>>2579530
The two of you exchange powerful, high-speed slashes of your swords... but these are just testing at this point. You can't commit until you know a little more about Saria's combat style, and Saria herself seems like she's in no rush to escalate things. Like a little kid, she seems to just be enjoying herself.

“It seems like you're waiting for something,” she muses playfully, countering a sharp swing of your blade with a sweep of her own. “You want to know what the nickname 'Earthbreaker' means, don't you?”

“The thought crossed my mind,” you admit.

“Well then get ready!” she tells you, leaping back and shifting her grip on her blade. “Watch closely, Noel!”

>3d10, best of three

Rolled 3, 6, 2 = 11 (3d10)

>>2579535
oh dear.
>“Well then get ready!” she tells you, leaping back and shifting her grip on her blade. “Watch closely, Noel!”
Now Saria's acting more like a mentor.

Rolled 9, 3, 8 = 20 (3d10)

>>2579535

>>2579541
good job!

Rolled 9, 2, 4 = 15 (3d10)

>>2579535

>>2579541
Try to remember the basics of CQC, Noel!

>>2579557
One must die and one must live. No victory, no defeat.
The survivor will carry on the fight. It is our destiny... The one who survives will inherit the title of Bad Luck. And the one who inherits the title of Bad Luck will face an existence of endless battle. I'll give you six days. In six days, Single numbers will come and sword the hell out of this place. If you can beat me in less than six days, you'll be able to escape in time.

>>2579567
And then lolibaba shows Noel her stigma.

>>2579573
Lolibaba has no more stigma. the stigma gets erased when a claymore goes WOKE.

>>2579535
Saria isn't attacking that quickly, at least not in terms of how fast she moves her feet. But what immediately strikes you as unusual is the way she braces her right wrist with her left hand rather than keeping her off hand free or gripping her sword in two hands. She's also telegraphing a little too much for it to be accidental, raising her broken sword over her left shoulder in a way that makes it obvious that the strike is going to come from that side.

However you can't really say just yet what she's planning, so a parry still makes sense. You raise your sword to protect your high outside line, and just a split second too late it occurs to you what Saria is doing: she's awakening her arms, using her left hand to brace her right arm and build up pressure to insane levels.

And then she releases the tension, and with it comes the power of a single-digit's fully awakened right arm with plenty[/i ] of set-up time.

The blow knocks you off your feet entirely and sends you crashing out the brickwork wall of Anren's modest church, and you bounce hard off the paved street before colliding with what from the brief glimpse you got seemed like a general store. You go through that wall too, ending up upside-down behind the sales counter.

“You turned the flat of your blade at the last second,” you hear Saria calling out from the street. “Good reaction! If you hadn't done that your own blade might've severed your arm.”

“So that's why they called you 'Earthbreaker',” you realize aloud, pushing your way out through the store's swinging front doors.

“It's just that powerful a single blow,” Saria tells you cheerfully. “Strongest single-hit attack in my generation!”

“Not just that,” you press, stretching the muscles in your right shoulder after the immense hit. “Force like that isn't easy to stop, so any time you use it downwards you'd create a crater, wouldn't you? This the 'Earthbreaker' part.”

“Very perceptive!” Saria cheers. “Full marks!”

Full... marks?

“Now, did you see how I did it?” she asks.

>I did. Unfortunately I'm not sure it suits my own style that well, nor am I sure I can reproduce it.
>No. Explain it to me in more detail, it was a little hard to keep track of in the moment.
>See it? I can do you one better than that, and the way you controlled it interests me anyway.
>Other?

>>2579602
>>No. Explain it to me in more detail, it was a little hard to keep track of in the moment.

>>2579602
>>See it? I can do you one better than that, and the way you controlled it interests me anyway.

>>2579602
>>No. Explain it to me in more detail, it was a little hard to keep track of in the moment.

>>2579602
>See it? I can do you one better than that, and the way you controlled it interests me anyway.
Striking with just the arm is amateur. I bet we can do better combining our book lessons with awakening our legs for a stronger push.

>>2579617
Where by 'book lessons' I mean the lessons on proper body mechanics.

>>2579602
>>>I did. Unfortunately I'm not sure it suits my own style that well, nor am I sure I can reproduce it.

>>2579602
>See it? I can do you one better than that, and the way you controlled it interests me anyway.
>other: do yourself one better by trying to apply Saria's technique with what you've learned from Father Vigilus's book.
>>2579617
supporting the incorporation of footwork and Saria's technique

>>2579602
>>No. Explain it to me in more detail, it was a little hard to keep track of in the moment.
I'm a little hesitant to go all in and try to copy that.

I'll wait for a tie-breaker.

>>2579602
>>No. Explain it to me in more detail, it was a little hard to keep track of in the moment.

>3d10, DC 16, critical 24
>best of three

Rolled 4, 7, 1 = 12 (3d10)

>>2579660

Rolled 10, 8, 3 = 21 (3d10)

>>2579660

Rolled 2, 10, 7 = 19 (3d10)

>>2579660
dice is fail.

Rolled 9, 7, 7 = 23 (3d10)

>>2579660

>gonna write in a few minutes

>>2579672
“I didn't quite catch all the details,” you admit. “I was a little preoccupied. Would you mind...”

“That's alright!” Saria reassures you, leveling her blade and pushing her wrist against her supporting hand. “I can just show you again! As many times as you like!”

This time she uses Earthbreaker in the form of a powerful thrust, which you easily sidestep but can't parry due to the speed of her charge. She sticks the broken end of her sword into the ground and grinds her way to a stop, and she's already building up power for a horizontal swing when she pries her blade free and charges back the way she came.

