Okinawa Dungeon—-Third Floor:
Rika, Han, and Zaria followed Omariro down the steps to the third floor.
"Sir, is it okay if we take a break?" Rika asked. "We've still got thousands of floors to go, and I don't know if my feet can take any more walking."
"Do dungeons have rest spots?" Han asked.
"Yes," Omariro answered. "Every tenth floor."
"Means we've got six more to go!" Zaria stated. "Move those feet, people!"
"Ugh..." Han and Rika groaned.
Omariro was already down the steps to the next floor. Zaria and the others caught up, and by the time they did, they encountered a room full of mist and fog, with marble pillars spread throughout.
"Sir," Zaria questioned. "What's the move?"
Omariro held up a hand. "Hold. Room waits."
They stopped. Suddenly, a bar popped up.
〈Rule: Eyes Closed. Penalty: Opening eyes will cause vivid hallucinations. Beginning in *10* seconds.〉
"How do we navigate a room without seeing?" Rika worried. "What if something jumps us?"
"We jump 'em back," Zaria insisted.
"Real intelligent, Zaria," Han scoffed. "Mr. Nyugawa, what are your orders?"
Omariro closed his eyes. "Eyes. Shut."
The three paused, but then steadied themselves and shut their eyes.
〈Begin.〉
"It's all black!" Rika called out. "Where are you guys?"
"To your left!" Zaria replied.
"To your right!" Han announced.
"Forward," Omariro ordered. "Keep. Eyes. Closed."
"Yes, sir!" they agreed.
Omariro took a step forward. "After me. Follow footsteps."
They listened for the pace of Omariro's feet, attempting to match it as best they could. Even as whispers rang throughout the fog, they gritted their teeth, balled their fists, and walked.
"Are we close?" Zaria asked.
"No," Omariro stated. "We move."
Step, after step. Omariro kept walking until he felt his foot hit something.
〈Checkpoint: Enabled. Phase 2: Active.〉
"What could Phase 2 possibly be?" Han wondered.
〈Enemy: Level 50 Night-Stalkers. Enemy Effect: If seen, it will cause you to fall into a deep sleep. Effect can be reversed if all Night-Stalkers are defeated.〉
"Night-Stalkers," Zaria remarked. "Sounds like a bad bedtime story."
"My mom told me about those once," Rika admitted. "She said that's the reason Dad's never been right in the head."
Omariro's ears perked up, catching a faint sound. "Stalkers near. Hold firm."
A low sound erupted from the shadows, almost like a serpent.
"Ssssss..."
"Behind me. Now!"
The kids quickly found Omariro's back as a creature lunged through the air.
"That's probably not a snake, is it?" Rika realized.
The hissing sound got closer, and Omariro swung his staff, batting the creature away.
"Predators," Omariro noted. "Here to terrorize."
Omariro began pushing forward. "Cannot stay."
"Right behind you, sir!" Zaria shouted.
Zaria tried to run forward, but she bumped into a pillar, falling flat on her back.
"Damn it, not the face..."
"Zaria..."
"Huh? Who said that?"
"It's me, your mother..."
"What? Nah, nope, no way! I'm not falling for your bait, Stalker!"
"Open your eyes, Zaria. Open your eyes, my daughter."
Zaria tried to keep her eyes shut, but as a hand caressed her cheek, her eyes reflexively opened.
"Wait, you're not—-!"
"AHAHAHAHA!"
〈*1* Party Member Affected.〉
Han and Rika froze.
"What?" Rika gasped.
"Who?" Han demanded. "Rika, it can't be you, and it's not me...!"
"Hmph," Omariro grunted. "Zaria."
"Zaria!" Rika called out. "Hey, where are you?"
"Keep your eyes shut, Rika!" Han told her. "We can't risk falling under the effect too!"
"Yeah, but we have to find Zaria!"
Voices whispered in the distance.
"Rika...Han..."
"Take a hike, demons!"
Omariro jumped back, whacking away a swarm of Night-Stalkers with his staff. Without looking, he located Zaria and picked her up.
"Trembling," Omariro noted. "Effect is strong."
"Maybe I can try to fix her?" Rika suggested.
"No. Too risky. Clear area. Defeat enemies. Fix Zaria."
He held Zaria with one hand, using the other to form his armor and blade.
"Jugen-Tōshi: Cursed Hex Armor. I defend girl. Draw out ones in shadows. Bring to me."
"On it," Han said. "Sounds like there's a bunch, though."
"Yes."
