<Nocturnal Harmonia>

[Bloodedge]

"Well... it's definitely just been a couple of days now. But it's been a long couple of days. About a year's worth, I'd say," Yugi joked flatly. However the pair managed sleep as a unit in their future, surely a proper bed would appear someday. They still had an item for establishing a home base somewhere, in accordance with the System. Yugi still figured that would function as some sort of teleport or respawn point ─ one that would be useful in a situation like the present. Alas, there was no point to worrying about that presently. He would, however, concern himself with the idea of Miko slipping in while he slept. "And wake me up, right?"

Either way, both teens would be making the decision to take the lazier approach ─ getting some effectiveness in Skill growth as a result. Neither felt like getting up just to run up and down the hall, sorting loot piece by annoying piece. One thing Yugi noticed while aimlessly collecting items was a bag that apparently contained 10,000 Gold. "Eh? Money just drops in bags now? That's... weird. Why not do that before?" he wondered, trying to figure out what the System might be up to now. Any changes taking place would either be amazing or terrible ─ he didn't imagine anything between the two. "Just saw a pretty decent rune too. Knight's Decree says it draws aggro, slows enemies and buffs defense all at once. I might grab one of those," he decided. "I don't think there was much standalone good shit in the Dungeon. Maybe something worth combining is in that bunch though. Did you grab anything from the raid besides Thread Bind?"

[Apollymi]

That flat joking bit was something that Miko resonated with deep in her soul. "Yeah, it's definitely been the longest two days of my life so far," Miko said with equal amounts of sarcasm. Beyond that point, Miko was honest about her less than stellar sleeping habits and learned in exchange that if she slipped into bed with Yugi he'd want to be woken. "I mean, you're saying that like yes is the answer I should give. I wasn't going to try on purpose to wake you up but, I'll do my best♪!~" Miko said learning in the moment that Yugi might have been an odd sort of somnophile and that she was as well.

While they continued to relax and pull things towards themselves, they spoke observationally of the things being picked up. Among them were bags which had 10,000 gold inside. "That is weird. It could be because they're humanoid and thus carry stuff. That would make me feel bad though, because we definitely just killed a bunch of sentient people just doing their jobs by that logic, like bombing a grocery store. Or it could be a QoL thing, because Bondmates can see drops... would be nice to get a read out if it was something like that though..." Miko offered up her thoughts on the matter, though it was generally the kind of tangent filled mess her thoughts tended to be. It seemed that there were quite a few interesting things to be found in their current hall. The Rune Yugi was talking about definitely had a few potential good uses. "That is really good. I've seen a couple of good ones... Thread Sense, was one I saw that I don't need but might be useful to one of the Bondmates knowing we can give them stuff. It apparently just gives short-range surface vibration/enemy sense... which isn't a lot but better than the really normal ones will get," Miko murmured her thoughts. "I sat aside one called Queen's Feast, and a different one called Royal Nutrient Consumption and Royal Jelly Synthesis... I was thinking of combining them my last few learned magics say they could work well for me," Miko confirmed. "I am also on the hunt for offensive magic though... but those first ones were more supplementary. I might just have to use my science brain and make one..." she said not griping but knowing that her own designation required a bit more... fine tuning to make her into the kind of mage she wanted to be.

[Bloodedge]

Calling the soldiers they fought people who were simply doing their jobs, even in a technical sense, didn't resonate with Yugi very well. The way he saw things, those knights were worth even less concern than video game NPCs. "If someone's job is to kill me, I have the right to fire them. From life," he stated. More interesting than that was the idea of saving their excess Skill Runes for Bondmates. "I was thinking about consolidating some of the extras to make some cool other skills at random. Even if they're not useful to us, somebody could use them. And I can't trust Brainface to give us proper QoL. Considering the pace we've been taking so far, the scale says he's a really slow developer," he complained lightly.

As he sorted through incoming items, Yugi found himself wanting to combine a few Skill Runes for himself. Knight's Decree, Iron Will, and perhaps a third of some sort would be on his list in the near future; there were a few of those floating around. As for Miko, she did have a startling lack of offensive abilities in her arsenal. Though that would be fine for party compositions, they weren't so limited, nor were they capable of forming a party at will. "Mm. We can't have your only offense be a combo attack with me. But, you've got water stuff. Water is an incredibly underrated offensive ability. Going ice is a pretty natural step, but even without doing that, there's... blood manipulation, the obvious use of conductivity and/or mirror properties, or even getting into other liquid forms. Hell, you could probably combine it with some of those venom skills to get something with enough combustive ability to create Meikyou Shisui. Might even be possible if you turned a sakazuki into a catalyst. This crafting system leaves a lot of potentials open. My brain's already halfway to nuclear holocaust with the amount of shit you could theoretically do."

