melodiesoflife | Bonus Boss

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Bonus Boss - Come on Down!

Who: Saori, Mary, Ira, Lydia, Duster, Tazendra, Minato
What: Returning to the Mythril Mines to fight the bonus boss
Where: Mythril Mines
When: Shortly after meeting up in the Village of Santa
Notes: Single thread, please!

Without much of a lead on where everyone else in the world is, the fed, clothed, and rested group returned to the mines. There was something living inside that cave that had likely killed all of the miners, and if not, well, it was one less Calamity beast. It would give them something to do until a ship was prepared to take them to another continent.

"Careful where you step," Duster said as he help his lantern over the body of a former worker. "It's...awful." There wasn't any way to politely describe what had happened.

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Tazendra had taken out a lantern and lit it; it happened to be magically enchanted to cut through darkness, so she hoped that any thing that would live in a mine and kill miners would be not terribly fond of light.

And, if it didn't care, well, they still needed to see. "Do you think we should do something about the bodies after?"

"Yes. Bring them back to their families, if we can." Minato's grip on his staff tightened.

"... However, they're too many for our current number. It's that bad. We can escort people from the village here after so we can make sure we don't miss anyone."

Saori put her hands together for a passing prayer as they passed the bodies."That would probably be the best way to do this. They'll be able to identify them," she nodded in agreement.

She kept her Eagle Vision just to be safe and it would be easier to make out any movement while inside.

The light of Duster and Tazendra's lanterns illuminated the mine shaft enough for the Heroes to see movement in the shadows beyond. Saori's Eagle Vision would give her a more complete picture of the thrashing shape approaching them. A loud and obnoxious voice echoed through the caverns.

"Uwee hee hee! It's GAME OVER!"

A monstrously large purple octopus wiggled into view and winked a blood-red eye. It waved its tentacles in the air wildly.

Boss Battle: Ultros
The terror of the Mythril Mines. A purple cephalopod with an inflated ego and seven tentacles. His mouth has many fangs, but they do not hinder him from speaking. He had learned to talk and usually can't be shut up.

"Ooooooh, pretty girls! It's your lucky day! You are in the presence of octopus royalty!"

Luckily, the Heroes were not attacked this round, as Ultros was too busy posing and leering.

Edited 2017-05-09 01:04 (UTC)

".........................................."

Minato's flabbergasted stare pensively shifted to his companions. This wasn't what he was expecting to have gone and killed everyone. That, and it seemed to have wanted to be praised or something first. Minato is bad at complimenting... beasts with tentacles all over itself, he's sitting this one out.

Protect and Shell were cast on his allies as he remained in the party's back-end, healer caution and all.

Tazendra is likewise a bit put out. "Is that what octopus royalty is, then. Well, I cannot say I am impressed." Yes, she probably should be more gracious, but it's not like Ultros is her Prince or Emperor. "Did one such as this really kill so many guards?"

Instead of attacking, she makes a show of setting the lantern safely down. Let's see if this creature is actually the threat she had thought. And, well, perhaps she should be fair and let him have the first blow.

Edited 2017-05-10 00:55 (UTC)

"Nah, he can't be. He doesn't even look it and doubt even tastes like it." Saori raised an eyebrow at him. "Either way, we can't let our guards down." She would've made another comment of what this creepy cephalopod reminded her of, but she had a feeling the reference would've gone over her teammates' heads.

She cast Shunshin on herself. A shame that she didn't have that crystal to use the Stealth skill or else sneaking around would've been easy. Instead, she'll create a Clone to help dish out the damage.

"You can talk?" Yes, non-humans could talk and be understood in this world, but they were sentient. This was any old octopus, and if Duster could speak to it without his own magic, something was up.

He didn't attack the Octopus, as it was too late to throw in a sneak attack, but it appeared...haughty yet harmless. Hopefully. Maybe.

"Of course I can talk! What kind of dumb question is that? I hate stupid muscle-heads!"

Rolling his red eyes at Duster, Ultros turned his attention back to the unimpressed ladies. Ooooh, one of them multiplied! His appendages waved at the second Saori, showing off his regal suckers on the underside of each tentacle. Surely no one could deny the glory of his superior cephalopod form.

After a moment more of posing with arms flailing and fangs gleaming, Ultros giggled.