Zaria mumbled, her eyes tightly shut, which Omariro noticed. "Girl is unwell. We must hurry."
Flashback, Five Years Ago—-
"No, Zaria. You can't become a Kaitansha. It's too dangerous."
"Mom, be serious! I'm not soft! I can hunt, floor-seek, everything in the book!"
"No, honey. No you cannot."
A young Zaria Takeno was sitting at the dining table of a house in the suburbs of Chiba. Her mother, Zia, with skin and hair like her daughter's, sternly admonished her.
"I brought you from New York so you could start a new life here," Zia explained. "Away from all the problems and people of Manhattan."
"Yeah, and this is where the Kaitansha HQ is!" Zaria pointed out. "Please, Mom? I wanna apply! Zuri was a Kaitansha! She even reached level 900!"
"I said no, young lady!" Zia shot down. "Joining the Kaitansha ranks is exactly how your sister died. It was a reckless, stupid, half-assed choice! I'm not going to be a mother with zero living children!"
"Here we go again," Zaria grumbled. "Zia literally told me if I work hard, I'd have a shot!"
"Well, sorry, dear. But that's not how life works."
Her mother sighed and turned towards the stove. "Maybe you'd do best in enrolling in school here? How does that sound?"
"Terrible. I'm going outside."
Zia shook her head. "Rebellious as ever. I'm almost done cooking, I'll let you know when dinner is ready."
"Okay, Mom."
Zaria opened the door and left, leaving Zia to mumble to herself. "What the hell will it take for her to learn...?"
Outside of the house, Zaria hopped on one of her bikes and rode down the neighborhood streets, her hair whipping in her face as she popped a wheelie.
"Trackstar Zaria, coming through!"
Cars zipped by her as she pedaled, and she stopped in front of a skate park.
"Abandoned as usual," she chuckled. "Score."
She biked into the park and wasted no time riding up the ramps and grinding on rails.
"Now, for some practice."
She flipped off the bike, landing in the center of the park. "Jugen-Tōshi: Cursed Spear."
Dark lightning crackled off her body, and a purplish-black spear formed.
"Wicked! It worked!"
She twirled the spear around. "Mom has no idea. Probably would be pretty pissed."
She practiced a few jabs when she noticed a lone man sitting on a bench.
"Uh, yo, hello? Sir?" she asked. "Everything alright? You're kinda just...sitting alone. Quietly."
The man lifted his head. He had a coat on, which reached the floor. The hood shrouded his face. "You state the obvious, child."
"That's because my eyes work."
He rose from his seat, and before she could open her mouth, he was in front of her.
"The hell—?"
"You're from the Jugen-Tōshi class," he realized. "Very uncommon. A Kaitansha, maybe?"
"No," she answered. "But I'm tryna become one."
He remained silent for a long while. When he spoke again, his tone shifted.
"I see. Let me make this very clear, then."
Dark plasma formed in his hand.
"I aim to kill all Kaitansha."
Zaria backed away, her spear falling from her hand. "You...are you a Kaitansha too?"
"No. Not anymore. Jugen-Daraku: Sigil of Corrupting Tides."
Zaria watched in horror as a sigil rose into the air, spawning waves of black-colored liquid.
"Do not fret," the mysterious man assured. "I sense great talent within you. You shall become one of mine, and murder the Kaitansha."
"I'll never do that, jerk!"
The man laughed. "Your sister was the same way."
"You know Zuri?"
His eyes shone in the darkness, glowing purple. "But of course. I killed her."
With a wave of his hand, the shadow of a girl a couple of years older emerged, reaching for her sister.
"Zaria...run..."
"What...what the hell...?" Zaria gasped.
With a clench of his fists, the shadow disappeared, and the man took a step forward. "Now, join me..."
The waves pooled around her ankles, quickly rising.
"...or die."
Zaria trembled in place, before steadying herself and reforming her spear. "You monster!"
She slashed his chest, and purple liquid squirted out, making him look down.
"Purple blood? That's not human!"
"You're right," the man agreed. "It's not. Jugen-Daraku: Unholy Spikes of Despair."
Dark spikes impaled Zaria's legs and feet, anchoring her to the ground. Another row of spikes slowly crept towards her.
"If you will not submit, you will be slain."
Zaria struggled against her restraints, but it was of no use.
"Jugen-Mahōshi: Ignition!"
BOOM.
A pale white flame erupted on the man's clothes, spreading like a wildfire and freeing Zaria, who was caught in gentle arms.
"Dear, are you okay?"
"...Mom?"
Zia was standing over her, wearing a black and white Kaitansha outfit.
