Chapter 507 - Fu Temple
Dave knelt down, removed the dust and remaining sand off the shiny item. While Death stood watch, she made sure to cover her face back again not to have Dave accidentally see her.
Dave picked up a single item that was the leftover of the dead Naandloushii.
***
Sigil of Beasthood
An amulet, once worn can allow the player to transform into one of its own summonable creatures.
Beast-tamer item only.
***
"Huh, such a crappy reward for all that hard work," Dave grumbled.
"It is not to your liking?" Death questioned.
"Yeah, it's useless for me."
"So it should, as these creatures have no will nor intention to claim the world's riches, finding anything of value is rare among them. Sadly, its scavenge-able self was destroyed by me. I apologize."
"No, don't worry about it. So what now?"
"I shall leave, I'll go back to my domain."
Dave thought for a moment and said, "I went to your place once, it's pretty lonely."
"So should Death's abode be. It is no place for the living."
"I know, but there is a place you can hang out in, not many living people anyway. Go to Urburg, the bar is open for everyone and most of its clients are undead, they already saw you once before."
Death giggled and said, "Thank you for granting me a place of stay in this world. As gods, we do not have the right to claim a territory, but you have invited me as a guest and I will take you up on your offer. Also, I've been dying to see Nicholas's bar. He's been bragging about some type of music called Death Metal or something and I'd like to hear it."
Dave frowned, lady Death didn't seem like a Death Metal enthusiast, but who was he to tell her otherwise.
"Hopefully you'll enjoy it. For now, can you stop this spell? My friend is outside and waiting for me."
"Of course, it has been good speaking with you Kis'Shtiengbrah, I'll do as you asked and visit Urburg." Death said and the separate reality began dissolving.
"Enjoy it," Dave said as the dominion dissipated completely.
"Where the hell were you man, I couldn't even send you a private message. I could barely see your silhouette from here."
"Oh, sorry about that, it's one of my skills, it got me a clean kill on the undying monster anyway so all is good."
"Got any loot?"
"Nada, nothing zilch, just a crappy amulet that only works for beast tamers, and because the f.u.c.ker was a level 1 it gave no exp, talk about a lot of effort for no damned reward."
"Well, you could sell the item at the auction house, it was killed by skill and it's the first calamity it's gonna be worth something."
"Hopefully you're right, now back to your legacy."
"Right, let's go, and by the way the moment you used your spell the door opened. Any idea why?"
"Yeah, it's because the skill removes the monster from the world, it takes us to a separate reality, when that happened the Door's mechanic must have judged that the Naandloushii was dead."
"Don't speak its name bro."
"Dude, it's just a myth."
"My gramps won't agree with you man." Ralph moved toward the door.
"Wait, you're American Indian of origin?" Dave said and followed after.
"No way, you didn't know?"
"I mean you're a bit reddish around the cheek but."
"Yeah, I take to my mum more than pops. Anyway, let's not talk about that crappy thing. And see what's behind this door, Open Sesame!" Ralph said and kicked the door in.
"I don't think that's how Open Sesame works man."
"Well it's open anyway, it's working!" Ralph said and walked in.
Dave shook his head at his friend's antics and walked in.
The inside of the temple was rather simple. It was like a dojo, wooden planks covered the floor and walls. With a table at the far side of the room and a large brass bell behind it.
For all the time this place remained in isolation, there was not a spec of dust anywhere. Everything was clean as if it had just been washed and cared for not even an hour ago.
"What are we supposed to do now."
"Ring the bell, and then it's gonna be a long, long battle.
"How do you know all that?"
"Quest info. It tells m that I'll be fighting a horde of disciples."
"Huh, I never had that when I was doing my legacy," Dave said.
"Your legacy is an S class legacy. Mine is B, I get help."
"But once you complete it, it will become an S class legacy."
"No, an SS class legacy."
"Damn, that's the same rank as mine."
"Yurp, I get the easy way into a super legacy hehehehe."
Dave shook his head. "Alright, but I doubt it will be that easy man. Whenever you're ready. You can ring the bell."
"Roger," Ralph said and got to the bell.
He pulled out a black katana from his inventory.
"That's Rift maker, did the tengu give it to you?"
"Yeah, for this quest I needed a katana, although I really don't like them that much."
"Why? They make you look like a weeb or something? You'll hurt a lot of our readers Kokoro if you say that."
"No, not that, but Katanas are pretty good, at one thing, and that's cutting, and they're not even the best at it. Against plate, or chain mail, you can hack all day with a katana on a non-moving person, and all you get is tired, and a broken expensive sword."
"Yeah, but during its time period and without proper smelting methods, iron folding and katana making was the best way to transform wrought iron into half-decent swords. I mean they have style and all. But European smelting changed that."
"Yep, that's why I'd always prefer a Zweihander over a katana any day of the weak. Sadly I can't use my sword for this fight."
"You and your big sword complex."
