<Nocturnal Harmonia>

[Bloodedge]

"It did. But, then the developers buckled down and fixed everything," Yugi said about that particular exploration sandbox. Regardless, there was also the matter of how much the Players had grown overnight. 25 levels in the equivalent of a work shift was nothing to Yugi. Had this been an actual video game, things would be different. "Light work. If this were a real game, I'd be a National Hunter in six hours. Tops," he asserted. "We also found out the kills you guys get counts as experience for us too, so we could probably be S-rank by now if everyone we knew did a Dungeon after we met them."

Moving on from that matter, the well-timed display of Black Flash proved useful for advancing Yugi's point. Moreover, Tae asserted that such a technique was only used by S-ranks. "Doubt it. A-ranks probably just aren't being acknowledged for it," he argued, feeling as if anyone B-rank or above should technically be capable of it ─ albeit accidentally in the case of a B-ranker. As for the 'Plaguespreader' joke ─ it, too, was well-received and apparently something Tae delivered to some uncultured swine earlier. Since Tae was willing to test whatever he came up with, Yugi ensured no archers were presently above before opening the crafting menu again. He even made use of an extra Thread Bind Rune, pairing it with the venom of a spider to create the very first thing Tae could potentially use. "Toxin-Web Grasp. Take that one first," he said while handing over one Rune Stone, simultaneously working on a few more combinations. "Huh. This other one will actually be called Kiss of Death. Life Siphon. Not bad. Epidemic Touch, or Epidemic Wave? The names speak for themselves; your choice."

[Apollymi]

Apparently, the game that Tae and Yugi was discussing was one with a happy ending. A flop upon its initial release the developers had gone back in and fixed the problems that the general public had with the game in the first place. That was interesting news and oddly respectable. Moving on from this point, apparently the kind of grind that had happened while Tae slept and worked was 'lightwork' "Six hours? That's crazy~" Tae said but she had no choice but to believe him. After all of his wounds were healed, she began to funnel mana into him, figuring he might need a replenish as well, given how empty the girl was, it was likely best to leave them as close to full as possible. "So there's EXP share? I mean that does make sense, especially with you being able to buy things for us and spend your non-existent money to set us up. A bit of work in exchange is hardly costly... it's better than regular work honestly," Tae commented almost absently.

Soon after, Tae was dealing with seeing someone use Black Flash a move only attributed to the highest order of individuals. She was left to think about what Yugi said, and ended up at a similar conclusion, "Muscle and mana combination necessary would start at B-rank, wouldn't expect a B-rank to have the senses that would allow it to be a repeatable action though... I understand how we got here," Tae asserted. Soon enough Miko was bouncing by with a quick question while Yugi worked on skills. "Quick question, what's the likelihood of me, overwhelming myself with a sense if I upgrade it right now, it's hearing by the way..." Miko added. Having recently healed the girl and gotten a good feel for her mana and knowing just a bit Tae had something on offer. "Since it's sound, I'll say... it's relatively low. Every person is different but the people we know of that can use sound seem to not be affected by it as deeply as those who end up with weird eyes," Tae gave as a medical opinion. Miko heard that while she was hopping up to kick another Infantryman into a group. Her movements were calm, and she wasn't wasting any extra energy simply keeping the same circle that had been kept for her. "Arigatou♪ Tae-sensei~" Miko chirped as she kept up her work and pulled up a status screen to apply her remaining five points as it wouldn't hurt her to do so. Soon enough Tae had a rune in her hand and was looking at it strangely.

"This is like an Essence Stone, but with a power engraved into it. When you said I could have it you meant it. How do I use it?" Tae questioned properly. At the same time, Makima's eyes were hyper-focused, she'd not been speaking to allow everyone else their freedom but she had been observing the duo as they worked. Their exchanges, and how they chose to talk to each other were rather endearing. But now was the time for a bit of speech. "What's this?" Makima said seemingly confused. "Oh, right... we got TP'd we didn't get to explain that part..." Miko said only to think about that one and frown. "Another one... box it." she muttered thinking about acronyms that meant something normal and something dirty. Beyond that there was the question posed by Yugi, which Tae thought about, the difference between the words, Touch and Wave were minor but great. "Hm, I didn't think I'd turn back into this kind of nerd. Any way to have both? I want both..." Tae claimed. The more ways to spread a disease the better off it was from an evolutionary standpoint.

