Where the First Twilight Stands, The Second Ballad [Solo]

[Eniko]

As his menu's clock strike at 7 PM, Eniko stepped into the door and as he let the door closed shut, he felt a sense of hostility compared from the lobby, which he didn't felt except a pain from the Mini-Jack's accidental attack. Because of this, he gripped his scythe tightly as he cautiously walked through the hallway, which he dubbed as the "First Twilight" of the mansion. However, he was so cautious, that he drew his scythe upon he saw a figure behind him, which was actually his own reflection in the hallway mirror. After he calmed down, he continued walking through the hallway with his scythe returned to his sheath when he noticed not only an animated suit of armor guarding the door, but also another guestbook, which Eniko might have guessed that it might led him to the "Second Twilight".

"Looks like another riddle, huh?" He then looked at the contents of the guestbook, which he was now conflicted at the riddle. "Well, it's somewhere in this hallway, correct? No problem." Not want to waste any time, Eniko started searching through the hallways for some answers. He then first checked the interior of the hallway, which looked like either a guest room, a dining room, or a kitchen. As he walked around the hallway, he failed to notice some tableware started to come alive and quickly threw themselves to the young Assassin, which he later noticed it in time and quickly dodged all of the tableware before he saw it's HP bar. "Oh no. These Phantom Tableware are Level 12! I can't battle with these things!"

Thinking quickly, he managed to hide in the other room, which was library and he sat on the ground to decide on his next move while he try to continue his search since he needed to fight less in this mansion full of scary problems.

HP: 89%

MP: 100%

QUICKSLOT: Accel Dance, Silent Move

SKILL ACTIVE: N/A

EQUIPMENT: Black Hide Leather Armor, Scythe of the Black Moon by 黒, Shadowskin Gloves, Darkness Agile Boots

SKILLS: Quick Draw, Accel Dance, Deadly Dance, Hiding Entry, Quick Swap, Fatal Ambush, Silent Move, Transcription

MONSTERS: Level 12 Phantom Tableware

WORDS: 314 (October AP Bonus for Tracker subclass: 471)

GOALS: To get past through the hallway to gain entry to the Second Twilight

[Eniko]

After a few minutes of planning, Eniko took another peek outside the library, which he still saw the Phantom Tableware somehow calmed down as it put the cutlery down on the table. "Good, it seemed to calmed down. I should probably used Hiding Entry to..." Before he can finished, he suddenly felt hot all of the sudden and when he turned around, he was horrified to see an animated painting that looked like "The Scream" only with it's paint looked like flames. "Level 11 Possessed Painting?! Uh oh..."

Not wanted to let that monster get the first hit, Eniko managed to dodge it's hot paint and with his scythe tightly gripped, he quickly shout, "Quick Draw!" With a quick slash, he managed to hit the painting, but it managed to strike back with it's hot paint-like residue, which he started to slow down upon he took it. "N-No way?! It's attack can slow me down?!" Before he can even try to move, the painting shoot him with the same residue once again, slowing him down even further. "Drat! I have to defeat this paint before it completely shoots me down to the Cathedral!" Thinking quickly, he gripped his scythe tightly and despite the pain he took from the painting's attacks and his slow debuff, he managed to execute a Quick Draw skill again with his scythe and hit it as many slashes with his current speed as he can. And with his mind now free of his limits, he shouted, "Accel Dance!"

With his speed now somewhat restored, he was able to made slashes from his normal speed before he jumped up and execute Deadly Dance, which his downward slash managed to lose the painting's HP more. And with another hot paint-like residue he took, he didn't hesitate to made another slash, which the painting was exploded in gold once and for all. "Great, look at what you've done." Eniko groaned as he looked at his current HP and MP. "Now I need to rest up before my next plan. That's what I get for not bringing any potions with me..." Before he can, he then noticed a pop-up window that told him that he leveled up. "Huh, looks like you having to try attacking has it's advantages." He then sat down on the ground once again as he observed the dormant Phantom Tableware while he rest to restore his energy and looked at his skill menu due to his level now up to 19.

HP: 60%

MP: 45%

QUICKSLOT: Accel Dance, Silent Move

SKILL ACTIVE: N/A

EQUIPMENT: Black Hide Leather Armor, Scythe of the Black Moon by 黒, Shadowskin Gloves, Darkness Agile Boots

SKILLS: Quick Draw, Accel Dance, Deadly Dance, Hiding Entry, Quick Swap, Fatal Ambush, Trinket Work, Hide Walk, Cardinal Rose, Silent Move, Transcription

MONSTERS: Level 12 Phantom Tableware

WORDS: 415 (October AP Bonus for Main Class: 830)

GOALS: To get past through the hallway to gain entry to the Second Twilight

[Eniko]

A few minutes has passed and his HP has reached to 93% of his restoration as well as his MP to 81%, which Eniko felt that it will do for now as he decided to sneak around through the Phantom Tableware with his stealth skills as he planned earlier. But before he can able to, he noticed the interior of the library once again, which scared him a little due to it's decoration. "It definitely felt like Halloween in here. Reminds me of that haunted house attraction I accidentally ran into when I went to a theme park back in my world." Despite his little fear to the mansion, Eniko remained calm and serious when he noticed something from the bookshelf, which he pulled it out and read some pages within it.

