<Nocturnal Harmonia>

[Bloodedge]

'What the fuck?' Yugi thought as a notification about Chizuru reaching maximum Intimacy got in his way. She was so quick to turn her life over for a story; full dedication after a few hours was insanity! 'Dealing with it later!' he decided. Yugi wouldn't even bother looking at that quest yet. He didn't get to answer the question about mind-reading or understanding, but he was there to respond when the follow-up came. He didn't like the way she answered. "Killed things, got bored and left... No. It was far more interesting than that," he argued.

Eri had yet to figure out his angle. No one could expect her to do so while still believing she was speaking with a magic beast. Abyssal Frame was steadily consuming even more mana from Yugi, muscle fibers stretching across its skeleton to cover most of its torso and left arm. What was the big deal? Eri was right to wonder, and right to call that feeling of mana disruption familiar. Yugi's need for that black rod was expired long before Eri let go of it, and her comment about boredom being another way to die was perfectly timed with his brain processes. Yugi was grinning from ear to ear within the construct, which moved to stand at long last. "Funny you should say that. I will alleviate boredom from both of us, Hoshimi Eri. Let's... play a game~" he suggested in an accidentally menacing manner, which seemed to be a habit of his. Energy was beginning to form in Abyssal Frame's six-fingered right hand, building a makeshift 'sword' the way Yugi had seen Igris reform his weapon. "There are three win conditions."

[Apollymi]

Mizuhara Chizuru was indeed insane. She would always throw her life away over a good story. The idea of throwing her life away for someone who wrote a good story wasn't even new... after all, she was connected directly to a certain director and his entire guild simply because she liked what he had going on. Even her personal life was aligned in a similar way because she happened to like the outcome idea she'd developed when making a 'friend'. No matter... she'd be addressed in due time, she was certain but that wasn't anything she had to worry about, nor was it a direct concern of Yugi's. He was instead pumping a ridiculous amount of energy into Abyssal frame.

Miko in her infinite wisdom decided that since the Shadows weren't just be slaughtered anymore, she could spare a bit of extra mana, which she would do in the form of one of those persimmon flavored nectar cubes from her own body. She pushed it into his body to let it absorb as he went on. Hoshimi Eri had explained about as much as she was ever going to understand of her leaving the previous place she'd left to find entertainment. "No, that was it. It has some weird magical effect I don't understand thus wasn't worth the hassle. Bored. Left." she repeated. What effect was something very specific and something any other sexually active adult would have recognized, but... such was the nature of a girl who didn't think like a girl. What happened next had the girl hopping back, sword up and ready to swing. The idea that this thing should want to play a game was ridiculous. Beyond the idea of wanting to play that game... that line was one used by a familiar movie villain, one she often made fun of, for such unrealistic killing methods that it was comical. "Yep, not the only one who recognized that kind of speech," Miko said only for Yugi to hear while rolling her eyes. Still, she was enjoying her little part in this entire thing so she was now calmly observing. "Go on." was all Eri said. She'd definitely kill this thing, but what if it'd simply grown from resentment or... the memories of the fallen or some such nonsense. Things were magic now, that wouldn't even be that ridiculous.

[Bloodedge]

Putting aside the first appearance of 100% Intimacy for now, Yugi poured his mana into Abyssal Frame and prepared to make Hoshimi Eri an offer of long-term entertainment... for both of them. As the construct stood, Yugi found a mana restoration being placed into his body by Miko. It restored quite a bit for him, but he rather quickly poured it into Abyssal Frame as well. "Nice assist, but don't bother. I've got another new thing I might have to use," he said so Miko alone would hear the words. That extra mana did have a use, however. In reducing himself to 20%, he managed to give Abyssal Frame more than a full body of muscle ─ it grew something resembling armor around its shoulders.

