“Time to play~!” (Hibiki)

 

“Ugh…” Hotaru and Kohaku groaned.

 

“Aw, c’mon. It’s not gonna be too bad.” I got up and stood beside the board.

 

“What are we doing?” Makoto asked.

 

“First, you could do this if you want to Mako but, you don’t have to. 

 

To put it simply, we’ll have to follow the case this cycle. In addition, we’ll also have to follow a theme.” I wrote it up on the board and circled it.

 

“And how are we doing that?” (Kohaku)

 

“Why, I’m glad you asked!” (Hibiki)

 

I pointed to the orb in the table that briefly flashed different colors while symbols made their way to the front and decrypted into a word taking us all by surprise and getting a burst of laughter out of the other three.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.” I turned around and wrote the word on the board before I took a seat.

 

“Woo! How are you going to pull that one off?” (Hotaru)

 

“I can’t… It’s too good!” (Kohaku)

 

“I want to see this one.” Makoto looked at me with a glimmer in his eyes.

 

‘Oh god, he’s being honest.’

 

“A-ha-ha-ha. I’ll get it done. It’s probably the most fitting after all.”

 

I looked back at the board while everyone was collecting themselves.

 

Theme: Trust

‘Oh, brother…’

 

*Click*

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

GAH!

 

*Click*

 

“If y’all get all sappy with me I’m never making food again!” (Hibiki)

 

“What-” (Kohaku)

 

*Click*

 

-Hibiki (W)’s POV-

 

I hated it. 

 

Ever since we got there it was like eyes were on the back of our heads. Cameras are cameras, I shouldn’t have been able to feel them watching our every move. It was like bugs crawling over my skin. I needed it off my back. 

 

(There’s no need to worry them, you’re in over your head.)

 

‘...’

 

I despised it.

 

(They’ll get hurt if you say anything.)

 

‘...’

 

 Every. Single. Minute.

 

“What are you-” (Hibiki (B))

 

“Say another word and I’ll slit your throat.”

That shut him up real quick.

  

“Why would anyone listen to what you have to say?”  I prodded him..

 

“...” (Hibiki (B))

 

“You’ve clearly done enough. This place is a fucking mess and you’re just lying in it.”

 

“Ha-” (Hibiki (B))

 

“What did I just say?” I stared him dead in the eyes.

 

‘Finally!’

 

I grabbed him by the collar and snapped the string between us.

 

“For once in your life, you’re in it. There’s no backing out now.

 

This was your choice, now I’m making mine.”

 

I pushed him away and kept walking. There were bigger fish to fry than dealing with that.

 

Everything was coming together, and I had to be there to see it through.

 

I threw the overcoat and watched my outfit dissolve as I stepped through, and everything returned to black before I opened my eyes to the forest of totems, I’ve made around me.

 

I thought I’d have to move quickly but eased at the immediate pop-up screen. Only one totem had fallen so I felt like I could review the recording from Momo being my eyes while I was away.

 

There wasn’t much to say about his fighting, he managed to wield his weapon for five minutes before Uvo was getting more frustrated.

 

I made notes since he still managed to keep his hand on his weapon. He was comfortable with his own body, being a sponge was just a bonus to evade and not be bit. I needed more time with that. 

 

‘Tanky, quick, and pretty offensive too but, sloppy…’

 

Rather than that I looked to the Uvo’s primary frustration, after all, Kohaku distracting and leading him there was all I asked. Like what could I say, “Hey Makoto, I wanna see your limits.”

 

Psh, I rather see how well the two of them synergized since I couldn’t the first time. They made a decent team, Kuda made it all the better by helping close gaps in his movements.

 

Makoto took advantage of Water Boy taking the pressure. Swiftly covering for Kohaku's inexperience with his own debuff to even out the playing fields.

 

‘Uneasy but precise, could be interesting.’

 

I’d love to see how Hotaru would do but she’d scare the boss. All of that stuff needs an outlet and that wasn’t it. It was an excuse to keep them together.

 

Throughout both fights, Uvo backed away or misstepped while he was obviously trained. Looking for a moment of weakness, so I got rid of what he influenced. Or rather, Kumo did.

 

None of this could’ve reached this point if it wasn’t for their talent. I’m serious.

 

The best I could do was take what I was given but, even those kept surprising me.

 

‘This… This might actually work!’

 

I was scrambling the whole time. Being compelled by that idiot until I could break the hold myself was a mistake.

 

No one was going to play with me like a puppet.

