Nicole says one final goodbye to the departing Sarah, turns on her heel, and heads to the hotel where Pietro and Seras had performed their seance. After entering the nearest room, she gently lays Refia down on the couch before removing her leather jacket and collapsing on her back onto one of the beds.

"Guess I can cross 'get roped into a demonic family squabble in literal Hell that not even Oprah could resolve' off my to-do list."

Yes, Sensei, the E.M.M.I. bleeps.

"... Just a question. Are you fully human? I've never met someone who is."

Edited by KiriK on Jan 6th 2022 at 7:54:13 AM

Warrenton, Reprium

Whistlings is walking back to the Detective Agency... It was a long walk from Riften.

When he arrived, he saw a girl standing at the door...

"Good day, madame. Is there something we can help?"

...Yes. I am Ulala, from Space Channel 5. And I want you to help with a horrible case.

Both entered into the office. Rubén is sitting on his chair.

Whistlings! Welcome back! And who's the girl?

No time to talk. Do you have a TV or something?

Rubén nods, and he goes out to bring the TV. Meanwhile, Ulala talks with Whistlings.

In the last month, in Lourent have been mysterious dissappearances of hundred of people. Whole towns had been decimated by a small gang of musicians! And I have evidences.

Rubén is back with the TV. Ulala transmits from Blippi's camera the last recording he did with it, and also a recording of a security cam of one of the towns.

Yes, I know that's a music video. The villain comes from here.

As you can see, those dancers hypnotize the people, and with his guitar, that guy dissapears the people!

Rubén watches shocked.

Wait a minute: I know that guitar! It's one of there MacGuffins I was studying! It's the Devil Guitar, a guitar built by none less than Stradivarius himself. It has some archane symbols inside, and it has the power of absorb souls. When it has enough, it could be used to summon a powerful demon, capable to destroy universes! A very dangerous artifact, indeed.

"I see..."

Miss Ulala, do you know where those guys are going now?

She shows Rubén the map of the towns that were attacked.

If my calculations are right, their next destination is Hub Centralis, sir. We must stop them ASAP!

"Understood. I'll go with Ulala, and we need the most powerful allies you can bring."

NOOO! If the guitar absorbs the soul of a powerful being, it's our sure doom. We need clever allies, not strong ones.

"Got it."

I'll post the bounty right now. Go to the Lourent-Hub Centralis bridge, to the Lourent entrance They'll catch you there. And give thanks to heavens because that guitar isn't on the grasp of Don Calcetino.

They are going to the bridge quickly. Meanwhile, in the Arena Bounty Board appears the next note:

Stop the Guitar Guy!

Clients: Ulala and the Warrenton Detective Agency.

Party size: 4. We need clever allies, not strong ones.

Objectives: Stop the Guitar Guy before he reaches Hub Centralis. Destroy his guitar! They are riding a pretty old yellow car.

Predicted threat level: High. You could lose your soul. Be prepared to counter sound attacks.

Location: Lourent-Hub Centralis bridge (Lourent entrance)

Rewards: Anything within reason you can ask to the Agency.

Edited by BombonBombin on Jan 6th 2022 at 7:57:15 AM

Joshua nodded for a moment,

"Yeah, you two are right."

He admitted, taking another glance at the quiet forest surrounding them. He looks to Zeloai for the exact whereabouts but chooses to leave him to his Jedi business. Trying to make use of time, Joshua squats down to the ground. The grass made it difficult for him to see if there were prints, but he combed through nonetheless.

"Devious, but I still have a hunch."

He muttered.

As for Izawano, the Jedi knight remains unusually quiet. Unmoved by the group's problem, he is content to be nearly invisible in the tall grass. Shuffling about quietly, Izawano waits for Zeloai to resolve the situation.

Zeloai doesn't respond to or acknowledge Ben at first, mouthing a few words to himself. Shifting his eyes to focus on Ben, he spoke in a mumble-like manner.

"Yes, something has been troubling me. The force around me feels dark, like a thick fog. It surrounds me, follows me wherever I go. I had theorized it was an adverse effect from Wrustoiz, whether he intended to do so or not. Though now that he is gone, that eliminates him as the possibility. It is so close, yet every time I grasp the thread and try to follow it, I lose it."

In a Eureka Moment, Zeloai has the location of the door. Drawing his saber from his belt, he clears his throat.

"Here."