As she bears down on you, a few options come to mind...

>Take a low crouch, angling your sword over your head and shoulder to deflect Saria's blade upward.
>Put the point of your blade into the ground, use it as a shield to take the full force of the incoming blow.
>Try to mimic the Earthbreaker technique to create some debris that would slow Saria's edge.
>Other?

>>2579723
>>Take a low crouch, angling your sword over your head and shoulder to deflect Saria's blade upward.
Deflection sounds good.

>>2579723
>Try to mimic the Earthbreaker technique to create some debris that would slow Saria's edge.

>>2579723
>>>Take a low crouch, angling your sword over your head and shoulder to deflect Saria's blade upward.

>>2579723
>Other
Her strikes are telegraphed and hard to control. If they miss, they should leave her open to a counterattack.

>>2579739
In with this

>>2579723
>Take a low crouch, angling your sword over your head and shoulder to deflect Saria's blade upward.

>>2579739
>>2579746
Yeah well you have to compel her to miss first lads. So deflection, or the mimic earth breaker.

>>2579723
>Try to mimic the Earthbreaker technique to create some debris that would slow Saria's edge.

>>2579723
>>Take a low crouch, angling your sword over your head and shoulder to deflect Saria's blade upward.

>>2579752
Good point.
Changing my vote to
>Try to mimic the Earthbreaker technique to create some debris that would slow Saria's edge.

>>2579752
This was, in fact, my reasoning: create an opening without forcing Noel to waste energy and compromise her positioning by going full evasive.

>>2579723
It's hard for her to change direction, so if you can slip around the strike she's done, and wide open for an attack at that

>>2579723
>Try to mimic the Earthbreaker technique to create some debris that would slow Saria's edge.
New techniques are fun.

>>2579723
>Take a low crouch, angling your sword over your head and shoulder to deflect Saria's blade upward.
full pary.

>>2579723
Take a low crouch, angling your sword over your head and shoulder to deflect Saria's blade upward.

>3d10, best of three
>DC 19, critical 23

Rolled 10, 9, 8 = 27 (3d10)

>>2579793

Rolled 3, 10, 3 = 16 (3d10)

>>2579793
So is there a point to rolling after a crit? We don't have crit fails right?

Rolled 10, 2, 3 = 15 (3d10)

>>2579793

Rolled 7, 3, 10 = 20 (3d10)

>>2579793

Rolled 1, 6, 9 = 16 (3d10)

>>2579794
>>2579794
WELP.
>>2579793

>>2579797
it's for good record keeping. there is a crit fail, but that's only achieved by literally rolling a (1, 1, 1).

Hey King, I think the dice gods are arguing against Noel’s nickname and winning.

File: Noel_portrait_colorized.jpg (147 KB, 484x471)

147 KB JPG

>>2579793
You can tell what direction the swing will come from, so at the last possible second you take a page out of the monks' book and take a low, wide stance that drops your center of balance much closer to the ground. You also lower the point of your blade and raise the hilt, carefully angling the edge in preparation for Saria's strike.

Her sword clashes against yours, edges sliding against each other, and while the force nearly wrenches your own sword from your hands you succeed in deflecting the Earthbreaker up and over your body.

Saria's eyes widen in delight as she realizes what you've done, and she almost giggles as your left fist slams into her ribs and sends her reeling. The momentum of her charge carries her through and she tumbles across the ground before rolling back to her feet.

“You came up with a counter so quickly!” she compliments you. “Not even a full day, how incredible!”

“Thanks,” you reply, raising your blade into a ready position and balancing carefully on the balls of your feet like the manual told you to do. “It was a bit of a gamble, whether I could withstand the blow without using any yōki.”

“Well now, that's a dilemma for me,” Saria replies, blinking once to reveal slitted amber eyes. “See, I still want you to use your yōki. So let's step things up a notch.”

>Release 10% yōki to match Saria's yōki level, at least for the time being.
>Release 20%, since Saria's yōki is more powerful than yours is you need the extra power.
>Refuse to release, instead focus on using that deflecting trick as many times as you can.
>Other?

>>2579842
>>Refuse to release, instead focus on using that deflecting trick as many times as you can.

>>2579842
>Refuse to release, instead focus on using that deflecting trick as many times as you can.
we need to practice our footwork.

>>2579842
>>Refuse to release, instead focus on using that deflecting trick as many times as you can.
We can crank it up later, we need to work on this a bit.

>>2579842
>Refuse to release, instead focus on using that deflecting trick as many times as you can.

>>2579842
>Refuse to release, instead focus on using that deflecting trick as many times as you can.

>>2579842
>Other:
>Refuse to release, instead focus on dodging
She will use some kind of a counter-technique to our deflection, so let's not be predictable.

>>2579842
>Release 10% yōki to match Saria's yōki level, at least for the time being.
>other: divert yoki power to legs instead of arm. Also try kicking.

>>2579842
>Release 10% yōki to match Saria's yōki level, at least for the time being.

>>2579842
>>Refuse to release, instead focus on using that deflecting trick as many times as you can.
Gotta increase our base abilities before trying to add the multiplier that is yoki. I have no idea if that's how that actually works but sure why not.

>>2579842
>3d10, best of three
>higher is better, but aim for 20+

Rolled 5, 4, 1 = 10 (3d10)

>>2579907

Rolled 3, 7, 5 = 15 (3d10)

>>2579907

Rolled 3, 10, 10 = 23 (3d10)

>>2579907

>>2579901
practically improving Yoki efficiency and reserves > base abilities once the claymore has fully matured.