"Mom, why are you dressed like that?"
"Zaria," she said, firm. "If you can walk, get out of here! As fast as you can! Once you're safe, head back home! I'll meet you there!"
"But, Mom—-!"
The man pressed a palm to his chest. "Jugen-Daraku: Shifting Soul."
The flames and all the damage they caused disappeared. Three sigils rose from his back, their light nearly blinding the mother and daughter.
"A strong Kaitansha," he remarked. "No wonder your daughter had such a strong reading."
"Leave her alone," Zia ordered.
"I will, under one condition," he stated. "Bring me The Strongest Kaitansha."
Zia's eyes widened. "That's who you're after?"
"Clock is ticking."
"You can shove that clock up your ass! I'll never betray my own!"
With a casual wave of his hand, he slashed a deep gash into Zia's chest, making her wobble and fall.
"MOM!"
Zia reached out to Zaria. "Run, Zaria...use your skill...Nyugawa...find...Omariro...Nyugawa..."
"Who's that, Mom? Stay with me!"
But the man swallowed her up in a tide of water.
"First the mother, now her seed..."
Zaria backed away, tears in her eyes, before running away. The man moved to follow, but his body began to destabilize.
"Time's running out. Fine. She can keep her life. I aim to take another one."
He laughed menacingly as he glowed purple.
"That of a Legend."
And then, he was gone. From a nearby bush, the older Zaria watched, whispering to herself.
"No, this is over, it's in the past," she murmured. "It's in the past, all in the past!"
A hallucination of her mother appeared behind her, grabbing her shoulder. "Really? Or are you just saying that because you're my only failure of a child?"
Zaria smacked the arm off her body. "You're not my mother! Get back, or I'll kill you!"
The image shifted into a Night-Stalker, and Zaria quickly summoned her spear, impaling it.
"How do I get out of here?" Zaria wondered. "Mr. Nyugawa is going to be so upset!"
Inside the Dungeon—-
〈Defeat all Night-Stalkers to cure affected party members.〉
Han used his nets to pull Night-Stalkers out of the shadows, and once he did, Omariro sliced them into bits with his blade.
〈*47* Stalkers Remaining.〉
"Close," Omariro acknowledged. "Keep going."
Rika waved her arms, holding her sigil in the air. "Hey, Stalkers! You want this? It's a shiny sigil, ripe for the taking!"
As if in response to her words, it glowed. A few Stalkers crawled her direction, and she backed up.
"That's right, have a taste!"
Omariro sliced them all in one motion. Han dragged more out, and they too were carved up.
〈*21* Stalkers Remaining.〉
"Mr. Nyugawa!" Rika yelled. "I think we made them angry!"
The Night-Stalkers began to grow twice their size, and their eyes turned dark red.
〈Enemy Instance: +80% DEF〉
"I will handle," Omariro declared. "Watch girl. Keep eyes closed."
Omariro handed off Zaria to Rika, who caught her without looking. The Stalkers perked up when Omariro approached.
"Enough. Heal my member."
"Omariro..." one hissed. "Remember your past?"
"Past..." Omariro recalled. "Meant to be a warning."
Omariro got into a low stance, holding a hand out. "Jugen-Kōbisha: Forbidden Prison!"
A large portal opened, putting fear in all the Stalkers. Rika and Han stared at it, dumbfounded.
"How many Jugen Classes do you have, sir?" Han asked.
"All," Omariro admitted. "Now. Banish!"
The Stalkers tried to run, but they were swallowed up by the portal, which closed shut behind them.
〈*0* Stalkers Remaining.〉
"Can we open our eyes?" Rika wondered.
"Leave floor. Then open."
"Alright...but can you teach me to do what you just did? Please?"
"Impossible for you. Only one class.
"Aww..."
They pressed forward, finding a stone house sitting in the middle of the mist. Omariro ripped off the door, and sure enough, the totem was floating inside. Rika felt around and grabbed it.
〈Totem Seal Acquired. Level 4 Clearance Enabled.〉
"Once we get off floor, girl will be fine," Omariro assured. "Follow."
The stairwell appeared beneath them. Omariro descended.
"Han," Rika whispered. "Maybe this Hunter thing isn't so bad."
"What made you say that? Being protégés of the strongest man in the world, or nearly dying but pulling through again and again?"
"Both," Rika smiled.
"Yeah, math says you'd say that."
She rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go down and get Zaria fixed."
They headed down the steps, the floor closing behind them.
〈Floor 4: Entered.〉
—-