Costs 5 TP. Attempts to bind the legs of all enemies, with a 50% base chance. Has a 100% speed modifier.

Even for binding the legs of one enemy, Whirlwind is pretty good. That base chance is pretty high for EON, it's as fast as your character is, and it's cheap.

Unfortunately, not a lot of high LUC classes can equip this by default. Harbinger, Nightseeker... and that's it. If you have this on a War Magus or Hero, forget about using it on high-resistance things like FOEs and bosses.

Apocalypse (+100 DEF, +100 MDF, +30% Arm Bind Resistance; HIL Only): Made from 1 Wyvern Tail (Wyvern Conditional Drop). Costs 492000 en.

Oh, how I wish to have the fabled armor again.

It...looks like normal armor to me.

You have much to learn.

Oh boy.

So, if I hire adventurers to collect materials in the forests, and then I turn around and sell that stuff, I'd make bank super easy, right?

Might I inquire where the money for that will come from?

Well, an adventurer from Etria told me all about it--apparently, the reward there only has to be 5en...

Wrong! Valerie only lets people charge that if they're in severe financial trouble.

You've been to Etria?

Nah, a friend of a friend of a friend's grandfather's friend of a great-uncle's friend of a--

I...get the idea.

And they told me that there are adventurers who'll take on quests for that price. I'm sure it'll go over fine in Maginia. Now I get to slack off AND rake in a ton of Ental!

I wouldn't put it past Kvasir to list that...

Oh, she has nothing new to say.

You sound like a villain whose arch-nemesis is an oversized animal.

...?

N-Not that I'd know anything about that.

Y'know, now that I got a good look at you, I see you've got some real fancy gear!

Relative to other explorers, I guess.

I will reclaim the Apocalypse before long...

...How much did it all cost?

Compared to the big stuff Napier's stocking? Nothing.

...Not that much? Then I guess it's pretty cheap stuff!

But that's what you used to defeat that Wyvern, right? Guess it's true when they say the clothes make the man!

That's...not the correct context.

...What? That's not the right saying? Dahaha!

Gauzeby the Explorer:

Ow! Ooh! Ah... My injuries just keep piling up. This time it was a Great Lynx--one attack from that thing was enough to nearly kill me!

Oh, great, those cats again?

Those things are just straight-up powerhouses. Stay on guard if you ever square off with one.

Impressive! Your abilities are growing at a stunning pace. You can hardly be considered a newbie guild anymore! If you ever see any new adventurers during your expeditions, pass on what you've learned--it's the duty we veterans must perform.

Or we could smack them in the face instead.

A Taste of Home:

This request is from Miss Napier. Looks like this one's gonna send you to Waterfall Wood. Like always, it's best if you head over to Napier's Firm and get the details from the woman herself.

🙅🏾‍♂️

👍

Comatose in Maginia:

Oh, you're going to pick up that request? Thanks! Best that it's your guild, seeing as the client is someone you know.

Do you remember the apothecary who wanted ingredients for a sleeping draught? The one whose face was all black and blue?

After you assaulted him repeatedly, yes.

What's that? I did that to him? Dahaha! ...Let's just forget that happened.

This time, his wife made the request. She says her husband hasn't woken up at all. That psychedelic sleeping draught probably put him through the wringer... No, I didn't wring him out. Fortunately, he's still alive; he's just not waking up from his psychedelic dream world. He did this to himself, but I suppose we've got to do something about it. That's why I'm glad you're taking on this request.

Right then, we're going to wake up that slumbering apothecary! Turns out his wife is also an apothecary. She wants us to retrieve the materials to make an extremely potent brew. She'll need 5 Green Thorns. You can get them from Deadly Durians in the Waterfall Wood. Okay now, go out there and get what we need!

Good guess.

I heard about the discovery of the Waterfall Wood. There's something there I'd like you to fetch for me. This isn't like my usual requests. I'm not looking to add another item to my shelf; this is more of a personal endeavor. I want you to obtain 3 Gum Throats. You can get them from the Forest Frogs in Waterfall Wood. I'm sure you'll pick up a few as you go about exploring. Thank you in advance.

Really starting to think we should just open a courier service. Imagine the money we could make!

Imagine how much time that'd take away both from exploration, and from relaxing.

Still.