>>2579919
Good job /k/

>>2579907
>higher is better, but aim for 20+
that acknowledgement of the 20+ benchmark when no dc is stated.
>>2579919
ayy

>>2579842
>>Release 10% yōki to match Saria's yōki level, at least for the time being.

Alright, give me an unusual roll: a 1d36 roll, taking the third one only.

Rolled 36 (1d36)

>>2579948

Rolled 9 (1d36)

>>2579948
Ok, here goes all the things.

Rolled 16 (1d36)

>>2579948

Rolled 33 (1d36)

>>2579948

Rolled 8 (1d36)

>>2579948

>>2579948
You decide to hold off on tapping your yōki for now, and instead you decide to try holding her off with this parrying technique you've started to use. Letting your opponent's weapon slide past you rather than blocking outright is something you've seen in writing, but after actually using it makes it feel like you can fit this in with your own White Fist style.

Saria apparently decided to push you even harder: this time you watch her muscles ripple and bulge as she builds up force just by using opposing muscle groups to do it.

Each blow feels like it's going to pop your arms out of your shoulders, though the force is less than the first three attempts in exchange for the ability to use it multiple times in rapid succession. And she keeps on doing it, with the occasional quip or comment, without even slowing down or breaking a sweat. For hour after hour she rains powerful blows against your guard, and your guard holds.

The sun rises high in the sky, and still your guard holds.

The sun begins to sink, and although several buildings have been smashed into bits Saria still hasn't let up, nor have you fallen. You even managed to get a few punches and a slash or two in to keep the battle from being totally one-sided. The sun disappears below the horizon, the stars come out and the moonlight washes over the dead town, and the winds sweep down from the peaks... and still you find yourself fighting hard against the awakened being.

But finally, after what feels like the better part of twenty-four hours, Saria knocks you to your knee with a heavy two-handed blow.

“How long do you think it's been?” Saria asks you in the moonlight. “Because I think it's been sixteen hours.”

You can't help but pant slightly from the long exchange... it's hard to believe that she hasn't tired at all. “The stamina of an awakened being is insane...”

“You'll get used to it,” Saria insists cheerfully.

>You're not dead yet, you can keep fighting like this for a while longer.
>You need to tap your yōki or you might start making fatal mistakes from exhaustion.
>You need to track down something to eat if you want to keep fighting.
>Other?

>>2579993
>>You need to track down something to eat if you want to keep fighting.

>>2579993
>>You need to track down something to eat if you want to keep fighting.

>>2579993
>>You need to tap your yōki or you might start making fatal mistakes from exhaustion.
>>You need to track down something to eat if you want to keep fighting.
I don't think either is mutually exclusive.

>>2579993
>You need to tap your yōki or you might start making fatal mistakes from exhaustion.

>>2579993
>You need to track down something to eat if you want to keep fighting.
>other: "scrambled eggs?"
Fiora's Cremation urn better not be part of the unfortunate buildings smashed by Saria's Earthbreaker!

>>2579993
>>You need to tap your yōki or you might start making fatal mistakes from exhaustion.
Alright time to stop pussying out. We can stop when we're dead on our feet.

>>2579993
>You need to tap your yōki or you might start making fatal mistakes from exhaustion.

>>2579993
>>>You need to track down something to eat if you want to keep fighting.

>>2579993
>3d10, best of three

Rolled 5, 5, 1 = 11 (3d10)

>>2580053

Rolled 4, 8, 1 = 13 (3d10)

>>2580053

Rolled 1, 2, 7 = 10 (3d10)

>>2580053

Rolled 10, 4, 2 = 16 (3d10)

>>2580053

Rolled 6, 4, 10 = 20 (3d10)

>>2580053

>>2580056
>>2580057
>>2580059
Oh god, we’re gonna die.

>>2580059
>>2580057
>>2580056
no food.... fuck. that and I missed out on dice

>>2580057
>13
Our lucky number!

>>2580068
hah.

>>2580053
You need to eat something to keep yourself going, and so you run towards the edge of town with Saria hot on your heels. Around the edge of town you find some low trees, which could be a good place to hunt.

“What are you doing, silly?” Saria taunts you playfully.

After about an hour or so of dodging Saria's attacks, you catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of your eye: a rabbit, darting towards a shrub. You raise your sword to try and sling it, hoping that you can swiftly kill it and tear into it while keeping Saria off your back... but you're forced to parry an attack.

Saria glances past your shoulder as the rabbit flees. “You're hungry?”

You disengage and try again, only for Saria to outmaneuver you and put you on your back foot once more. The startled rabbit keeps on running, until it bolts down into a burrow.

“Aw, you lost it,” Saria coos, forcing you to duck under her blade. “That's alright, keep trying.”

Next you spy a small deer... which Saria also prevents you from killing. You nearly kill a bird, but Saria's woody tendrils find your blade midflight instead.

“You lost this!” she tells you cheerfully as she tosses you the blade.

You even get desperate enough to work your way back into town, knocking down a door and searching the first likely-looking home for anything edible. Then the building crumbles around you, forcing you to dart out into the streets with nothing to show for your efforts.

Finally, you're forced to release ten percent of your yōki just to keep the hunger pains at bay, tapping those reserves to remain functional.

“There we go,” Saria smiles, coming face to face with you as the sun rises on day two. “That's what I wanted to see!”