He plainly states, pointing to a nearby tree. Though not quite a tree as much as it was the remains of one; Splintered into large chunks of wood stacked high upon each other, it definitely stood out.

Joshua, dissatisfied with not turning anything up looks to the Jedi master. Upon his prompting, he begins to walk toward the fallen tree. Izawano followed suit, leaping onto Joshua's back so he could actually see. Zeloai waited for everyone else to gather, leading them to the tree.

Activating his saberstaff, Zeloai throws it forward in a cone-like pattern. The lightsaber cuts through an unseen device, prompting the whole tree to fizzle into a blue light. That blue light crackled, before fizzling out.

The device? Destroyed on the ground was a holographic projector, and now before them was a sealed elevator door.

"Like you said, cunning."

Giving Ben a light tap on the back, Joshua steps up to the elevator. Noting the small terminal integrated right at the entrance, he turns to Zeloai.

"What's the code?"

"20122011"

A few moments later, the elevator opens. The base awaits.

Piovre gave one last passing glance to the group, and the portal, before strolling away from the scene, glad he had worked out an agreement with Gacci, and had been rewarded with silence.

As he made his back to the apartment, he spared a glance skywards, noting two shooting stars. They intrigued him for a moment, one red and the other behind it white, but they were gone as soon as they had appeared, and like that, Piovre no longer gave a shit.

"I'm too tired for this shit…"

——

In the skies above Hub Centralis

Ares looked back behind him in fright, a red trail following the Greek god of war. Never before, not in the battle against Kratos, not in the war against the Titans, not in any fight he’s had in this new and strange arena, had he felt fear like this.

The monster had already weakened him heavily, dicing off two of the spider-legs on the God’s back and even impaling him with that horrid, god-butchering black sword that seemed to grow from the monster's arm.

Ares had been flying for quite some time, and was tiring, as the thing was catching up. And before long, that was exactly what happened, as the white beast grabbed Ares by his armor and threw him into a nearby mountain, having long left the confines of the city by now. Ares struggled to get to his feet, a massive crater left by the impact, only to be grabbed by the neck and lifted from his feet.

"Please-Please, mercy…"

The monster only tilted his head, a snarl on his face. "Look at you. A once all-powerful, all-knowing god…reduced to a pathetic, whimpering fool. The gods gave me nothing but pain my entire life. They watched as my mother died…as my wife and unborn children died…as my sun burned in the heat of a planet that had not seen rain in years. And now, they will know that pain. They will know how it felt for me to watch everyone I love wither away…And you will merely be the first of many."

As the beast monologued endlessly about his backstory, Ares had been drawing one of his last remaining spider-arms back, discreetly, to a length where once he stabbed into the villain's neck, it would instantly kill him. And finally, Ares found a chance to strike

And yet, the God-Butcher saw his prey's every move, before it happened. These gods, all so painfully predictable.

The white and black symbol of rage and hatred shot his hand up, catching the arm. Ares could only stare in horror of what was to come next as the monster spoke once more.

"I wish I cared enough to know what you are the god of, but alas…I don't." Ares found that wretched god-killing sword embedded in his neck, the last traces of life slipping from him.

The first of many dead gods in this new land for Gorr the God-Butcher.

——

"What's the plan?" Arad asked, Corinth in Rhino's hand. "We wanna do this stealthy, or you wanna run in and leeroy this bitch?" He looked ahead into the base, studying the innards of it.

Edited by ISZATSO on Jan 6th 2022 at 6:36:53 AM

Ben steps into the elevator, a thousand questions rushing through his mind. What in blazes would be waiting for them in the depths of this secret base? Terentateks? Rakghouls? A pack of tuk'ata? Mutated wampas? Or were they simply marching headlong into an elaborate trap?

He leans against one of the elevator's walls and takes a moment to clear his head. If he could survive a Republic cruiser filled with rakghouls and close encounters with Laxin, he could handle whatever this Blue Helix project was.

"Trust in the Force, Ben. Trust in the Force," he mutters under his breath.

Edited by IchigoMontoya on Jan 6th 2022 at 6:50:51 AM

With it's minions dead, the massive floating eye in the sky seems to rip in two, revealing a massive mouth, as it lets out a powerful roar, glaring at the two despite a lack of irises.

Bounty Board

"mm... feels like a trap to me but it's worth the money."

Emma contemplates as if she had no money at all. Flint on the other hand is polishing his pet box that he lugs around.

