Boy Meets Ai

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The foyer felt big with just Seiko and Oaklee in it. They sat together in cushy green lounge chairs. The mission, the day before, had been a flop. It wasn't something they were unaccustomed to but after fighting Hati and Skoll, every member of the team felt a little more deflated. Hendricks and Shinobu were away for the day, training in the Koboldtz fighting pits. Underground fights were a place for players to duke it out with each other without restrictions. A good place to get stronger. Seiko and Oaklee had opted out. They decided to use the time before the tournament to take stock of what they were capable of in terms of one-on-one combat. The twins had been a wake-up call. If they didn't devise a plan now, they wouldn't make it past the prelims.

"We probably need to re-spec you. Your build is honestly kind of trash in a brawl." The Ai stated flatly.

"Umm, you are the one who picked most of my gear. And what about you? A necromancer can hardly go toe to toe with a fighter or monk."

"Please. I can take down anyone with prep-time." She waved him off. Continuing on, Oaklee walked towards the armory. It was located to the back of the hideout and adjoined to Shinobu's room. Seiko followed after her. A brick on the wall glowed when Oaklee touched it. The stones began to spin and retract as a large metal door appeared. She spun the wheel and metal creaked as several bolts slid out of their sockets. The door was solid steel.

"Ngh! Now, I've been thinking about what your problem is." Oaklee struggled to heave it open.

Seiko just stared at her, annoyed as she continued.

"In a confined space, you're good as dead. Your bow doesn't do much unless you can get some distance between you and the target right?"

"Right."

Now inside the armory, Oaklee began picking through a pile of clothing. Shinobu was in charge of the armory, but it was clear she hadn't been keeping it very organized. Some swords hung on displays while others were lay strewn on the ground. Armor was stacked in mismatching piles.

"So, we just need to find ways to increase the distance the arrow travels while being confined within an arena."

"How?"

"There's a couple of ways, here try this on." She threw a cloak at him. It landed on his head.

It's stats popped up as soon as Seiko touched it. Not particularly impressive, the auburn cloak had below average defense and one special ability. The Raptor cape could take the form of a large bird of prey. It could scout an area, giving the user, visibility on any threats or items the bird had seen.

"How is this supposed to help? Its not like we wont be able to see our opponent." His voice dripped with skepticism.

Oaklee brushed past him, mumbling something unintelligible. She got like this when she was on the verge of a grand idea. The gears turned for a bit longer, working in her mind to align perfectly and reveal the solution. She bit her lower lip, paced through the foyer, concentrating intently before, CLICK.

"Ah! Yes! Come with me!" She burst out the front door and began running into the woods. Seiko sighed heavily. He clasped the new cloak around his neck and trotted after her.