>Fine. You wanted to see it, here it is. Engage her in a similar style to before.
>You're using yōki anyway, go for White Fist.
>Maybe now you can get yourself something to eat.
>Other?

>and I need to call it quits due to needing to catch a plane tomorrow morning
Thanks for playing, and probably expect an update or two tomorrow night. Hope you had fun, and sorry I just can't go any longer as things stand.

>>2580101
>You're using yōki anyway, go for White Fist.

>>2580101
>Maybe now you can get yourself something to eat.
Hungry noel is grumpy noel

>>2580101
>You're using yōki anyway, go for White Fist

>>2580101
>Maybe now you can get yourself something to eat.

>>2580101
>Maybe now you can get yourself something to eat.

>>2580101
>>You're using yōki anyway, go for White Fist.

>>2580101
>Maybe now you can get yourself something to eat.

>>2580101
>>Maybe now you can get yourself something to eat.
Thanks for the run!

>>2580101
>>You're using yōki anyway, go for White Fist.

>>2580101
>You're using yōki anyway, go for White Fist.

>>2580101
You're using yōki anyway, go for White Fist.

>>2580101
>maybe now you can get something for yourself to eat.

>>2580101
>>You're using yōki anyway, go for White Fist.

>>2580101
>Maybe now you can get yourself something to eat.

>will update around noon PST

>>2581793
And while I'm in the air you might as well already be rolling, one less thing to mind when I get home.
>3d10, DC 17, critical 22

Rolled 9, 3, 1 = 13 (3d10)

>>2581858
Here we go

Rolled 3, 3, 5 = 11 (3d10)

>>2581858
banzaiaiiii

Rolled 7, 8, 7 = 22 (3d10)

>>2581858

File: Orc Grin.gif (1.21 MB, 297x202)

1.21 MB GIF

>>2581880
clutcchhhh

>>2581880
Clutch crit, nice.

>>2581880
And go ahead with a 1d24 roll as well, taking the second.

Rolled 2 (1d24)

>>2581950

Rolled 9 (1d24)

>>2581950

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35 KB JPG

>>2581880

>>2581950
You make a snap decision: if you're already being forced to draw on your yōki after just one day, if you draw more yōki and rely upon the White Fist style you can essentially consider it a wash. It means more intensive use of what you'd already tried to avoid using, but in exchange your attacks may actually stand a chance of affecting your awakened opponent. And while 50% utilization carries its own associated risks you're simply swapping those for the risk of being outright overpowered.

And if you can gain some experience in using your unique combat style, maybe make some improvements on it? You might even consider that to be coming out ahead.

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9LprhEoNTc

You decide to commit to it.

Your muscles strain and your bones creak from the force your body is trying desperately to contain, and Saria watches on with glee as you carefully halt the release at exactly the point you feel necessary. It's less of a controlled transformation than outsiders might think, and more like deliberately triggering an avalanche only to arrest its advance halfway downslope.

Which is to say, it's amazing every time it actually works.

“My my,” Saria coos. “I never took you to be the type that did thinks halfway. I might need to reconsider making such an unreliable person my friend.”

“I don't think that's really true,” you growl hoarsely.

“You're right!” Saria chirps. “I'll just need to remind you how it's done!”

In a powerful burst of yōki, the little awakened being makes good on her threat. As dark as it is so early before the dawn you can still see the change in her shape, which matches the explosive growth of her dark and inhuman powers.

By the time the sun rises you've been fighting her for what feels like hours, and you can finally start to see the details you've missed twice so far due to the dark. She stands maybe two and a half or three times your height, with great limbs like vines twisted and knotted together and hair like trailing willow-branches lined with what look like tiny metallic leaves. Her face still appears human-like, though more as if it has been carved as a mask to resemble her human face rather than a thing of flesh and blood.

If she were merely a tree you'd find her branches a stately sort of shade to sit under, out of the hot midday sun of Hazaran.
>1/2

>>2582244
“Now is no time to be dozing off, Noel,” she cautions you, extending her arm as a cluster of tendrils which lash at the spot where you were standing an instant before, each carrying the full power of her Earthbreaker technique.

“You can use that with all of your roots and branches...” you realize before ducking into a nearby building and lowering your voice, to keep your own emerging doubts to yourself. “Are all single-digits this obscenely powerful if they awaken?”

Taking a moment to disengage, you fish through a small storeroom in the building you've sheltered inside, which seems to have once been an inn. To your pleasure you find a barrel of roasted hazelnuts... the flavor is absolutely heavenly, and you shovel several fistfulls of the nuts into your mouth while you have the chance. Some salted meat is hanging on a drying rack nearby, and you all but inhale that as well before the sound of failing timbers and falling bricks tells you it's time to leap out the nearest window like a robber caught in the act.

“Did you enjoy your little lunch?” the tree-monster with Saria's face asks. “If you lost track that's about what time it is.”

>You DID enjoy it, and you'll pay Saria back for trying to starve you by attacking all out.
>More importantly it gave you time to think... you need to slowly dial back your yōki usage.
>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.
>Other?

>>2582247
>>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.

>>2582247
>>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.

>>2582247
>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.

>>2582247
>>>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.
"Stop trying to hit me and hit me."

>>2582247
>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.
>other: "you made me miss breakfast".

>>2582247
>other: try to talk but fail because there's still a piece of salted meat and a handful of hazelnuts that stuffed your mouth silly.

>>2582247
>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.

>>2582247
>You DID enjoy it, and you'll pay Saria back for trying to starve you by attacking all out.

>>2582247
>>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.

>>2582247
>>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.