 

If we wanted a chance for this to work, they needed everything they could.

 

‘Nobody is dying. Not  if I have anything to say about it.’

 

I let my comments fester while the bait I gave Kohaku made its course.

 

The smallest dose of wolfbane to go undetected by an exasperated and hungry enemy. Even with a curse, the genes weren’t so easily dismissed. He was a werewolf through and through after all.

 

Miroku took Kohaku and Hotaru for a while after we returned with our boxes before we actually departed. A Torii gate stood with a similar purple swirling light, and I may have or may not have kicked Kohaku through after he kept wasting time.

 

*Click*

 

“Can’t a guy be emotional?” Kohaku pouted.

 

“Sure, but we were still on a time crunch. Gotta move things along bucko.” (Hibiki)

 

*Click*

 

I couldn’t get why in anyone’s right mind would want to do this but, I guess I’m in for the long haul. No biggie.

 

Before everyone else makes me more annoyed it was In-game to Miroku’s to back In-game.

 

Freaking despicable but, it was the majority’s vote.

 

So now we can continue from where I left off, which was…

 

*Click*

 

I asked, “38, right?”

 

“That’s 14 more recordings out of what you skipped.” Mr. Chronological stared daggers my way. My poor heart couldn’t take it.

 

“Eh, wasn’t the greatest moment of our lives. Could’ve just skimmed over that one.”

 

*Click*

 

Yeah yeah, 38 was everything right after this. Sue me.

 

You win this one.

 

Oh, yeah…

 

*THWACK*

 

*CRACK*

 

[SilentFox has been slain by REDACTED]

 

It rang out through the forest.

 

‘Yikes, a broadcast. Must’ve been some bigshot.’

 

I whistled and picked up a wonderful set of Nightwalker boots, 20 Silver and a map. I was happy to know I couldn’t be identified with the mask on even if I wouldn’t have announced myself in the first place.

 

“Dang, he was doing well for himself too.”

 

With my new form, I was easily making my way through the bramble and overgrowth. The cloven hooves prevented me from equipping my shoes as they didn’t fit for the moment.

 

It was one of the greatest things I’ve felt since I’ve been back. Like a burden was off my shoulders. Much to my own unfortune, I now knew I couldn’t learn stealth for one reason or another.

 

I still kept the book Makoto so graciously gifted. It was still a valuable skill that rangers and other Seekers couldn’t get naturally.

 

I slowed my stride when a sweet smell lingered in the air.

 

‘I’m close.’

 

Something that attracted me to the Seeker class was the potential to develop skills. Of course, you can pick things up you're taught by NPCs but there’s no better class for doing it than this one. It’s also a thing ignored now but since I’m a seeker. I already had some racial skills.

 

I searched the area and ensured I was out of sight before activating [Shapeshift]. The horns retracted and my fur-covered legs returned to normal as I took my shoes out of my inventory and put them back on. I waved a hand over my face and turned the mask invisible before strapping a basket of herbs to my back.

 

Most of the forest monsters were hostile upon aggravation so I kept my steps light and steer clear of areas marked as territories as the aroma grew more prominent. 

 

Which meant one of two things. The person I meet would either be someone really good at cooking or some fey trying to play a nasty trick.

 

I’ve spent my time dealing with Pixies and taking out camps of goblins and Hobgoblins.

 

…

 

I started from the Lormere mountains and trekked my way through the Faybourne forest which wasn’t sparse with their goblin camps.

 

But as I made my way through the brush, I found a lively cottage. I froze before I could make my next move.

 

‘How am I gonna explain myself?’

 

I sat down with a blank map out of my inventory and tore it to shreds as my own skill activated.

 

[Nature’s Calling lv 2]

 

It still puts a smile on my face whenever I use it. I could’ve just activated it but, I like this way so much better.

 

While most would need a map of an area, I could get a 5-mile radius at the expense of empty

Map and over half of my mana.

 

[Mana: 245/260]

 

“….”

 

[Mana: 180/260]

 

“….”

 

“Ugh…” I got a mana potion out for when it was done.

 

[Mana: 110/260]

 

Just as the mana finally stopped dropping a small lotus flower opened into a map of the area.

 

“What’s that?” A high-pitched voice from behind me raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

 

Before I could answer my body seized up and the bottle dropped to the floor as I was left staring at the gaping hole on the map, I was in.

 

“We don’t get many visitors.” A gruff voice spoke from my right.

 

‘*Sigh* Fuck my life.’

 

 *Click*