Eri insisted that boredom had been the cause for her leave of the previous location. Though he believed there was some truth to be found in it, the truth was surely more complex than that. No details of occurrences had been given. That alone was telling. "If you insist," was his only remaining response to that topic. Upon offering a game to the young woman now ready for battle again, there were more details sought... and another familiar reaction to the offer itself. That part was becoming a little bothersome. Whatever the case, Yugi had his terms at the ready. "You carry yourself with deserved confidence. So... first condition: if I gain your interest, you become my comrade. Second condition: if I can successfully deal damage to you, I require... seven minutes of physical contact, of my choosing. The third condition isn't something for you to worry about; it will handle itself. You are free to make your own conditions, should you accept."

[Apollymi]

A single Intimacy threshold reaching far beyond the Players norm was something set aside as Yugi tried for a different kind of push forward. Hoshimi Eri was a very different kind of target, one that Yugi had decided to take in a very different way from most. Miko could just about see the method to gain the trust of a woman who killed for living and had very little faith left in humanity on the whole. In the meantime, Miko had offered the kind of assistance she always would rather freely. It was considered as nice but apparently unnecessary in light of a new skill being used. Still it didn't seem wholly unnecessary, "Hai hai, just let me know if that changes♪~" Miko said encouraging the lad with two thumbs up.

Hoshimi Eri wasn't liar, she was indeed made bored by the lack of variety in creatures to be slain and annoyed by whatever magical effect surround Osaka. No matter, it seemed this creature was willing to let that part go. 'Still too clever.' she thought eyes narrowing distinctly. There was something odd about this whole situation but she wasn't sure exactly what it was. Still a massive magical creature was working its way into standing position and that was way more interesting than anything else. What it said however was strange. It complimented her first and foremost which was odd enough to bring a bit of abject suspicion to her. "Uh..huh," she muttered. And then came the conditions, she'd become it's comrade, simply by becoming interested in it. "Weird." she said to the first thing. If he could successfully deal damage, he got seven minutes of his choice of physical contact. "Stupid." she commented. The amount of things that could do damage to her were far too low and even as big as this creature was the idea of it hurting her was unlikely. Some unknown secret condition would come about naturally and she could name her own. "Hm... a condition for winning isn't necessary, if I win you die... that's simply the nature of it. So I'll take conditions for if you don't end up dead by the end of this. Never harm my family, ever. And I want to fight the red-maned Commander again later. I like his moves." she stated, she was confident in her ability to kill a thing but oddities and magic required more caution than simple assassinations did. For someone who was a contract killer born and raised, her desires were oddly wholesome. Miko covered her mouth in realization, as the type of personality made itself clear. 'I didn't think we'd get a heart of gold societal neutral!' she thought excitedly.

[Bloodedge]

The conditions had been set, at least from Yugi's end. He left Eri to choose whatever conditions she pleased, but didn't expect much of it. Indeed, her only condition for true victory was the death of her opponent. In the event of his survival, however, she delivered an order to refrain from harming her family... and giving her the chance to face Igris again later. "You think a game will allow you conditions for losing? That isn't how this works," he stated plainly, though nothing about her actual demands was said one way or the other. The pointlessness of all that would become clear in due time.

The sword in Abyssal Frame's hand never managed the form of a proper weapon, but it was clearly sword-inspired. As if he were the pilot of a mech, Yugi held out both hands, mimicking someone at a control station. The giant construct raised its sword in such a way that it cleaved through the ground toward Eri. Its path led straight to her, flinging rubble forward and toward either side. Before that move even finished, however, Eri would find herself tapped on the top of her head by... the knuckle of one Gojo Satoru. The white-haired, blindfolded man was standing behind her, leaning in as if curious. As for where he'd come from and how long he'd been there... well, his appearance happened in the same moment he made contact with the woman. "Yooo, big money! Big fan♥~" he said as if nothing else were happening around them.