File: 1426430244610[1].png (206 KB, 720x384)

206 KB PNG

>>2582247
>>This is a chance to practice White Fist, to reduce its demand on your body and mind.

A determination to fist!

I must admit, part of me really wants us to awaken here.

>>2582543
I'm fine either way. It'd certainly be interesting and king is a good writer.

>>2582543
As promising as awakening is, you have to keep in mind about in-character views. Noel awakening is something that she absolutely does not want to happen to her since it basically severs all good long term options that she prefers to have, not to mention the huge backlash it would cause to the people of Hazaran as they still love Noel as a princess.

I for one would like Noel to stay as a claymore and not awaken.

Besides, if we fail in this endeavor, you'll get your wish in the end. Until then, don't you even dare sabotage our chances of making it through the 6 day swordfight.

>>2582543
half- awakening like all the main characters in the manga, and gaining special powers would be neat

>>2582543
Can we at least try to hold on to our humanity and not awaken during the fight?

Trying to get used to using White Fist seems like a solid consensus.
>3d10, best of three
>DC 19 to make some headway, DC 24 for a genuine breakthrough

Rolled 9, 9, 9 = 27 (3d10)

>>2582584


>>2582578
Eh if we end up wakening I'd rather have a 'buddy.' That's the only thing really tempting me at this particular juncture.

Rolled 8, 4, 3 = 15 (3d10)

>>2582584

File: stare into the light.gif (2.58 MB, 492x283)

2.58 MB GIF

Rolled 1, 5, 10 = 16 (3d10)

>>2582584
>>2582575
it only works if you have a fellow claymore who can tether your soul down and keep you from going FULL WOKE. As of right now, Noel is alone and Saria intends to turn Noel into an awakened being. Insanity and all strings attached.
>>2582586
WELP. TIME FOR ENLIGHTENMENT.

Rolled 7, 10, 5 = 22 (3d10)

>>2582584
rolling

>>2582586
>Those triple 9s
>Tzeentch approves of our techniques

Rolled 1, 8, 5 = 14 (3d10)

>>2582586
ayyyyyyy
>>2582584

>>2582586
Mmmm 3 x the number of magic

>>2582586
Tha-that is so beautiful anon.

>>2582617
It's a slap in the face too.

>"Eh I'd be okay with Saria, she's neat and awakening would be awful but inter-"
>MEGA CRIT SPECHUL
o-oh.

>>2582624
It turns out our fists are more woke than all the Awakened Beings combined.

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160 KB PNG

>>2582586

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306 KB PNG

>>2582586
Well then. I need three rolls of 1d12, I'll be adding the results.

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>2582719

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>2582719

Rolled 9 (1d12)

>>2582719

Rolled 4 (1d12)

>>2582719

Rolled 5 (1d12)

>>2582719

Rolled 4 (1d12)

>>2582719

>>2582721
>>2582726
>>2582727
It's the magic number ~~

>>2582727
>>2582726
>>2582721
>initially crit 9,9,9
>queen asks for 3 more dice 1d12
> 9,9,9
I think the dice gods are telling us something. It might be our lucky number.

Rolled 11 (1d12)

>>2582719

File: 1503177377706.jpg (87 KB, 960x960)

87 KB JPG

>>2582721
>>2582726
>>2582727
another pair of triple nines....

>>2582721
>>2582726
>>2582727
M-masaka!

>>2582721
>>2582726
>>2582727

THE GOD OF CHANGE IS UPON US!

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>>2582727
>>2582726
>>2582721

>>2582719

NINES!? NOEL OF NINES? NINE NOELS!?

>>2582746
Nine Nein Nien?

>>2582746
We're going to be the Nine-Ball in this story aren't we?

>>2582752
Oh yes, yes, yes.
>writing

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>>2582752

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>>2582586
>>2582721
>>2582726
>>2582727

>>2582743
TZEENTCH HERE ME, BLESS THIS RAVAGED CLAYMORE!

MAKE HER YOUR AVATAR OF CHANGE, LET HER FOSTER HOPE OH LORD OF CHAOS

>>2582831
*hear me

man that's embarrassing

>>2582831
>Here

not Hear
You dun goofed the incantation up! You've cursed us!

>>2582719
Looking at things objectively, this is something of an unusual opportunity: you may never have another chance to push yourself this hard for this amount of time again... meaning that if you were ever going to train to reduce the strain White Fist places on you, now would be the time.

Locked in a deathmatch with the willowy Earthbreaker all afternoon and into the evening, you begin to learn by doing the opposite of what someone else in your position might expect and increase how much yōki you draw. By your estimate you reach seventy percent of your maximum, which is perilously close to what your 'point of no return' should be: then you hold it there to get a good feel for how your yōki flows at this output. Your punches fall like hammer-strikes against Saria's tough hide, her razor-sharp hair and lethal vine whips shatter much of what remains standing of Anren save for the church, and the few times she connects you swiftly regenerate the damage.

And then you draw your yōki back down.

By nightfall you're back at half your theoretical 'maximum', and by around midnight your muscles no longer bulge in quite the same way. Your strikes grow weaker somewhat, to Saria's obvious disappointment, but your speed remains fairly good and your technique begins to grow more precise rather than the wild display of brute strength you gave her in the afternoon.

By daybreak, you've reduced your yōki utilization to just 15%... a fraction of what it cost you to make use of White Fist just a few days ago.

“I never thought it possible!” Saria pouts, crossing her arm-tendrils. “You're using that fistfighting technique without drawing even twenty percent of your yōki... you've cut the demand by at least two thirds! No fair!”

