Skill level up!
Skilclass="underline" Magic Eye
Level Five: A colored glow indicates that magical properties are present. Higher levels allow for more detail and access to the Wikipedia of arcane knowledge. A red outline signals that a hidden enemy is near. A yellow outline signals that an object is enchanted. A dark blue outline signals that necrotic magic is being used. A green outline signals that algomagic is being used. An orange outline indicates a hidden trap is present.
Requirements: Level 13 Mage, LUCK > 8.
Skill level up!
Skilclass="underline" Extreme Focus
Level Two: Can detect approach of camouflaged/concealed/stealthed enemies and objects.
Mage bonus: Higher levels allow sleuthing and increased accuracy. Also increases magic detection range when used in tandem with Magic Eye.
Requirements: LUCK > 9
He opens his eyes, and the pixelated matter surrounding his pane of vision flitters away.
“We need to go from the top of this wall, to the top of their wall,” he whispers. “Can you make it?”
“Are there enemies in the alley?”
“There’s a web of invisible force strung between the walls. I can’t tell what kind of trap it is, just that it is a trap – it could be anything.”
Zaena takes a step back, judging the distance between the tops of the walls. “It’s going to be a bit of a stretch,” she finally says as she lifts herself up, “But I think I can make it and get you over safely. Is the magic on the surface of the wall or just on the ground of the alley?”
“Just the ground.” He calls up to her. “Touching the wall shouldn’t be a problem.”
The slender Thulean crouches atop the wall, judges the distance, and leaps skyward. Her ghost limbs catch the top of the Shinigami’s wall and she swings herself up and wedges herself in an embrasure.
Zaena: There are two armed sentries on the wall walk, but they’re on the other side. Hurry.
Ryuk climbs to the top of the shorter wall and looks down at the gridlines crisscrossing the alley. Deep breath in, he blows it back out as he launches himself into the air. The talons on Zaena’s ghost limbs catch his armor and swing him into the wall hard enough to knock the breath out of him.
-10 HP!
“Sorry!” Zaena hisses.
Already off to a bad start, he thinks as he scales the wall with the Thulean’s assistance. Once he gets to the top, he crouches, his marble gun at the ready.
It’s déjà vu all over again; they were in a similar position last night, peering down at the courtyard. The only difference this time is the muscle – the small horde of NPC barbarians and their Shire horses – the same group that passed them in Bar Row yesterday – have set up shop in the courtyard. On the wall walk across from them are the two archers that Zaena spotted earlier.
But that’s not what catches Ryuk’s eye. On the roof of the guildhall, crouching in the shadows are a pair of ninjas – one male, one female – their outlines only visible in red due to his Extreme Focus skill.
Ryuk: The ninjas have spotted us.
Zaena: Ninjas? Where?
Ryuk: Rooftop.
Zaena: Why haven’t they attacked us?
Ryuk: They’re waiting to see what we do first.
The two are at least level fifteen, as it is around this level that the Ninja class gets the Mask Stats ability. There’s no way to accurately judge how strong they are, but the fact that he can see them at all makes him think that they probably aren’t too high up the totem pole.
Ryuk: They’ll come for us, and when they do, I’ll take them out. You focus on disrupting the barbarians below. Are the two on the opposite wall in range for your arrows?
Zaena: For sure.
Ryuk: We’ll make our move once the others enter.
Knock knock. The sound echoes through the courtyard. The barbarians turn their horses to the gate and ready their weapons as the smallest of the bunch dismounts and approaches the gate. “Who’s there?”
“Aramis Solid Waste Management and Abatement Service!” FeeTwix yells out in a British-y accent.
“Aramis Solid Waste Management and Abatement Service who?” the barbarian yells back.
“Haw! Nice one – like it, like it. We’re ‘ere for your rubbage!”
Chapter 29: Life in the fast lane
The barbarian opens the gate and the disguised Mitherfickers enter.
Of the three, only Tamana looks good in the sanitation uniform. Ryuk is unsurprised – Japanese women go to great lengths for stylish perfection, symmetry, and trimness. Hiccup is the very antithesis of kawaii, but he does absolutely look like the stereotypical bin man. He’s the last to enter, and wheels in a covered trash cart. Ryuk can’t be sure, but it appears as if the goblin has smeared mud across the front of his tunic. At least he hopes it’s mud.
FeeTwix: Now!
Tamana rolls left, Hiccup rolls right and snatches off the patchwork blanket that covers the cart. FeeTwix throws himself prone as the UA 571-C Remote Sentry Weapon pops up above the rim of the cart and cuts loose with short controlled bursts of flying unhappiness.
-8 HP! -11 HP! -6 HP! -14 HP! -23 HP!
The barbarians curse and shout; their horses squeal in pain and alarm as the rounds tear into them. The sharp, staccato bark of a different automatic weapon no doubt means that FeeTwix is getting himself in the game.
By the time Ryuk gets a grip on the melee taking place before him, Zaena has fletched both archers with three or four arrows each – she’s fast and accurate – and is raining feathered death down into the courtyard as fast as she can draw and loose. Stroboscopic flashes from the automatic weapons give the battleground a surrealistic air; the clash and clang of sword on shield tells him that Tammy and Hiccup are fully occupied.
The rooftop ninjas. Ryuk sinks into his own Extreme Focus to try to locate them. There you are!
He fires three sword marbles to his left; a katana and wakizashi spin away when they connect with the first ninja.
-49 HP! -28 HP!
The gravely injured ninja is down, wheezing and gasping for breath but still gamely in the fight as he brandishes a tanto and drags himself forward.
Ryuk’s dream armor lifts off his left shoulder and deflects an incoming throwing star.
The other ninja.
He twists and fires two marbles to the right – nothing but air.
Zaena looses her last arrow and draws her four swords. “I’m going down there!” she calls as she leaps off the wall walk.
Shit. Ryuk glances left and right, aware now that the second ninja is stalking him. He still needs to kill the first one, but that fucker has all but disappeared, red outline and all. The first swipe comes from his left. As his dream armor rises to meet it, the armor briefly exposes his right shoulder.
-46 HP!
As soon as the sai digs into his flesh, Ryuk’s dream armor responds and yanks it out. He fires left, right, spins around, elbow sweeps just in case, pops his sword marble magazine out and replaces it with a mixed molten and black magazine.
A throwing star jams in his calf.
-11 HP!