[Apollymi]

Apparently all necessary parts had been met, and in the meantime, everything was fine. Still that creature took issue with a condition not necessary for winning in any case, as this was apparently a game. "I don't trust monsters playing serial killer games as a serial killer," she pointed out directly. Miko's eyes cut away as she couldn't have argued that logic and knew someone else would recognize the bad movie reference the lad made accidentally. Becoming comrades didn't necessarily mean anything to someone like Hoshimi Eri, a certain amount of respect was necessary and she couldn't be sure 'monsters' came with it naturally.

No matter what it seemed that this was about to be a certain kind of thing. She didn't know what this creature's deal was, but she was content to kill it and move on. Such was her nature. Soon enough a very normal sword stroke was headed down her way. Eri would dodge away from it, knowing that a whole host of rubble had been lifted. She seemed unbothered by it for the most part and was preparing to attack properly. But before she could even fully commit to rampant murder, she was suddenly having somoene tap on top of her head. For someone to move fast enough to slip her senses was almost unheard of, for someone to lay a hand on her without her consent was the sort of thing that would imply murder. But... when she turned to look leaning over her was a recognizable face. "Hunter Gojo Satoru," she said that simply with a frown coming to her face. "Why the fuck are you here? Nevermind not interested..." last she heard that one never did anything without Makima somewhere nearby and that came with its own brand of annoyance. And even though she was certifiable in her own way, she still gave Makima a reasonably wide berth when moving about. Here and now she swung that sword of hers almost casually causing a huge blast of energy to leave it aimed towards the 'sword' kicking up all that debris.

[Bloodedge]

"I said game. You decided to make it about death," Yugi argued. The character from that movie franchise he'd never seen was becoming a major annoyance to Yugi, for multiple reasons. Though... as he thought about the situation, he supposed he was very closely connected to death and the like. Fully arguing the topic would be just as annoying as the topic itself, so he carried on. The initial slash he sent Eri's way was avoided with ease, much to Yugi's expectation. However, there was also an interjection from Gojo. Even Yugi couldn't expect that, and Eri seemed only displeased by something about his arrival. "What do you mean? Real paper-chasers like me go where the money is! Nothing but fat stacks out here," Gojo answered despite Eri's alleged disinterest. He was casually hanging about, floating near Eri even as rubble tried (and failed) to strike his body. "You here to stack bands too?" he asked.

Whatever came of that conversation was something Yugi chose to ignore. Eri's sword swung to send her energy cleaving through Abyssal Frame's blade. It seemed the disruption of her mana wasn't having much of an effect at all... but Yugi believed it would still serve the purpose he truly needed it for. "Seven minutes," he warned, alluding to his earlier condition. That blade easily reformed itself as the construct's left arm swung widely ─ a series of those black rods flying in Eri's direction with piercing ability startlingly higher than that of a sword. "I also have a surprise for you. It'll make you stronger. And, yes... you do have reason to become even stronger."

[Apollymi]

"Dead things, in the Suicide Forest, talking about darkness and shadows, quoting serial killers but sure... I'm the one making it about death," Eri muttered not even bothering to argue with a presumed monster about logic. For her part in this Miko went for neutrality in her face as she couldn't say Eri's assumptions were wrong based on observable information. All it said to her, was that common logic was lost upon it, so... she wasn't going to have a problem with the way she handled things. What she did have a problem with however was Gojo Satoru. Whatever other people liked about him, she found him... annoying at best for reasons she couldn't have explained if she was asked. Well, except for one glaring reason, "Look if you don't come with like a translator or something... I'm not talking to you, fuck off." Eri said with the same kind of conviction that would have had her pointing a gun in his face in any other circumstances.