“How is that not fair?” you ask, savoring the fact that your voice has returned to normal.

“When I made our deal I really didn't think you could do it!” she admits. “But... I suppose I still have to honor my word, and you are getting to the point I'd be okay letting you kill me.”

“Hmmm... how tiresome.”

The fight continues until a little after midday, when you notice something off about your body. Each punch feels easy now, your movements free and light compared to when you had to release 50% of your yōki just to remain mobile. But at the same time, you can't help but feel profoundly tired. You've been more than three days without sleep after all... even your modified body has human needs from time to time.

Snagging some dried fruits from a destroyed shop while evading Saria's attacks doesn't seem to help, either.

>Try finding some meat to kill and eat, see if protein is what you're missing.
>Maybe if you ask nicely Saria will let you take a nap for a few minutes.
>Allow yourself to draw a little more yōki again, maybe an increase to 20%.
>Other?

>>2582838
>Allow yourself to draw a little more yōki again, maybe an increase to 20%.

>>2582838
>>Try finding some meat to kill and eat, see if protein is what you're missing.

>>2582838
>>Allow yourself to draw a little more yōki again, maybe an increase to 20%.

>>2582838
>>Try finding some meat to kill and eat, see if protein is what you're missing.

GOTTA GET THAT PROTEIN SO WE CAN BE SWOLE SON!

>>2582838
>Maybe if you ask nicely Saria will let you take a nap for a few minutes.
We've been awake for 3 whole days. We need shut-eye. Or try and fight while sleeping.

>>2582838
>>Allow yourself to draw a little more yōki again, maybe an increase to 20%.

>>2582838
>Allow yourself to draw a little more yōki again, maybe an increase to 20%.

>>2582838
>Maybe if you ask nicely Saria will let you take a nap for a few minutes.

>>2582838
>>Maybe if you ask nicely Saria will let you take a nap for a few minutes.

>>2582838
>ask saria if you could have a nap.
>other: we can cuddle if you'd like. As friends

>>2582886
>Wake up to her ripping out your guts and feeding you people.

>>2582893
there are no people in Anren. Everyone's dead.

>>2582838
>>Try finding some meat to kill and eat, see if protein is what you're missing.

>>2582894
I hate to be the one to tell you this, but, you usually eat dead things.

>>2582899
>tfw I don't have that "Stomach is a Graveyard" screencap

Ok.

here's the thing.

Noel has gone over 3 days without sleep.

She has very little ended to eat much and has had meat recently. Protein is not necessary.

Yoki MIGHT and I do stress MIGHT work, but it cannot compensate for lack of sleep. She'll lose control and slip into awakening in quite likely the worst way. (read Priscilla omnicidal maniac way, as sanity as an AB is the Lowest common denominator of when you turned.)

Noel needs sleep, she needs it badly.

>>2582838
>Maybe if you ask nicely Saria will let you take a nap for a few minutes.

>>2582914
How long can Claymores go without sleep? Is it even the same as a normal human?

>>2582838
>>Maybe if you ask nicely Saria will let you take a nap for a few minutes.

>>2582838
>Try finding some meat to kill and eat, see if protein is what you're missing.
>Maybe if you ask nicely Saria will let you take a nap for a few minutes.
common girl you don't want the most fun you've ever had in your life to end this soon do you?

>>2582923
>>2582914

please delete your protein vote for the sake of good record keeping if you've decided to change votes.

>>2582922
Even if she can go beyond human limits..

She's been awake for 4-5 days know as Being Ko'd does not count as sleep.

>>2582914
We already to go no holds barred for six days. So... We're breaking the agreement and there could be some fucked consequences for it.

>>2582838
>>Maybe if you ask nicely Saria will let you take a nap for a few minutes.
Sure why not.

>>2582922
it's the same as a normal human's need for sleep. As implied by King in the update.
>You've been more than three days without sleep after all... even your modified body has human needs from time to time.

>>2582929
I did.

>>2582932
hence ASKING. Worse she can say is no, and we've been taking pauses for food this entire time.

>>2582932
we've been eating while fighting. which technically does not count as breaking the agreement. We're just asking for a few minutes of shut-eye while Saria gets to put Noel in a grapple/cuddle. Besides, if Noel's gonna be her friend, they might as well start cuddling.

>>2582929
Already did, I know how to 4chan.

>>2582838
>>Maybe if you ask nicely Saria will let you take a nap for a few minutes.

>3d10, DC 20, critical 25

Rolled 10, 10, 2 = 22 (3d10)

>>2583005

Rolled 5, 4, 10 = 19 (3d10)

>>2583005

Rolled 7, 9, 5 = 21 (3d10)

>>2583005

Rolled 9, 10, 9 = 28 (3d10)

>>2583005

>>2583020

>>2583019
you were late by ONE SECOND.

>>2583012
Damn it man, I needed that last 10.

Rolled 9, 1, 7 = 17 (3d10)

>>2583005

>>2583020
FUCK!
TOO SLOW!

Rolled 9, 1, 6 = 16 (3d10)

>>2583005

Alright, I have what I need and I'll update at least once tomorrow. So thanks for playing, and see you later!

>>2583204
“I need a break,” you admit, taking a series of fast steps to back away from Saria. “I haven't slept since you knocked me out, and before that I'd traveled straight through the night.”

“You have a point,” Saria admits with a frown, “though I don't think it would be fair to let you take a nap... so I'll tell you what. Since I'm still feeling generous I'll let you try and find a place to hide and take a nap.”