"G'heh heh heh, if you aren't impressed, I'll just have to show you my power! Life lesson, my delicious morsels- DON'T MESS WITH THE OCTOPUS!"

Ultros struck out with two Tentacles, directed at Tazendra and one of the Saoris (the clone, it turned out). The appendages were cold and uncomfortably slimy, but they hit surprisingly hard. Luckily, the Protect spell shielded them from some of the damage.

Tazendra stumbled back. "Well, if it is a battle you wish for, that is a wish I am prepared to grant" she said. She then cast Shock. If Ultros was done messing around, then so was she.

Saori's clone rolled her eyes at his advances until that hit happened. Another hit like that and it'll be over for it. Well, with an extra fighter on board, it was time to throw everything at it to see which type of attack would hurt the most.

The clone pulled out a knife from her belt and threw it at Ultros. Saori went for a magical offensive with a katon ninjutsu. Anyone up for some broiled octopus?

Unfortunately for Mary, the sudden appearance of a talking octopus ~~septapus?~~ was bad enough, but that he was a pervert just had her flabbergasted. She'd thought she'd seen everything this world had to offer and she was wrong.

And while whatever Saori was thinking might have gone over her head she had her own thoughts on sea monsters and the damage one could do in her own mind. That he was just as like to do both wasn't something that made the situation better. She wasn't inclined to let him do as he liked but him attacking Saori was extra motivation.

Using Shunshin as well to get herself back up to speed she rushed forward with her sword, her hidden blade at the ready. "Take it from a sailor: Best to cut it up before we cook it. Octopus cooks slow as it is." She leaped into the fray, ready to unman this monster.

Edited 2017-05-15 16:44 (UTC)

The others were doing fine, Duster was emotionally hurt by Ultros' harsh words. While Mary and Tazendra rushed in with physical attacks, he set up a Boost for his next turn.

"Who taught you, then?!" Because if this is like Ocho's case (who likely was taught by Mixlydia), Ultros had to have someone he was serving. Kalki?

...Possibly.

The clone's knife bounced off Ultros' thick skin, but the elemental attacks phased him more. He shuddered as he was hit with light and lightning, and shrieked when the fire touched him.

"YAAOUCH! THAT HURT! One tentacle flopped to the floor, limp, while the others waved wildly.

With the ladies attacking in earnest, there wasn't even time for Ultros to brag about how smart he was for learning to talk all on his own.

"YOU'RE THE ONES WHO ARE GONNA BE SEAFOOD SOUP!"

He spewed out a spray of Ink at the Heroes. It was truly an uncomfortable, fishy-smelling experience. On the Heroes that had no immunity to bad statuses, the ink hardened into...a pair of sunglasses. They looked cool, but could not be removed for several turns without magical aid, severely obstructing vision.

Mary's not interested in the banter, especially after the spray of ink gets all over her. On the one hand she might not be as put out by the smell as the others, but it still wasn't pleasant in the slightest. She rubbed at her eyes to try to push the ink away but the sunglasses remained despite her efforts.

She tried shifting to Eagle Vision in the hopes of finding her target once more, but beyond that she focused on her training and instinct, laying into the loud octopus with a flurry of sword and hidden blade slashes, ending with a Ninjitsu - Raiton.

"Seafood soup's not on the menu. Not on this deep freeze." Okay, maybe she was a little interested in the banter.

Saori has honestly smelled worse but the ink's second effect only irritated her more. She had to play it safe now until she could see again.

She let the clone fade away after casting one last Katon Ninjutsu for fire damage. and instead used transience to hold herself to counter if hit again. Yes, magic seemed more effective than physical damage, but she couldn't risk too much friendly fire.

Duster rubbed his eyes, only to find his hand hitting cool plastic. Plastic that never wore off. Well. He had pumped himself up, and there was no point in letting that extra strength go to waste.

He ran towards the direction of Ultros' voice and swung his leg as hard as he could. Maybe that was a terrible move, but he had to help somehow.

"I'm more of a fish guy than an octopus guy," he added after Mary. Everyone had their own opinion.

It was a good thing none of the Heroes could see...because giant salty tears welled in Ultros's red eyes.

"T-t-that's so HURTFUL! STUPID MUSCLEHEAD!

After those magic attacks, two more of his tentacles hung limp on the ground. Ultros sniffed loudly, then swung his remaining tentacles wildly as he made his escape.