[Apollymi]

"Tehehehaha♫~" A chirping little laugh escaped Miko at Yugi's thoughts on ending the lives of others over himself. Not because the exchange of lives was something she saw so frivolously but simply because they way he'd worded it was exceedingly funny. "I get that, really. And I am not saying I'd trade my life for someone trying to kill me bar some very extreme circumstances..." Miko said, never one to trap herself into an absolute sort of situation bar the sexual kind she enjoyed. "Good, I'm glad we're on the same page. It's early in this whole Hunter, thing, but after seeing some in action today... a lot will be able to make more use of things than wouldn't need it. I also don't completely trust the QoL thing... the development seems slow or maybe he wasn't expecting us to understand it so fast?" Miko decided to put it somewhat gently. "I also enjoy the combining part, it's fun when stuff makes sense or if you get something truly random out of the situation," Miko decided. She'd had a lot of contact with two individuals, one of whom, had to literally sacrifice parts of his body, and rely on someone being able to heal him, and the other, who had limited vision and an inability to completely utilize the way his mana worked to expand it past his basic understanding. It was quite distressing to know that people were being sent into fights with basically only their understanding of magic.

As they sorted through skills they started discussing the advancement of Miko's abilities. And the various combination so of things that could be made for the sake of expanding her offense. He was quite right, she couldn't have her only real form of attack be only combination attacks. "Hai I do have water stuff, I still have a few left over runes for it too..." Miko murmured. "Mirrors, water... Box it♪~" Miko said there was something in her head and she would figure it out in a few minutes. "Meikyo Shisui! That'd be so cool. Though, people would think I'm a pyromaniac or an alcoholic... " Miko murmured. She gathered up a few of those Venom Runes as well, knowing she would have to poke thorough a few. "I'd have to wait on the cups though...can't shop right now," Miko said regretting the idea. "Ooh, but I could do a whole transformation, with miko robes♪!~" she chirped happily looking forward to something like that for the sake of being far too ridiculous later. And finding the extra joke, knowing her name was Miko and thus being dressed as a miko and going through with a ceremony was definitely worth it. "Oh, it also seems like we are going to have enough armor pieces for some set bonuses," Miko seemed quite amused by that given what she was seeing. As she pulled another couple of pieces the candle light flickered and her mind finished its idea. "OOOOOH BOX IS OPEN♫!~"

[Bloodedge]

"Right? There's a very limited number of things I'd trade my whole life for. One of them includes Kaichou because holy fucking mommy," Yugi rambled freely. Besides that, he could easily see a few of his new comrades benefiting from some specific skills. If he got the right list of things, he could surely craft some incredible abilities and tools. Such things were simply... puzzles to be put together. When he looked at the pieces, he could see how they connected ─ and he would connect them. "I should really start crafting some more weapons. Maybe I'll take Dickhead's shield and turn it into something awesome, like the start of Susano'o or something. But then, like... what if I bag some Tanker chick who could use a super-enhanced shield that she can wear as a super slutty fragmented armor suit?" he mused, seeming to lose track of things a bit.

Moving on from that, working on Miko's build would take precedence over most things. Yugi wasn't very concerned about his own kit, but hers didn't have much versatility. Of course Yugi himself was now crippled in a solo scenario for his inability to use potions during this quest, but... he was a firm believer in the necessity of dealing damage. Miko seemed to fancy the idea of using a technique known as Meikyou Shisui, but thought others would consider her a pyromaniac... or an alcoholic. "Or they'll have anything resembling good taste, and just call you a member of the Kumori Kult," he said in reference to a particular online fan-club. "And before you say it, I know you are," he added. Miko went on to mention their ability to maintain some set bonuses with the amount of armor pieces they were collecting. Giving it a look, Yugi was already considering getting rid of the old Phantom pieces. "Hmm, yeah. Not bad stuff either. As long as we don't fall for another dumb feature, this Chivalry bonus might be a pretty good one to take. Phantom shit won't help against the things we've been fighting thus far," he surmised. Just then, Miko's voice rose once more. A box was open, apparently. "Uh... okay? You mean the one you just made, or some random one from ten years ago? It's not exactly easy to tell with you."

[Apollymi]

Yugi and Miko could ramble and talk about anything. Oddly enough it wasn't just the male of the duo who found it easy to discuss matters of sex and deviance without judgement. "Yeah, she's definitely Mommy. It takes all kinds of self-control not to slip the weird thoughts out of my head~" Miko confirmed her own feelings hands up in the air like she was surrendering, which she'd already done. Beyond that point Yugi spoke of crafting and doing interesting things with the loot drops from their most recent 'human' target. "Crafting does seem to be quite important. It feels really fun, I can't wait to really get into it," Miko agreed. "And if you do need to make slutty armor, I'm sure you'll find something specific~" Miko confirmed.