“But if I find you napping, I'm going to attack you. Sound fair?”

“Maybe fair, but not reasonable,” you sigh. “But that's the best offer I can expect, isn't it?”

“You're starting to figure out how this works,” Saria nods with a smile. “That's good, we have an understanding.”

>Then I refuse. I'll just have to beat you before it becomes more of a problem.
>Head for the church, there may be catacombs there Saria hasn't investigated.
>You need a distraction so she'll lose track of you, like a gas explosion if possible.
>Other?

>>2584556
>>You need a distraction so she'll lose track of you, like a gas explosion if possible.

>>2584556
>>You need a distraction so she'll lose track of you, like a gas explosion if possible.

Gotta think big to counter big.

>>2584556
>You need a distraction so she'll lose track of you, like a gas explosion if possible.
Not like there’s much town to preserve, at this point.

>>2584556
>Head for the church, there may be catacombs there Saria hasn't investigated.

>>2584556
>You need a distraction so she'll lose track of you, like a gas explosion if possible.

>>2584556
>You need a distraction so she'll lose track of you, like a gas explosion if possible.

>>2584556
>You need a distraction so she'll lose track of you, like a gas explosion if possible.

>>2584556
>>You need a distraction so she'll lose track of you, like a gas explosion if possible.

>>2584556
>Head for the church, there may be catacombs there Saria hasn't investigated.

Damn it people the gas explosion is our trump card, don't use it right away!

>>2584609
For what, beating her? Won't work.

>>2584609
We need something that will fuck with her that can buy us time, because since she's an Awakened, she's not so easily persuaded by simple hiding without something to add to it like the Gas Explosion.

>>2584556
>Head for the church, there may be catacombs there Saria hasn't investigated.

For the record I think bargaining to sleep in the general vicinity of something that wants to maul you is a terrible idea.

>>2584556
Will the urn be safe from explosion?

>>2584556
>You need a distraction so she'll lose track of you, like a gas explosion if possible.
>other: once you lose track of her, start shedding some clothes and effects. cut off locks of your hair, damaged armor pieces or bits of your cloak and place them on rock piles to fool her into thinking you're napping underneath rocks or just around the corner.
>other: also, make your hair dusty and muddy brown after you've cut off some locks as fool's bait. the bright pink gives your location away.

>>2584740
>>2584556
I like this idea.

>>2584740
Yeah, do these as well. She’ll probably just smell us out if we don’t leave a few decoys.

>>2584624
>>2584626
I should have clarified. I wanted to use it during our final showdown to create an opening for the killing blow.
Like a freakin explosion would kill an AB, give me some credit guys.

>3d10, higher is better

Rolled 2, 5, 9 = 16 (3d10)

>>2584803
HOOO BOY

Rolled 8, 7, 1 = 16 (3d10)

>>2584803
I need naps

Rolled 6, 7, 6 = 19 (3d10)

>>2584803

Rolled 6, 2, 8 = 16 (3d10)

>>2584803

>>2584807
>Sub 20
weeelp

>>2584810
All the rolls were shit man. This was probably karma from taking all the good rolls yesterday from shinigami savant quest.

>>2584816
you know it hurts when the dice pressure gets progressively harder after so long. I remember the times when dc 16 was a thing. now it's constant "roll 20+ or bust"

>>2584821
Well we are fighting a 'boss' so to speak.

>>2584803
You have to keep your eye open for a way to cleanly disengage from Saria, even as you weave between her lethal limbs one attack at a time. Your mind goes back to when you first arrived in Anren, your surprise at the fact that a town like this would choose to rely on natural gas to light its streets. The danger you realize is that the gas is extremely inflammable, even explosive under the right circumstances. If the supply pipes were damaged the gas would leak into the environment, meaning that fuel and air would mix... one match short of an explosion.

Keeping on your toes you work your way back to the ruins of the general store you crashed through hours ago, and snatch a tiny box of phosphorus matches with heads sealed in wax and a red phosphorus striker on the outside. These must have been imported from the south, as Hazaran lacks the industrial capacity to make them.

“And now for part two of my daring plan,” you mutter to yourself as Saria reduces the last of the building to rubble behind you.

Following the faint scent of sulfur, a component in the gas they were burning here, you eventually find your goal: a ruptured pipe visible at the bottom of a deep crack in the streets.

“Dead end,” Saria observes calmly. “I don't know why you keep running like this.”

“Because I've got a plan,” you reply. “It may not be the best, but it's all I have right now so I'm sticking to it.”

“And what plan is that?” Saria asks with a grin.

You grin right back at her. “Watch carefully.”

Then you dive through the window frame of a nearby home, its structure already reduced to a hollow shell, and leave behind an entire box worth of lit matches.

When the matches hit a pocket of gas with just the right mix of air in it, the air itself ignites.

The whole house rumbles as a massive force crashes against your body, and then the flames swiftly follow to ignite everything in the room. You manage to crash through a back wall and tumble, trying desperately to knock down the flames licking your body.

That... could have gone better.
>1/2

>>2585003
Saria may have taken the full force of that blast to her face, but you never thought it would be so simple to kill her. You can still feel her yōki as you flee. But it should take a while to regenerate her eyes and ears from that blast, giving you time to get clear of her. What's not immediately obvious is how long that actually bought you.

You got clear of the awakened being, but not without sustaining injuries yourself: burns over half your body, and what feels like a collapsed lung.