Lucky for him, he'd be ignored as she had other things to worry about. Like that fact that even in the place of one of her more normal attacks that sword reformed without much effort. All of the creatures here seemed capable of that kind of feat, but that just meant i fshe took down the body it would rise again. Perhaps it was an oddity then, like it needed a host or had it's core outside of its form. If that was the case, killing this body wouldn't help, but that was something to work on for later. Instead she was given an initial warning of that same number from his original demand for physical contact upon winning. "Ugh, still stupid." she said without thinking about it much. Instead she'd be dodging a wide swing of that creatures left arm, and all of the rods which came out of it. One zipping by her face as her body turned and moved around, seemingly with great ease. Her reaction speed, fast even in the face of magic. Still the more this creature spoke the weirder things got. It could make her stronger and she would want to be stronger? "Doesn't make sense," she said aloud. But what she meant was nothing about this made sense. She launched herself up leaving a crater in the ground and aimed to stab hers word directly into the creatures chest, squire in the middle where she expected to find some sort of core and while it was there the mana in her body began to rapidly rise as if she fully intended to fully blow a hole int his thing.

[Bloodedge]

"Oh? Then what other way do you propose I challenge you to a game that doesn't sound like quoting that stupid thing you know of?" Yugi wondered. In truth, that was part of his issue with the franchise they were loosely discussing. Changing the phrasing of something that came so natural would only be considered paraphrasing the quote of some terrible imaginary murderer. Yugi wasn't going to alter his approach for some Catch 22. Regardless, seven minutes was reiterated while Eri kept moving about, disregarding Gojo. The blindfolded man remained floating by her side all the while anyway, even having something to say about the 'seven minute' specification. "Like seven minutes in heaven?" he asked, though it seemed rhetorical.

Yugi offered a present that would make Hoshimi Eri stronger, which she would certainly need to be eventually. He wasn't going to let her slip through his fingers, after all. In response, she said... it didn't make sense. A lot of things didn't make sense. The same could be said of her next attack, which placed the blade of her sword in Abyssal Frame's chest right between where Yugi and Miko floated. A normal creature of its size would have some sort of core, but there was nothing to be found but dense mana. Then came the blast that would easily blow through the construct's spine. As always, however, it began reforming itself by consuming more of Yugi's mana. He was already down to 12%. When Eri's sword cleared the closing hole, she'd be set upon by a series of needle-like lightning bolts that seemed to be spewing from the wound ─ part of Yugi's heightened form manipulation of his normal lightning ability. "Do you want it, or not? I imagine the kills for someone like you have become less satisfying in the past year."

[Apollymi]

Eri had a question posed to her that was far too... human. She gave a secondary thought to her idea of a core containing a human puppet master being somewhere in the vicinity but since she could only see and sense what was directly in front of her, it would be where her attention remained. As for the question she was given, she also gave it a fair bit of consideration, "Tone change, while not be a creepy large monster could help. I don't know, some things will always be weird," she pointed out, knowing that certain sentences she spoke held equally odd weight. Still as Gojo was still floating around her, she heard his rhetorical question, her face shifting into one of sheer disgust. "That would just make it more stupid," she decided. She wasn't one for the weird turn into monster lover anime at all... no, she'd not be making friends with the creepy skeleton monster.

As if to further push this idea, she stabbed into its upper chest, incidentally blowing a whole right between two Players. The female of that player set, frowned deeply with wide eyes. "Waaah, that would have taken us out♪!~" she chirped as if disturbed, but only Yugi could hear her at present. Eri for all her trouble would find that her stab would and subsequent explosion had lead to her swiftly blasting more energy into the hole to clear any electricity and falling back towards the ground with the power of it. Once she was clear she was once again asked about a gift. She frowned, "I will admit that kills are less satisfying but... I don't accept gifts from untrustworthy monsters in forests. I'm not a child." she said deciding in the moment what was next. She held that sword directly in front o fher face, mana flowing into it, seeming to charge it, the rings inlaid into the blade filling and beginning to glow as she concentrated. She'd decided to wipe the whole thing at once and see if she could telll where the core was by the time it reformed, that was an easy enough method of getting to the bottom of things. "Any last words?" she gave that clearance because when she released a sword literally screaming with energy she was sure this creation wouldn't survive the influx

[Bloodedge]

According to Eri, a tone change in addition to not being a monster would help, but she had no actual turn of phrase to offer. Yugi didn't care to respond; everything was about to wind down in the next minute or so. It seemed Eri harbored no interest in a round of 'seven minutes in heaven' with the giant magic beast. Luckily for her, she wouldn't have to deal with that... Not with a giant magic beast, anyway. Yugi began biding his time within Abyssal Frame's torso, shifting his gaze toward Miko during her outburst. "That's why we're both in here. Assassins have a critical weakness. Stop the crit, shut down the build," he preached.