[Bloodedge]

Tae was right. With the Players' ability to share objects and powers alike with their Bondmates, it only made sense that said comrades' accomplishments fueled back to them. They were, in essence, the protagonists after all. "Isn't it? I've been even freer with what I hand out since then. I'm usually all for merit, but if someone signing up as a route is going to get me something passively, I may as well pay it back," he replied earnestly. Tae seemed to agree with the possibility of anyone down to B-rank being capable of Black Flash. He would expect someone like Maki to be a user, and her output teetered between a high B and a low A in their first meeting.

When Yugi handed over that first Rune, having it make contact with Tae forced another immediate change. Yugi paused, looking at the Rune as the way it registered in the System adjusted from contact with her mana. "Huh... Never mind; it's not Toxin-Web Grasp. It's... Silk Venom Lash. Free upgrade to the next tier. It can reduce healing effectiveness in addition to the DoT now. Nice," he mused. Ah, but there was a question about how Tae should use the item, paired with an observation of it in general. "Oh, right. Just crush it. It's not as sturdy as it looks. Should feel like a surge of power, and a weird... understanding of how to do a thing," he explained, producing two follow-up Rune Stones titled: Kiss of Death and Life Siphon. When Tae claimed she wanted both Epidemic Skills, Yugi grinned. That was precisely the type of thinking he enjoyed in moments like this. "Fuck yeah you can! Take two of these and call me in the morning~" he joked. One thing had yet to be made clear, however. Makima was questioning the goings-on, as she'd not been made privy to the Players' latest overpowered discovery. Gojo was once again behind her, speaking before Yugi even could. "That's called breaking bread with the homies!" he chanted. "Whatever he said. Bondmates over 25% Intimacy can see and interact with items from the System. Apparently that includes Skill Runes. Theoretically, there's an upper limit somewhere in there. I recommend taking one at a time, but an S-rank should be fine to have at least a handful. Probably."

[Apollymi]

Yugi had some rather earnest thoughts to share about why he was so free with the items from the shop as it came to Bondmates and the like. His ideal world was a meritocracy but... those were hard to achieve in the long term. For now... he was willing to give to those who gave to him. "That's a fair way to do it," Tae decided. Miko in turn heard what he said and had a smile come to her face. They truly were a bit more alike than passing moments gave much time to understand. While all of that happened Miko put those last points into Perception, and upon reaching fifty, she felt something like her ears popping. A single moment of discomfort but she couldn't really tell the difference... well she could hear something else though, something that sounded like gentle accent notes not quite in time with the rest of the creatures movements. "Ah, that felt weird. Not broken though~" Miko chirped before getting back to work. Her next action would have her sliding low taking out a few legs and then using one of those catalysts to vibrate some a armored knight from point blank range, causing the metal pieces to scatter apart.

Meanwhile, the first rune that Tae was given had an immediate upgrade. It came with a newer name and an extra set of effects. How interesting. And beyond that explanation Yugi also explained how to use the Rune, which could apparently just be crushed and give a surge of power and a unique understanding. What a strange way to convey a skill. So, Tae crushed that first one, in the palm of her hands, getting a feel for the power flowing up her arm and a sudden understanding in her mind of the use of the skill. "Sou ka, that's quite interesting. The power surge seems to be tracing mana circuits... it's probably how it weaves the information in. I'm pretty sure that says something hypothetically about knowledge, memory and how mana works but I don't have enough research to clarify that," Tae observed as a scientist would. Of course, she wasn't an uncultured individual, and she was childish a little and prone to indulgence. So her demand for both skills wasn't completely out of the way, but it seemed Yugi enjoyed that confirmation and chose to combine the two versions of the skill into a single rune. Next came the rune for Kiss of Death which Tae would also pick up and crush feeling that one as well, including a little tingle across her lips now that she knew the kind of sensation she was looking for. At the same time, Makima was getting a lesson in how things worked for the players and how they shared abilities. Though not without a Gojo interruption, "We are really going to have to limit your time on TikTok," Makima mentioned her head leaning gently to the left. "So at 25 percent you can increase the skills and powers of a Bondmate. That is good. Even with an upper limit, that's impressive..." Makima said, that brain of hers working overtime. At the same time, there was a tingle deep within her core. Meanwhile, Tae was quietly pleased, "You're using me as part of the experiment that's awesome. I love being included in good research," Tae claimed earnestly. And for her inclusion, Yugi would find an extra 5 percent Intimacy.

