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[Empiricist]

Faith
That works out well enough. Light traces across the sand, marking the boundaries of a volleyball court, more light rises upwards, giving it walls, and in Sol's hands a volleyball-sized orb of energy spawns.

"Have you played volleyball?"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Minato studies the boy curiously, staring at him while studying the surroundings. What, exactly, did they have in mind for him?
"I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting and yet you already know who I am. I'm guessing you're my teacher for today."

[Empiricist]

Minato
"No. You will be your own teacher, all I will provide is the scenario, how you grow from that is up to you."

He seems, normal? Like normal by Awakened standards, but well there's a whole load of things that fall under normal according to those. By mundane standards, well there's obviously his age, his calm manner of speech, and the way that he moves, with a certain swiftness and effiency you don't see without a lifetime of training. Still could mean a lot of things, it's hard to narrow it down just from a glance.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Oh? What do you mean?"

[Empiricist]

Minato
"Theory and technique are not everything. We learn from experience, from doing, from improvising. We learn from our battles, we grow from our hardships. I am merely offering you another battle through which you may hone your skills."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Alright, so learning by doing. How's this supposed to go then?"

[Empiricist]

Minato
The boy points up. You cast your gaze up as directed. Staring downwards is the sandstone carving of an eastern dragon, looking down at you from high above. Held in its mouth is a scroll.

"Retrieve the scroll. That is all."

That's, awfully high up, guess you'll need to use your False Regalia detonations for this job? By the time you look back down, he's already turned his back and started walking way. As he walks out of the lit center, ten of the figures come to life, stepping out in a ring around you, all in perfect unison. Their brethren kneel down as they do so. The constructs salute you with a closed fist against an open palm, bowing before stepping back into a side-on stance, the clatter of their feet against the tiled floor ringing out as one. In the light you can see them more clearly now, you can see the industrial fans behind their visors spinning to life, you can see the gaps in the plating along their joints and the servos that whirr beneath. The machines stand in their stances, perfectly still as if waiting for you ready to yourself.

[Now Playing:

Sacrifice

]

Spoiler: World Lines (click to show/hide)

Minato
Status: Fine
World Line: 5 5 6 6 6 3 6 1 5 2
Alterations: 10
Resolve: 3

Alabaster Pugilist 01
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 02
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 03
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 04
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 05
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 06
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 07
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 08
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 09
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 10
Status: Fine

Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)

Your sheet by the end of this plot will have 36 Stat Points and 11 Hyper Slots. You are free add points and hypers up to these limits at any point you feel is narratively appropriate during this battle.

This battle will be done using the TnO++ system (i.e. you regain 1 Alteration per turn, 2 Alterations can be spent to add or subtract 1 from any result in your worldline, you can use as many alterations per turn as you want).

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Minato studies his opponents carefully, alabaster automatons staring him down lifelessly, waiting for Minato to prepare himself to fight, waiting for the battle to begin. He could feel the air grow heavier in the room; this wasn't a battle for Minato's life, nor was he in any particular danger right now; at least, nothing he could shrug off or walk off. These weren't Aramitama seeking to destroy him utterly, but mere training dummies.

Last night still stuck with Minato. Faith's insecurities weren't a foe he could make go away by fighting them head on. He knew that well enough. He wished he could deal with all of his friends' problems with his fists, like that would make them all go away. Honestly, he was a little surprised he'd agreed to take on Faith's issues; but then wasn't that what a good boyfriend- no, a good friend, did?

That wasn't important right now. No, right now, he had an opponent he could overcome with physical power. It would be an uphill path, like everything else in his life, to get stronger. He had to, for the sake of others. And this was the first step on a road of a thousand, or something to the effect, said once by his dad.

Enough talk. It was time to do what he did best. To let a little bit go.

He steps forward.

Sweeping aside the light vest he was wearing over his shirt, he unveiled the Gaia Driver, taking the lever along the side with his right hand while putting his left hand up sideways in front of his face, two fingers up, eyes flitting between each target.

He pulls the lever, a smirk growing on his face.
"Henshin!"
"Driver On. Gaia Link Established."

The familiar golden outlines formed around Minato's body, forming the outlines of his armor, golden energy pouring between the lines like molten metal into smithing moulds. His undersuit generated first, flexible blue material tightly clinging onto Minato's athletic form, then the silver greaves and gauntlets, the silver chestplate with a green gem inset in the middle. His face disappeared last, subsumed beneath a silver helmet, his eyes concealed under a translucent green visor that faintly glowed, two antennae sparking above his head with the power he'd just channeled.

Right now, he was Masked Knight Gaia. And right now, he was raring for a fight.

He cracks his knuckles, summoning a generic dao to his hand. Beside him, he could feel the weapons flickering into existence. Good.