"ADIOS! YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF ME, YOU DOPES!"

After a few minutes, the sunglasses will turn back into ink, making a mess but allowing the Heroes to see again.

Boss Battle End...?

"Damn, he got away. It shouldn't be too hard to track him."

Saori wiped the ink off with the back of her hand. "That is, if we want to pursue him." If this was the thing responsible for killing the miners, taking care of Ultros would be for the best.

"I mean..." Ink dribbled down Duster's face like wet mascara. His shut his eyes as it slid down the bridge of his nose and onto his cheeks. It was already dripping on his concertina and his shirt, though most of it stuck to his chin like an ugly black beard. He could pull off the pirate look with a few more accessories.

Duster sighed. "We've come so far. The least I can do is make cleaning this worth it."

Mary just frowned as the thing made its escape, rubbing the ink with her sleeve as she looked left and right with her Eagle Vision. All of this just seemed a fair bit too easy. And her thoughts were with Saori's when it came to the dead miners. This wasn't something that they could just let slide.

Though honestly it seemed fair enough to want to kill this thing on principle alone. "It's a mine. There's not many places it can go without passing us, unless there's another exit we don't know about."

From further in the caves, laughter rang out.

That would be a MINER INCONVENIENCE GWEE HEE HEE!

After a beat, (where the Heroes, we assume, did not laugh) the same ~~horrifically annoying~~ voice chimed in again.

...because, if I could sneak around you...I could kill you...it's a pun.

And with whatever humor might have been gleaned from that pun now destroyed in the explaining of it, the voice trailed off. A trail of blood, smelling strongly of fish and copper, could be followed if the Heroes wished to pursue Ultros.

"Oh my dear gods, it even does dad puns. At least he's not very good at being sneaky," Saori said as she managed to find a silver lining. She looked back at the others and nodded, taking in a deep breath.

Eagle Vision was once again active as she followed the trail of blood. Never know what possible traps or ambushes might happen.

Mary frowned, both at the pun and the trail. She dropped to her knee, touching it out of instinct to confirm it being fresh. But she didn't like this one bit. It definitely smells of a trap. As Saori went on ahead she moved with her, not too close but not too far, ready for a sneak attack but cautious enough not to carelessly drag Saori into it as well.

She readied a Clone as they went, switching flanks off of Saori with it a few times to confuse which was the real one.

"I am starting to feel we have seriously outclassed this creature," Tazendra said. "Still, we cannot leave it here."

Duster shrugged at the pun. He was hardened against the worst of them, and Ultros would have made plenty of friends in the Nowhere Islands if it weren't for the fact that, well, he killed all these miners. Maybe. He was claiming responsibility.

"Anyone need any help? Healing? Potions?"

[Should the Heroes follow the trail of blood to its source, it will lead them to a dock overlooking an underground pool. The water was too dark to see through, but as they approach, bubbles will appear as Ultros rises from the depths. All seven tentacles whirl once more. It seems he's fully healed!]

Did ya miss me?

[Warning, he will be deeply hurt if you didn't.]

Boss Battle: Ultros (Round 2)
There is no escape from this purple monstrosity! He gets more annoying with each passing round. And also stronger...sort of. He'll claim he's stronger now than he was during that last fight. It's up to the Heroes to find out if that's true.

...Not in the way you're thinking. [A sick burn in Duster Standards.]

I got you, guys. [He plays his custom song, Gentle Rain, and casts Regen on the group, and will continue to do so as long as he plays. This has the additional side effect of resistance against fire, though unless they're going for a suicide move and burning Ultros alive, it isn't going to be of much use.]

[Mary glares as she runs ahead to strike at Ultros...or perhaps it was just her clone. As soon as she comes into contact with one of his flailing tentacles it vanishes in a puff of smoke. Standing a few feet back, Mary finished the seals for a Ninjitsu: Raiton, lashing out at the octopus with a swiftly striking bolt of lightning.]

Can't say I have.

Thanks, Duster.

[Another thunder ninjutsu after Mary's but this one came from Saori.

As for answering Ultros's question, she answered with just one word and a smile.]

Nope. Now be a good monster and go down, please.

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Bonus Boss - Come on Down!

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I'm so sorry I didn't know/forgot Mary was signed up for this

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