[Bloodedge]

Tae had her own observations to make about the absorption of Skill Runes. Hers was the most reliable take, as one who spent a great deal of time medically analyzing Hunter bodies and drug interactions. She didn't have enough research to complete theory, but that sort of thing was the reason Yugi kept interest. "Love a good doctor brain. You let me know when there's a breakthrough," he requested while piecing together the two Skills Tae wanted. Fully healed and missing only a small amount of mana, he reached out to utilize Ruler's Hand a few more times, snatching knights and archers into close groups of three near Miko's location. "It's really weird. Feels more like my arm is extending and my hand is becoming gigantic," he mused.

As expected, Makima took a great deal of interest in the Players' latest display of power-sharing. Yugi had no doubt that gears were turning in the chairwoman's head, but as she didn't say anything specific about it, he didn't either. No, he was much more interested in binding those two Skills... and seeing the sudden rise in Tae's Intimacy rating. She loved being included in good research, did she? It showed. "Obviously. I'm pretty sure if you loved it another 5%, you'd unlock a whole new tier of ridiculous shit. You're already at a higher rating than everyone else for the moment," he said, finally producing a Skill Rune: Endemic Surge. "Woah. It's got extra DoT, a bounce mechanic, and... a heal for allies. Hell of a plague, I'd say~" Yugi stated in passing the stone along. With that, he called out to Miko. "You good there? We might be able to see what a proper S-rank is capable of now."

[Apollymi]

Tae would share her observations with a lad who'd already proved his personal brilliance. They were experimenting together and trying to solve a bigger problem so anything she learned that could potentially be of use to his main goal was something she'd give. In the case of her current situation, she was to let the lad know if she had a breakthrough, "Hai, I'll definitely let you know. Still, these feel quite strange but I am gaining all the understanding of how to use them. And even feeling where the base of the power is settling now that I know what I'm looking for..." Tae explained of the current situation. Next up came Life Siphon... what was an interesting sensation. As for Yugi's understanding of his other ability, one which Tae observed allowing him to move around even those beings just a bit and to interact from a distance. "It's probably to keep it from feeling overwhelming. There are only a couple of ways telekinesis can work without it breaking someone's brain," Tae decided.

Just the same, Miko was still downing targets and observing. She could hear the speeches taking place and had no issues with anything being said. Beyond that it was apparently obvious how into being included in research Tae was, she had to assume they were gaining Intimacy, based on her curious mind and the potential of the new stuff going on. If such a thing was possible, she was technically easily manipulated into upping their Intimacy. "Really? I expected it to be higher for some others. Still I do wonder what other benefits would come from it. And I would enjoy the base understanding of any such increases," Tae thought as she crushed the next rune. At the same time that Intimacy level was creeping up, this time only by 3 percent. A bit of a distraction occurred as her Rune was finishing and a very complicated spell was created, with so many added effects it had to count as her offensive ultimate. "Sugei!~ That's fucking badass~" she claimed. Miko for her part in this darted back towards the circle after dropping another Infantry knight. "Hai hai... I was only running while stuff was happening. Unless you want backup? I figured you'd like to cut loose," Miko managed as she stopped in front taking up a post near Yugi to watch the show so to speak. "Sou ka. I guess there is a bit of fun to be had playing around here. I only got 10 minutes left... I don't think these creatures are strong enough for me to need backup even with the numbers. You two are going to have to handle a lot of this yourselves though right and you really didn't get a break after the boss? Have this one on me," she offered the kids. As she crushed that final Rune and felt the powers surging. Silk Venom Lash extended, given how it felt she aimed one towards the closest enemy snagging it and swinging it around the circle for a bit of clearance. But that was just a start. All the while Makima was watching with excitement dancing in her eyes and the confirmation of a new ability on someone who's skill set she'd seen before.

[Bloodedge]

The doctor's notes about the form of telekinesis they now had access to were worth consideration. He felt there was something missing, but the notion of that feeling being one to save the user's mind was more than a fair start. "Reasonable. There's something else about it though. It's like... magic, but it doesn't cost anything. It doesn't come back to me or anything though. I'd say it might be grabbing ambient mana, but I'd be able to see that. Whatever. Can't question beneficial shit too much," he decided in the end.