Eri admitted that kills had become unsatisfactory. Alas, she wouldn't accept a gift from a monster. Lucky Yugi wasn't a monster ─ not officially. With Eri going on to channeling massive amounts of energy into her sword, it became clear that a final attack was coming. There would be no way to survive such a thing even with the Players' separation inside that torso. Even those who were still behind the throne and in the castle would surely be wiped out, bar a few who'd strangely yet to show themselves. Oh well. Yugi did have some 'last' words to offer per Eri's query. To start, he returned Miko's sword and let his voice be heard from its source. "Actually, yeah. Just two," he said. The armor of Abyssal Frame's upgraded form faded, and its ribcage opened enough for Yugi to walk through. He stepped down into its open hand, not a weapon on his person. "I win." That simple declaration passed Yugi's lips as he stared down at the flaxen woman, Sharingan tomoe turning slowly. "You can put that down now. I'm not a monster, and it'll be hard to fork over my prize if you're holding a sword out like that," he said. Of course, Yugi knew he'd yet to inflict any damage upon her... but he also knew Ruler's Hand had no mana cost whatsoever, and didn't seem traceable at all apart from any obvious movements. If Eri didn't call out the lack of damage, there was nothing to worry about at all. If she did, however... a discrete gesture of outstretched hands in a shrug would be how he used Ruler's Hand to recover one of the black rods behind Eri. There would be no malice in his effort to draw that rod in toward the back of her head, nor would it be a very strong pull. After what he'd seen thus far, he figured that maneuver would do the most insignificant amount of damage possible ─ and it could only manage that because the rods had some capacity to affect Eri, even slightly. Ah, but he didn't need to do meaningful damage; he just needed to do some damage.

[Apollymi]

Eri's words about tone change and the like, weren't being acknowledged but it didn't matter. She would have considered it friendly banter aside from the fact that this discussion was taking place in the Suicide Forest with an apparent monster, which may or may not have been controlled by a human. She still wasn't completely sure. Surety was however, with those within the Abyssal Frame, as Miko learned a lesson directly from the Genokiller which she would definitely be recording in her notes about him... specifically of gaming related things. "Sou ka, that... is actually really reasonable. I never considered that part... though I also don't usually need to stop an assassin," Miko murmured thoughtfully. She'd be locking that information away for later use while the action of this scenario reached its climax.

Whatever attack Hoshimi Eri was charging, there was no way to combat it. There was a power gap which currently existed between this woman and the players that would make it impossible to combat for multiple reasons. "Oooh! We're getting to the finale!~" Chizuru was more excited than anyone considering there was a death beam practically pointed at them. Still, Yugi didn't seem too bothered, Miko took back her sword, quickly searching the area below but not finding one of the men who she would have been excited to talk to, and thus she'd be remaining within the body of this construct to... inspect it using several of her less than used abilities quietly while the lad worked his magic. What was the magic? A human voice coming out of that creature and then a dark haired young man, "Hm, I guess that confirms that there was a person in there. Weird that you weren't hit by the big one. But you didn't win shi..." she paused. Why, because the lad with his arms out managed to pop her in the back of her head somehow, "Ow! What the fuck?! No that's some bullshit, you're a fucking cheater!" Eri exclaimed and while she did that the sword she'd been charging stopped with the flow of her mana and she was left to point it at the lad where he stood with a full accursatory glare.