"...Since when did Riperia let you take my job"

"Why do you always have to wear that mask-helmet thing, it's not like I'll be arresting you or..." She replies as a sarcastic threat, Flint looks at her blankly.

"...touch the box without your permission."

and Flint instinctively draws his shotgun and gauntlet pointed to her chest. Emma does the same but with her handgun.

A voice hijacks the intercom on Flint's helmet and Emma's telepathic network.

   "*groan* Get along both of you or Lucas will take all the credit for this operation, again... Both of you get to the bridge. Flint's in charge of scouting. Emma you take the frontline due to your... Nature "   

"Fine"

Both of them make their way to the bridge with relatively no hassle. Flint being invisible.

Eoc

"My kid liked calling me an old geezer when we met after a while, and I'm in my 50s too... I also have this goatee, therefore making me old." He responds to Kana, his angered tone seemingly vanished in an instant.

To Cecil's surprise the eye's massive mouth somehow had this glare he felt... He doesn't hesitate at all and throws a loaf of bread into the mouth, grabbing one of the smaller minion eyes afterwards as his fiery anger snaps back.

"SEE THAT?! YOUR FUCKING MOM KNOWS THEIR STUFF UNLIKE YOU TINY WRINKLY TROGLODYTES!"

Edited by BoniniBanana on Jan 6th 2022 at 11:00:29 PM

Imperial base

The old trick of the wood hide... But modernized.

The 7 guys descends through the elevator, in silence, bracing themselves for the upcoming things.

"Uhhh, yeah I'm fully human"

She kind if chuckled at the question

"Unless you count your reflection escaping as a way to not be fully human that is"

Lourent - Bridge to Hub Centralis

Ulala and Whistlings are waiting on the desert... For both the guitar gang and the allies.

At the distance, they notices somebody approaching them.

Is the car?

"No, it's an ally."

And indeed, they are looking at the newcomer. (Since Flint is still invisible, they don't notice them.)

Hi! I suppose you come for the bounty, right?

"Since our foes aren't here already, there is time for introductions. You first, please."

Max once again doesn't have to add anything to the conversation. Her eyes are focused ahead, hyper-aware, unflinching, because she's terrified of what's about to happen and doesn't want to talk about it or get shot in the head while talking about it.

...

Nanana lets out a little "woohoo" at Cecil's words, though she still looks a little disturbed at his mood swings.

As you know, violence leads to conflict, and conflict BREADS improvement, hahhahahhahaa! Nanana take her eyes off the singular eye and laugh. Breed, bread.. you make good bread... it's funny because of that.

Edited by Bolded1 on Jan 7th 2022 at 12:28:02 PM

Warrick, the Droideka, and Noble Six diligently march on in.

"Sounds like magic. Not inhuman, but weird." Maggie huffs.

"Dunno where hybrids came from in my world. But we have our own society. Full humans don't go there."

Lourent, Hub Centralis Bridge

Those who have already gathered are joined by none other than... Refia?!◊

THIS IS NOT THE SAME ONE THIS IS NOT THE SAME ONE THIS IS NOT THE SAME ONE

Aftermath — Closing Post

Hadraniel helped Megumin and Sporacles back to their feet — or hefted them over his shoulders if they were out cold.

   "Eons come and go... and the resilience of mortal spirits remains the same. You've more than earned your rewards, and your rest. The portal back to the Arena isn't far from that one. I'll take these two through, and then see to it that Thranix knows how to properly handle those parts."   

He started to leave, and then simply said,    "Also, let me know if Tiamat is looking for me — I owe her much, and she may be looking to collect soon."   

—

Megan nodded in the affirmative, and then headed back through the portals with the others.

—

Meanwhile, after some discussion, Blackbeard would receive his pies after a short while, created with the finest ingredients that could be acquired for such a purpose, and made with great care.

Hub Centralis

A door to one of the many restaurants of Hub Centralis swung open, followed shortly by the opener mumbling, "Mmm... garlic bread..."

She stepped outside and gazed around, before consulting a note that she had written down for herself on a napkin.

"Hmm... mm... Carry the one..."

She looked again, then back down, and then back up again.

" ... Hot," she said simply, before choosing one of the streets on a whim and heading down it.

"Magics one way to describe it"

She was taking everything one point at a time, though when she was presented with something interesting she asked all the questions

"Why don't you guys go towards humans? Is there tension or something?"