Rambling about futures and jokes aside, Miko was in need of some offensive capabilities for her personal arsenal. It wasn't as if she could rely on the ultimate moves she was borrowing from Bondmates to make up for the downtime. Though she was a bit worried her referenced skill might leave others with a few questions, she was encouraged by Yugi's acknowledgement of good taste and the Kumori Kult. He even went a step further confirming that he figured she was a member of that particular fan club. "I'm glad you get me... he's one of those people I'd throw my life away for... and obvious Abe no Seimei, because you can't like Raizen without acknowledging he is himself a reference!♪!~" Miko sang sweetly of her favored Kumori family member. As they moved on to discussions of gear, Miko could only go along with Yugi's assmptions as he moved forward. "Hai hai, definitely didn't get any Phantom Slayer procs or anything. We have to assume that Phantoms and Shadows are separate entities. Also I think Chivalry would be pretty good... the knight theme is really high here," Miko concluded. All before a flickering light, a bunch of scientific knowledge and a conversation with her father about magnifying glasses created the start of something crazy. Yugi's response made her laugh just a little as she wiggled happily, "My boxing doesn't go back that far... and the one I just made. Rather it kind of filled itself in with some other stuff. Basically... I have an idea for a skill, where I use water to make refractive lenses and force light into them. I think I have everything I need for it!~" Miko said figuring that would be enough information for him to understand what she had going on in her head. "Also by logic Kyouka Suigetsu would be possible too... Miko Themed kit♪!~" she asserted happily.

[Bloodedge]

"I noticed. Not sure why you bother. I've just been blurting out most things that come to mind. She won't say or do much to acknowledge it, but... I know she's holding on to it," Yugi surmised about the chairwoman. Whenever a moment of privacy appeared with that one, he was sure things would become quite interesting. In fact, he expected to hear from her at some point during this journey, assuming their phones didn't count as normal technological devices. Maybe she'd be early on the list of experimental armors and the like? Well, Yugi figured the first would be Maki at this rate, as she was the Bondmate most likely to throw herself into combat. "I'll find a lot of specific stuff. Yours'll be extra special~" he teased with a bit of deviousness and underlying malice.

On Miko's list of people she'd throw her life away for, was... a fictional character. Yugi hadn't been speaking in those terms, mostly because doing so would have changed the entire discussion from his end. "Well that's just not fair. If we're talking characters, my list is almost as long as the list of female characters I know," he said, only to remember something potentially very annoying. "Oh goddamnit! I ordered that fucking Eira figure a year ago!" he complained. If that item arrived when it should have, there was no telling where it ended up in the sudden year-long absence. "Fucking dumb. Probably just got thrown straight into the trash, or lumped in with unworthy shit or... separated from the clothing pieces," Yugi rambled further while equipping armor pieces to himself. Another thing Yugi was finding annoying, was the lack of ability to equip certain armor segments without restrictions. "Can't do the High Knight stuff. Strength below 80 causes slowed movement with those. Guess I'll go Infantry," he decided. Those pieces more consistently enabled a set bonus anyway. As for Miko's much-needed offensive ability, she'd come up with a rather intriguing plan. Using water to make lenses, she'd enhance her light magic. Logically, that would be a very powerful technique. Yugi was actually impressed ─ rare as that was. "Wow, that's a good strat. Do that. Do the fuck out of that!" he fully encouraged, just as he'd do with other techniques they were discussing... albeit with some caveats. "Totally onboard with the miko build too... but long-term, you're gonna be disappointed by something."

[Apollymi]

Miko's self-control was apparently an oddity. Yugi had some interesting observations to make about Shidou Makima. "I like compartmentalizing so I don't usually say things as they appear in my head. Also not certain of my chances so I'm reserving it for something good," Miko confirmed. She'd also noticed that Makima wouldn't challenge the comfort of people she liked directly so long as they fit a certain amount of usefulness. Speaking of the Chairwoman of the Hunter's Association, she was narrowing in on a certain idea... but not quite yet. Before then the outfitting of Bondmates and Miko herself was being discussed. "OOh♪~ When you say it like that it sounds so ominous♪!~" Miko sang sarcastically. She was used to being dressed by others, and she was becoming more and more confident in the ability to wear anything she wanted.