[Bloodedge]

Yugi could recount the ways of exploiting any conventional class's weakness, and even most nonconventional types if he had enough information about them. In this case, he'd say Hoshimi Eri had a very traditional 'Hero' build ─ its only apparent weakness being her assassin mentality. He'd also soon be exploiting a weakness of the strong and well-trained. Everything in his mind said it would be an immediate failure to try assaulting Eri directly. The same would be true if he didn't use enough discretion, or if he did harbor too much desire to strike. The plan worked. His stake struck the back of Eri's head in the middle of her naysaying, resulting in an immediate 'ow' from the young woman... and the claim that he was a cheater.

Before he said anything else, Yugi extended his right hand to catch that rod and spin it around a few times, all to make it clear that it was his doing. "Perfectly within the rules. Nobody said game over. By the way... Game Over~" he said triumphantly in a way he'd spoken many ways before. Surely Eri wanted many answers. There were many questions to be asked, and a few he'd answer without waiting for the inquiries. "Still technically a cheater, but it's more nuanced than that. You want a good fight? For starters, I'll be stronger than you before the season ends... maybe the month, depending. It probably won't matter by then, though, because you'll be stronger than you are now. That's what I'm offering you... along with an opportunity you probably wouldn't get otherwise."

[Apollymi]

Miko knew that if she needed to consult someone about video game mechanics that Yugi was the person to consult. Just the same, she wouldn't have bothered him over information he didn't freely offer. There was a difference between consulting and being bothersome. And Miko would never purposefully bother anyone. Moving on from that, there was the matter of the young woman outside of the magical construct who, was being approached in a very non-traditional way, not that she would notice.

Hoshimi Eri, called Yugi a cheater, and he proved that he created those rods himself. He also claimed that no one had called game over which he proceeded to do soon after. "It's bullshit and you're a filthy fucking cheater!" the young woman exclaimed. The man would be kept at sword point until she was satisfied enough to put it down or dissatisfied enough to behead him. "There isn't nuance to cheating," Eri pointed out. Ah but now there was more conversation things of light interest happening. "This isn't making you sound any less like a cheater," she pointed out. "What's the opportunity... getting stronger isn't reason enough for me to do anything. Also I still don't trust you, and have no reason so assume I couldn't just cut your head off right now, as you've already confessed to not being stronger than me yet..." she pointed out. Not that the threat would be allowed to remain. "You aren't cutting off his head. I told you not to come here..." the words were shared as that sword went flying from her hands into that of a platinum blonde young woman who looked like a taller thicker version of her.

[Bloodedge]

Before much else could be said, Eri reiterated the idea of Yugi cheating. She even stressed that there were no nuances to cheating, but there surely were in this case. "There are here, for numerous reasons. Even the nuances have nuances in this case," he said with a shrug. Apparently, an opportunity to become stronger wasn't enough motivation for the woman. He figured it wouldn't be, but there was also the fact that she'd still face a challenge after gaining such power. She didn't trust him either. That sword remained aimed at his face, and could surely be used to behead him at will if Eri chose that route. However, Yugi kept looking at her with a confident-yet-nonchalant grin. "You could cut my head off with your fingernail if you wanted. But where's the fun in that?" he asked just before that sword was ripped from Eri's hand... by none other than her elder sister.

"Has it been that long already? No way," he said upon registering Rie's presence. Still floating around nearby, Gojo saluted the platinum-blonde woman. "Black card in the building! Big fan♥~" he said of the other woman. After hearing that, Yugi decided to answer an earlier point of confusion for Eri. "The money references are about power. Not specifically mana, but usually that. Probably," he commented. Yugi's next words were at least partially for Rie, though he continued addressing Eri. "Anyway, too soon. I didn't even get to the part about taking down government officials who have world-class power... and probably other things that are even stronger than that. Those aren't as much of an emergency for now... probably. But that's not important yet."