>Find a body of water to submerge in, hide your scent as best you can and hope the sutures of your stigma don't leak while you nap.
>Hide in the graveyard where Saria probably buried the dead townsfolk, use their scent to mask yours so you can sleep.
>There's no use hiding when she can sense your yōki, use the time to heal yourself and rest while remaining awake.
>Other

>>2585034
>Hide in the graveyard where Saria probably buried the dead townsfolk, use their scent to mask yours so you can sleep.

>>2585034
>>Hide in the graveyard where Saria probably buried the dead townsfolk, use their scent to mask yours so you can sleep.

>>2585034
Hmmm, could we maybe burn Yoki up to 20%+, and try and incapacitate her long term? She’s probably not in any fit state to fight back right now, and if we bring our Yoki high enough we should probably be able regenerate from our current wounds.

>>2585034
>There's no use hiding when she can sense your yōki, use the time to heal yourself and rest while remaining awake.

>>2585034
>cut off your hair, scatter the locks to serve as decoy hiding spots, then muddy your hair so that the pink won't stand out.
>toss all of your perfume bottles (save one) to different places to throw off her sense of smell.
>Hide in the graveyard where Saria probably buried the dead townsfolk, use their scent to mask yours so you can sleep.

>>2585075
sorry, I was making edits. So you can support this post here >>2585074

>>2585080
Roger that

>>2585074
Supporting this

>>2585034
>>Find a body of water to submerge in, hide your scent as best you can and hope the sutures of your stigma don't leak while you nap.

>>2585034
>>Hide in the graveyard where Saria probably buried the dead townsfolk, use their scent to mask yours so you can sleep.

>>2585074
>>2585034
Supporting this, but also tear off pieces of armor too.

>>2585034
>Hide in the graveyard where Saria probably buried the dead townsfolk, use their scent to mask yours so you can sleep.

>>2585034
>>Hide in the graveyard where Saria probably buried the dead townsfolk, use their scent to mask yours so you can sleep.

Yes, sleep under the pile of corpses.

Alright, give me 1d150. Yes, you read that right.

Taking the fourth roll.

Rolled 35 (1d150)

>>2585216
well shit. that's only out of 150 seconds of nap time.
we better roll HIGH.

Rolled 15 (1d50)

>>2585216

Rolled 103 (1d150)

>>2585216
WEW LAWDY!

Rolled 147 (1d150)

>>2585216

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>>2585223
DAMN SON. 147 seconds.

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>>2585223
We have had a good nap.

>>2585221
SHIT. THIS DIDN'T COUNT. WHICH MEANS.
>>2585224
WE ONLY GOT 40 SECONDS

>>2585221
THIS COULD BE MULITPLIED BY 3 TO GIVE A 1D150 EQUIVALENT THOUGH.

>>2585223
Is that good or bad?

>>2585224
Oh fuck This is the real roll. Fuck me. 40 seconds

>>2585236
>>2585230
Welp. At least it's still a decent headstart.

No cheating.

>>2585241
Tbh I'd say just do the roll as QM and be done with it.

>>2585252
records already indicate that the fourth 1d150 roll was a 40. QM already locked it in after looking at it. plus anon witnesses.

>>2585259
That's true, however it doesn't really help that some of us are willing to delete posts just because it doesn't go our way.

>>2585216
You head straight for the churchyard, suppressing your reiatsu as much as you can without arresting the slow regeneration of your body's injuries. The smell of fresh death is all around you now, which is exactly what you were hoping for.

You even find an open grave to lower yourself into, and you shut your eyes.

“WAKE UUUUUP” a childish voice screams joyously, as your body is flung out of the grave and onto the nearby grass.

In response you yell something incoherent and thoroughly un-ladylike back at Saria.

“I gave you about a half hour for that trick of yours,” she smiles eerily down at you. “It was really quite a brilliant distraction... unfortunately your wounds began to heal while you were unconscious, letting off more yōki than you intended. So I found you pretty easily.”

“Damn,” you grumble, hauling yourself to your feet. You're still tired, and now instead of feeling like your mind is starting to slip into madness your head aches. But at least that's an improvement.

You do a quick assessment, finding that your relatively minor wounds have healed well... however, what you've been fearing all along seems set to happen. As you feared, you probably don't have the reserves of yōki required to fight at a high level for six days. At this rate... it doesn't look good. But you still have a few options open to you.

>Hold as much yōki in reserve as possible for as long as possible, hold back every ounce of power you can get by without using.
>Even you think it's a bit crazy, but if you push your yōki to your limit and hold it there you may be able to feed yourself while fighting.
>It's never been done before, but if you allow yourself to awaken fully with the very last of your yōki your body shouldn't be able to transform.
>Other?

>>2585274
>It's never been done before, but if you allow yourself to awaken fully with the very last of your yōki your body shouldn't be able to transform.
that sounds neat.

>>2585274
>It's never been done before, but if you allow yourself to awaken fully with the very last of your yōki your body shouldn't be able to transform.

It does, but you better make som offerings to the dice gods

>>2585266
The way I plan to deal with this is to ignore it and take the result you rolled up.

Teachable moment: I've been at this for four years as of next month. There's no way to cheat that I haven't seen before, and it's not gonna work. So next time don't bother.

>>2585274
>It's never been done before, but if you allow yourself to awaken fully with the very last of your yōki your body shouldn't be able to transform.

We live by the dice, we die by the dice!

>>2585294
May the nines return and guide your roll.

>>2585274
>>Hold as much yōki in reserve as possible for as long as possible, hold back every ounce of power you can get by without using.
I really hate taking huge risks when the quest dice are involved.

>>2585289
Congratulations on being a QM for four years QoD.