Beyond actual clothing choices there would be a list of people Miko would surrender her life too. Apparently her choice was unfair, as it opened a huge door. "It's not just you. That box is really deep for me too♪ Doubly so, since genders don't tend to matter to me so much♪~" Miko commiserated. What she couldn't commiserate with though, was the purchase of an 'Eira'. "High School DxD... I only recently started that one," Miko said. She didn't have a reference for the lad's crazed nature, but she could commiserate with things being missing. She had no active idea about the last things she ordered, but... she was sure it would come up eventually. "Still maybe it's just in its box?" Miko offered hope, he did have a sibling at least who might have been nice, in spite of that angry face of hers. Moving on to actual gear, Miko was also applying those pieces, "I'll also go Infantry and hope for some mage drops at some point. I am really going to have to commit to some real potential gear. I wonder if we can make and enchant clothes too? Might be worth it for me to do that..." Miko muttered she could always break a little for stuff like cute but workable outfits. Still there was her actual idea, which she explain in loose terms but go a very excited response. Miko's eyes widened. "Hai hai!~ I'll see if I can make it work," Miko said opening up the crafting menu to begin adding in the necessary pieces. "What's disappointing about it? Miko is Miko♪!~" Miko couldn't help her own personal satisfaction as she combined, a light rune, an evolved Water Rune and combined it with a few of the controlled vibration skills as well.

[Bloodedge]

According to Miko, she was 'reserving' her outbursts for lack of knowing what her chances were in the situation they discussed. Yugi found that rather strange... and a bit pointless to boot. "That's dumb. It's not like there's a limiter in place that'll affect one person's chances because you've used Approach A before. If there is something like that, I'm rerolling," he threatened for the second time today. Moving on to the apparently ominous nature of his future armor-related plans, Yugi shrugged. He wouldn't make every intention known just yet. "Maybe it's supposed to. Or maybe it was an accident. We'll find out after I do a thing," he stated.

Yugi spent a few moments considering the number of fictional character's he'd dedicate himself to. Alas, that thought process was cut short by a mental and verbal freak-out about a very expensive purchase he couldn't resist. As he ranted, Miko mentioned only recently starting the series High School DxD. What a criminal offense. "Firstly, you have to get into more of that one; it's incredible! Peak action, peak drama, peak porn ─ holy shit the porn!" he praised openly. One could only hope that figure was in its box, every necessary piece in place, and somewhere he could eventually claim it. Whatever the case, both Players would be equipping parts of the Infantry Knight set, with Miko pontificating the creation of gear for her magical build. "I didn't see anything for crafting normal clothing, but most armors don't seem to affect movement at all. You could definitely do some mage accessories though," he said, entering Inventory once more upon having an earlier thought restored. "Oh, and he─... huh?" Yugi paused there. He'd gone to repair the broken bell choker Miko held earlier, only to find it fully restored with an active ability now. He retrieved the accessory and looked into its effect. "Oh. Yeah, that makes sense. Its ability triggers on a timer. It didn't work before because we didn't do any fucking," he said with a huff. It would have been nice of the System to reveal that information beforehand, but it was too late to think about that too much now. As such, Yugi moved on ─ straight to the thought of Miko's eventual annoyance. She seemed so pleased by the idea of taking on the full 'miko' role. In his perusing, Yugi had already looked into a miko outfit... and it wasn't a pleasant instance of window-shopping. "You'll... see for yourself when we have shop access again. I don't want to dash your hopes in case I just missed something."

[Apollymi]

"I would say you should stop threatening suicide but I feel like I have no room to talk given how we started this whole adventure," Miko said losing her train of thought upon remembering that they started this by attempting suicide to force the System into action. Beyond that point there was the matter of an ominous statement which seemed to lack intent. "Yeah, not becoming any less ominous, but things of the future are exciting♪!~" Miko chirped seemingly unconcerned. Yugi was one of few people she trusted implicitly so if he wanted to do something a bit naughty or outrageous she'd allow it.

Soon enough there was a conversation about the High School DxD series run by a certain favored set of artists. Miko was apparently supposed to get into them. Apparently everything about the series was truly peak, even the porn according to Yugi. "Full disclosure... I usually don't read the porn parts of these series normally. I get really embarrassed so I can't usually sit through them," Miko admitted sheepishly. Perhaps an active sex life might have changed this bit of information. Beyond that point, no regular crafting had been noticed for clothing but most armor didn't effect movement. Yugi thought Miko could benefit from some mage related accessories. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure the only ones I have are the early ones, ribbons and such," Miko said only to have her bell collar appear already restored. "Waaaah♪!~ So it's a self-fixing relationship monitor?" Miko decided. "Still, I'm happy it'll be repaired, I am really attached to it.." Miko said as she re-equiped that piece with a happy smile on her face. It was a part of that starting situation which she wasn't ready to let it go. "Also we can take as a sign that we always have to take some us time. It's mandatory~" Miko said with a casual and sarcastic eye roll. The excuses made themselves. With gear equipped and stuff in place she combined that set of skill runes for the sake of getting that very specific skill she had planned.