The strategy? Whittle their numbers down. He'd need space to take the scroll, and they were probably here to stop him from taking it. So much the worse for them.
"So......who's going for a ride first?"
Gate of the Grand Arsenal. Summon a random blade outside of Grand Arsenal and engage the closest Pugilist, using the summoned weapons to keep the others at bay.
[[5] [5] 6 6 6 3 6 1 5 2]

[Empiricist]

Minato

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Minato: 5, Hyper[5]

Alabaster Pugilist 01: 1
Alabaster Pugilist 02: 6
Alabaster Pugilist 03: 6
Alabaster Pugilist 04: 3
Alabaster Pugilist 05: 3
Alabaster Pugilist 06: 5
Alabaster Pugilist 07: 5
Alabaster Pugilist 08: 3
Alabaster Pugilist 09: 2
Alabaster Pugilist 10: 3

[Now Playing:

Sacrifice

]

A sword crystallizes into your hands, five more forgeries spin up into the air around you. It's show time. Your foes are equidistant, rushing forwards to strike you. Let's see... who looks like a chump. Ah, Unit 01 will do, they're straight ahead after all. You take that dao and you cleave it right into the your target. Their ceramic form cracks and crumbles, though it holds for now as the pugilist is forced to the ground in swift order. Behind its visors its fan spins faster and faster as it seems to focus. You've seen this before, it's that technique Kung Fu Hitler used, some kinda defensive technique employed to weather an onslaught. Speaking of onslaughts, its allies aren't too keen on just letting you beat on their comrade, fans whirring they fan out and thrust forwards lances of green energy discharging out at you. Hmph, not bad, they're going for a weapon well suited for group fights, one that lets them attack you through your summoned weapons. The energy's probably chi. You've heard some martial artists would harness it through breathing techniques, you're guessing those fans do something similar.

Nine chi spears, and Unit 01 is going for a fast leg sweep. Not bad, but it won't be enough, not even close.

Spoiler: World Lines (click to show/hide)

Minato
Status: Fine, 6 stockpiled units
World Line: 6 6 6 3 6 1 5 2 5 5
Alterations: 10
Resolve: 3

Alabaster Pugilist 01
Status: Front is cracked, on the floor

Alabaster Pugilist 02
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 03
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 04
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 05
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 06
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 07
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 08
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 09
Status: Fine

Alabaster Pugilist 10
Status: Fine

Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)

[Chevaleresse]

Noriko sighed deeply. Of course. And, of course, nobody had thought to mention this at any point. Did they just think Yuki was accusing them of a scam or something? "Well, do you know what we did last night? I need to find my phone, at least." Speaking of that sort of thing, she reached into her pocket. She had no idea if it would work, but she'd left Kouta alone all night, and while she didn't think he would get into any trouble. . . She tried to send a text message asking where he was (and telling him who it was), punching his number in from memory and hoping that the device could interface with normal phones.

[Empiricist]

Noriko and Yuki
"<Sorry I'm not too clear on what happened before our date, but Yuki did mention doing quests and fighting monsters. We could check with the Guild, if it went through them there'd be paper trail.>"

Kouta
You're back at the resort. Noriko didn't come back last night, apparently she's okay just slightly lost or something? Ren took care of you though so everything's fine? Maybe? Apparently she'll probably be back sometime today, there's training back over in Kingshaven, training you can't watch thanks to the festival. Yeah uh, the festival apparently involves people just fucking blasting the shit outta each other in the streets and since you're not very compatible with healing magic, it'd be a pretty ballsy move to rock up there. So basically you're just stuck at the resort with Noriko's mentor for company, could be worse you guess.

Your phone rings. It's a text message from Noriko.

[Empiricist]

Shef
You walk out of the monastery, finding that it has docked in a reflecting pool inside the city itself with no visible path between the pool and the sea itself. A bridge of sand forms, letting you and Shou out into the city. The streets are bustling with activity, festival stalls and floating lanterns line the streets, tourists scamper around excitedly recording the running battles and static brawls that seem to be happening everywhere around you. Should wanders off leaving you to your own devices.

[Strider03]

Shef took a moment to orient himself in the city, getting a mental lay of the land. He had some time, and no info on where Noriko and Yuki might be. So thinking, he decided to first head to the place he'd marked as a good place to get an illusion applied.

Following that, he thought maybe he'd head to the location of whatever party they'd crashed. But for now, the illusion.

[Chevaleresse]

Noriko almost held her breath while she waited for a reply. When it did - a short message indicating he was at the resort with Ren, and a quick followup asking why she was texting from an unusual number - she discovered she was, in fact, holding it, and sighed in relief. If she were more religious, she might have sent up a prayer of thanks. "Well, we might as well check there first, then." She avoided the topic of their "date;" Noriko just. . . didn't want to think about that right now. "Fighting monsters would explain why my clothes got burnt, at least."

[Powder Miner]

Faith's mouth twisted into a half-frown  as the twins asked her if she played volleyball, and she looked downwards at her body... even with her chest aside (and boy was there a lot to unpack THERE), she was well aware that she was rather pudgy. Then, she looked up at the twins, and sighed. "No, um, I'm really not a very athletic type, so I've never played a lot of sports. I've tried once or twice, but never as Awakened." She considered. "Are you gonna make me, like, slap around an energy sphere like a volleyball or something, or try and blast something with my magic to keep it in the air?"