Floating City

Berdly, who had long since consumed his potato chips during his search, sits down on a bench and sighs in exhaustion.

"This place is... a lot bigger than what I'm used to. Even this city is at least four times as big as Hometown. I need a break..."

Beat

He then suddenly jumps off of the bench.

"Aagh, I can't give up now. My dear Noelle might need me. Who other than me could protect her now?"

He continues on.

When we last left off, Sanji stole the Skill Test with a clean four points. Now, before we go on to the next challenge, there's something to address.

"Right, Arnoldo, you have minus one point," Chef Ramsay says to that chef. "If you take a Pressure Test and get at least half the judges' votes, that'll become plus one, but if you fail, it'll become minus two. Do you want to take that risk?"

As Berdly heads down a street, he will catch a glimpse of someone turning the corner from a block away, now headed in the same direction he is but a good distance ahead of him.

This someone... wears a familiar white hood, with antlers poking out of a pair of holes in its raised hood. And their body shape is too much like his own for it to be a coincidence.

"Humans don't know about hybrids. Not everyone would be okay with them. Might be... conflicts, rights violations, a civil war. Better to avoid entirely."

Edited by KiriK on Jan 8th 2022 at 4:26:21 AM

Berdly's perfectly attuned gamer eyes allow him to takes notice of the figure and pauses for a moment. The similarity of the robe catches his attention, and while that's not enough for him to be 100% convinced, the antlers are.

"Wait, that's-"

He hurries after the figure, hoping that he isn't wrong about this.

"Hey! Hey, wait!"

The hooded Noelle stops mid-step, like... well, a deer in the headlights.

"B-B-B-B...B..."

She's frozen by anxiety and fear. Just like back in the spelling bee, when she was asked to spell 'December'. She can't bring herself to say the name on the tip of her tongue.

Edited by KiriK on Jan 15th 2023 at 10:44:12 AM

Arnoldo gulps loudly, breathes deeply, and answers to Ramsay:

I'll give up...

Francis, at his place, has a mini heartstroke.

...all what I have in the pressure test, signore.

Francis breathes relieved.

Edited by BombonBombin on Jan 8th 2022 at 4:38:44 AM

Berdly smiles upon seeing that he'd been correct. He stops near her.

"Ah, excellent! I've been looking everywhere for you. A stroke of luck!"

He looks around for a moment before looking back at Noelle.

"Plans have changed, Noelle. I recently learned that there's some dangerous people around here. I'll protect you, of course, but once we find Queen we should go in hiding before it's too late."

"Berdly... stay away."

Noelle turns around, revealing the Gravitas emblem on the top of her hood.

"I don't want to hurt you... but the last time I saw you... the last time..."

She looks down at her hands. A voice whispers in her head, Proceed, Proceed, Proceed, but she shakes it off as her own thoughts. That voice has long gone silent.

Berdly now looks confused, and worried too. But not for himself.

"What do you mean? Noelle, are you alright? You're behaving oddly."

He proceeds to take a step forward.

"Did something already happen to you?"

He then notices the emblem and pauses.

"... huh? I don't remember you having a..."

He pauses. Did he get the insinuation? It's hard to tell at this point, but he looks even more worried now.

Saarthal

Sarah, Sandra and Niko are walking along towards Saarthal, a buried Nord city, now engulfed in snow and left to rot.

It looks dreary. Complains Sandra, kicking off some snow.

I know, I know, sorry. But... Thor said the place reminded him of Midgard's icy plains, and he got to pick the fighting area this time. It's something we do often, because I picked it last time and... anyway. She's noticeably carrying what appears to be a set of white plates on her shoulders, though for what purpose, they may not know.

The wind howls and the thunder growls ahead, as Thor prepares to make an entrance. Sarah looks up and then glances back at her kids.

I told him that it's a sparring match and his kids are nice, don't worry, he just likes showing off... You okay in there, Sandra, Niko?

I'm 100% okay! What about ya, bro?

"D-dangerous, huh? I..."

Noelle reaches out with one hand. On her index finger is a ring that appears to have tiny little spikes sticking inwards and permanently embedded in her finger.

"I don't want to do this."

She slowly lowers that arm, muttering to herself, only to raise it again. "Then again, when have my own choices mattered? Hold on, no, just answer one question. Do you know what the organization Gravitas is?"