"Says the guy who carries a sword that weighs at least four hundred pounds."
"Hey, it's the best I got. And it hits pretty hard."
"Right keep telling yourself that, Hah! enough bickering, let's get this party started.
"Go, ring it."
Ralph smashed the bell using the pommel of his katana.
The bell's sound revibrated through the hall, then as if the waves were visible they began spreading around the area and dissipated outside of the door.
Soon the door smashed locked inside. The only source of light were some lamps on the walls and candles on the floor.
Out of nowhere, two kids not the age of ten appeared in the middle of the hall. They both bald, and were unarmed. They were wearing red sparring student clothes, they stood facing both the players with their eyes that were the color of the night.
"Let's get ready!" Ralph said and pointed his sword to one of the students.
The student changed posture and walked side by side toward Ralph, the second one remained idle. Waiting for Dave to make a move.
Dave got closer to the student he was supposed to face. But the latter didn't show any signs of hostility. He didn't even take a stance. Until Dave got his hand closer to Durandal, then the student began turning his head, and aligning his body for a fight while following Dave's hand.
Dave stopped and the student resumed his earlier idle position.
Dave looked back at Ralph who was about to fight and said, "Stop."
Ralph did and so did the student-facing him, though he never removed his hand from his sword.
"What's wrong, man?"
"I don't think it's fair."
"What's not fair?" Ralph asked.
"We have weapons, they don't. I don't think it's a fair fight."
"Huh, and what does that have to do with anything man?! I mean we gotta take them down and get to the legacy."
"I think you're failing to see the point. This is a Dojo, it's for martial artist, and what martial artist faces another unarmed man with a weapon? It's unfair." Dave said and removed his sword, planting it firmly on the dojo's ground.
"Man you're crazy."
"It's an Undead's honor. We don't fight the unarmed. You should also pay attention to the Samurai code of honor. You did some Jujitsu back in college right?"
"Yeah, for years."
"Then use them."
"I don't know man this seems such a waste of time."
"Bro, I have a feeling that if you face them with a sword, something bad will happen."
"Oh. Your skelly instinct. Gotta trust that one, it has gotten you all the way here."
"Yeah." Dave nodded and faced the opponent in a boxer's stance.
The kid in front of Dave, smiled.
It was a genuine smile, he bowed his head toward Dave, a proper martial artist's salute.
Dave did the same and the two of them took their stance right after.
"Damn you're right!" Ralph said, he had already removed his weapon and was facing the disciple unarmed.
"I just got a notification saying I fulfilled the Honor Condition. I didn't even know there was a condition like that."
"It's an SS legacy quest, you gotta expect a lot of hidden stuff. Now let's get them."
Dave charged the kid, and the latter with utter ease smashed Dave into the ground.
"Oh, throw technique, they have those. Damn."
The disciple locked onto Dave's arm, both his legs were on Dave's chest.
If it was any other person, they would feel like their shoulder was going to get dislocated.
But Dave grinned, slammed the ground with his free hand, and stood back up. While at the same time, the kid was still hanging on his arm.
The kid was stunned, normally no one can do just that and stand back up, especially with another person's weight holding them down. But to the inhuman strength of a draugr, that kid didn't weigh more than a feather.
Dave shook his hands to the side causing the kid to let go and drop down to his feet. He waited for him to stand back up, then took his stance. The two of them once again charged each other.
Ralph on the other hand had already smashed his opponent several times over. The kid facing him dissipated after Ralph landed his third leg strike.
"Damn I still got the moves!" Ralph laughed. Turning he saw Dave being thrown around.
"Ouch, that's gotta hurt."
"Not really," Dave said as he was once again pinned to the ground.
"The kid got a good throw; I can't do anything to that," Dave said as he stood up shaking the kid off.
"Well, you're using too much power, he is using it against you.
"Then what am I supposed to do."
"First off, stop charging him, you're making yourself an easy prey, just use simple punches and jabs, you have a good deal of strength behind your punches, and throws won't work a lot on direct short punches especially with your strength difference and reach."
"Alright let me try," Dave said and approached the kid with the intention of doing a direct punch.
Just as Dave's fist was about to land on the kid's face, the latter ducked down, while at the same time, grabbing Dave's extended arm and while his leg struck at Dave's tibia bone.
The small combo caused Dave to tip over and fall face-first into the wooden floor.
-10hp.
"For f.u.c.k sake… that didn't work," Dave grumbled as the kid tried to pin his arm behind his back.
"Oh, sorry about that. Welp, you said you were not gonna use your sword. So."
"I'm still not using it," Dave said as he stood up. "I'm gonna beat him using martial arts.
"I wish if I had popcorn, this is gonna be fun to watch," Ralph said as he squatted to the side watching the show. Dave didn't notice, but Ralph was recording what was going on. This video was going to make him a good deal of money, of course after Dave approves of it being released that is. But for Ralph nothing is impossible. Not even a Don's daughter.