The expectation that some others would have higher Intimacy than Tae was fair with little to no context, but Yugi and Miko had been moving in different ways since their return. While they both had multiple active routes, his count was significantly lower. "What others? There are only three. I know it's probably the biggest surprise of your life, but I don't actually get along with people very easily. Stupid ones especially~" he claimed in a half-joking manner. Another 3% increase was seen to Tae's Intimacy, pushing her closer and closer to what had to be the next threshold by way of simple math. "And closer still. 73~" Yugi observed. Now that he had the time and ability to look properly, Yugi could see the power of a new Skill entering Tae's arm, coursing through her body and settling as part of her self. There were no visible signs of drawbacks, but the surge of that last one was a bit bigger than others. "Hmm. Strength is probably worth considering when handing these out. The number might actually have a lot to do with it too, but... those are taking well," he decided as Miko made her way into the room's center. For the next ten minutes, they'd be able to witness an S-rank at work. In that same time, the Players could properly rest their minds instead of just their bodies. "Hai. Oh, and while you're here... I'm going to see if I can link you to the Shop app. I don't have much hope for it working, but it'd be worth a shot if you could somehow make item purchases when you're outside," he said to Tae just before she entered the fray. Yugi would be working that out while spawning a familiar throne for Miko and himself to sit upon. "This quest is actual hell. I don't think it'll become as difficult as Igris, but I do think this is the easiest it's going to be for the next four hours."

[Apollymi]

Takemi Tae did have at least medical knowledge backing most of her magical world understanding and predictions. She could extrapolate a bit based on how things worked that she understood. And she was happy to provide the pair currently settling in the middle of the room an understanding of their abilities as they developed. "Hai, though I do wonder if your altered stats list will be making it easier for you to expand your use of such a skill. You'll have to keep me updated," Tae mentioned casually as she moved around. Beyond that point Tae was surprised by the fact that she was the most advanced o Yugi's Routes. According to the lad himself, she was approaching 75 percent rather rapidly, that was good to know and he didn't often get along with a lot of others. A sly smirk came to the Doctor's face, "I couldn't imagine the boy with the superbrain, an ability to keep his thoughts both horny and mean in his head, and the most intense case of gamer rage I've ever seen would have a problem connecting with his peers~ Surely, he's a catch and not a walking red flag~" Tae joked in that morbid way she did about most things. Still she understood a truth in life about Yugi that both his actual partner and other women who actually got to know him did, once one crossed the initial instability he was one of the more reliable people.

The strength of the last rune to enter Tae's body was quite ridiculous even for the others ones. She observed that by sensation and Yugi did by visuals. There was one other thing happening at the same time and that was Miko finally getting a bit better grip on the changes increasing her perception caused. "That one sounded like an expansion of range out of the middle into sharps and flats, not that I expect that to make sense to anyone else. I wonder if the number is also mediated by the quantity or quality of skills mixed," Miko mentioned as she rolled her shoulders. Apparently while they were here, Yugi would e trying to connect Tae to the Shop App so that items could be purchased outside of the quest for the users. "Oh, that's a really good work around. Like bringing in shared supplies after a camp run in MonHun," Miko said thinking about her gaiming experience with a monster raid that couldn't be left traditionally. As for Tae, she'd begin testing her abilities but acknowledge it, "Hai hai, hook it up with a shopping list or something for me to take to when I get back," she mentioned as she paused around the wider gap and extended a hand. A cone of mist escaped her hand and began to coat the individual creatures, each bumping into each other passing it along so that it spread around the area of effect. "Sugei!~" the doctor was getting excited as she began actually showing an ability to take down creatures herself. All the while observations and experimentation were going on... and that last two percent Intimacy would occur, as her first target died of her new power structure.

Meanwhile, Miko settled into the throne with Yugi. They'd get tor relax for at least a moment so she sat herself squarely in his lap her back resting against his fore and her tiny but thick frame tucked into the space beneath his chin. "Yeah, it's going to be an undertaking. I've never been fond of the at level waves of creatures. I haven't seen something this bad since the Hollow Canyon," Miko explained. Still there was something to be said about the sheer number. "In other news, I can probably call one of my choices. I do have two who hit the right amount but one of them is a special case with extra oddities I haven't figured out," Miko mentioned of her own thoughts. "On the plus side, my other choice is an Assassin so he might be able to help with the strategies and help give us some background for helping out Kaya," Miko thought about using her own shortcomings to cover the weaknesses overall. "Oh? Not going to take the actual throne? And Tae definitely didn't have that sort of combat potential before, it's good to see~" Makima commented as she watched the children strategize and decompress.