When he did, it reminded him of that riddle from that door that the armor somehow gave him. Could it be the answer to it? However, he shook off those thoughts as he quietly said, "No way. I need more clues about that riddle. And in order to do that, I need to get back to that castle armor thing earlier." With his next goal set, Eniko then decided to head out and try to survive the tableware without any scratches and when he was out of the library, he activated Hiding Entry and Silent Move to make himself invisible and deadened his footsteps' noises. Tip-toeing slowly through the table, Eniko became nervous about the Phantom Tableware, wondered if it detected him somehow.

Luckily after 10 minutes, the tableware didn't noticed him as his skills was expired in time for him to escape and head straight to the door, where he saw the riddle once again and started thinking about it's answer. "Think, Eniko. Did that book might be connected to this riddle or something? Or it might be a red herring? Gotta stay calm and focused." He thought as he continued to thought up some possible answers for the riddle.

HP: 90%

MP: 58%

QUICKSLOT: Accel Dance, Silent Move

SKILL ACTIVE: N/A

EQUIPMENT: Black Hide Leather Armor, Scythe of the Black Moon by 黒, Shadowskin Gloves, Darkness Agile Boots

SKILLS: Quick Draw, Accel Dance, Deadly Dance, Hiding Entry, Quick Swap, Fatal Ambush, Trinket Work, Hide Walk, Cardinal Rose, Silent Move, Transcription

MONSTERS: N/A

WORDS: 333 (October AP Bonus for Tracker subclass: 500)

GOALS: To get past through the hallway to gain entry to the Second Twilight

NOTES: Eniko tried to think up some answers to the riddle. Also, if the description of the First Twilight hallway isn't right, then forgive me about it...

[Eniko]

While he rested himself to restore his HP and MP, he thought of many answers to the riddle, but so far, he can't find the right one. "Hey, Castle Armor. Could you give me some hint or something?" Somehow, it did with a pop-up window. But despite this, it didn't help him at all. "Man, talk about ridiculous. How I am going to figure out this riddle now?" However, he noticed something in the hallway lately. There was a sun image on one door, a moon image on the next door, and even a culmination of a sun, moon, and star image on the door right in front of him. Could those be some clues to the riddle? Whatever they meant, Eniko knew he can't stand around here thinking about it as he head off once again to explore the First Twilight for more clues.

Using his Silent Move and Hiding Entry once again, he quietly pass through the Phantom Tableware he avoided earlier and slowly approached the door near the sun door. But when he took a peek inside, he saw happy little Mini-Jacks playing around inside the room, which he decided to close it since he didn't want to interrupt their playtime. Then, he slowly took a peek at the next door without any image, which he saw it was just a normal guest room. But when he tried to enter the room, an ax almost cut his head after he dodged, which he nervously looked up to see a Level 14 Castle Armor guarding the armor. "No thank you!" He thought before he silently, but quickly closed the door.

Then slowly into a next room, he took a peek within it, which revealed a Level 12 Goblin Butler and a Level 11 Goblin Maid. In other words, two goblins wearing a butler and maid outfits. Not wanted to see more of this, Eniko quickly closed the door. And upon he took a peek at the last door without any image, he saw a normal guest room, much to his relieved as he slowly entered the room before he dispelled his skills so he can start his search. "Okay, now let's see if I can find any connection to that clue it gave me."

HP: 100%

MP: 61%

QUICKSLOT: Accel Dance, Silent Move

SKILL ACTIVE: N/A

EQUIPMENT: Black Hide Leather Armor, Scythe of the Black Moon by 黒, Black Blade of Shadows by 黒 (swappable by Quick Swap), Shadowskin Gloves, Darkness Agile Boots

SKILLS: Quick Draw, Accel Dance, Deadly Dance, Hiding Entry, Quick Swap, Fatal Ambush, Trinket Work, Hide Walk, Cardinal Rose, Silent Move, Transcription

MONSTERS: N/A

WORDS: 376 (October AP Bonus for Tracker subclass: 564)

GOALS: To get past through the hallway to gain entry to the Second Twilight

[Eniko]

As he looked around the guest room, he searched around some sofas, bookshelves, chairs, and statues. But so far, he found nothing as another clue for the riddle. "Great. Is there anything that might be connected to those images from those doors at all?" He thought as he looked at one of the bookshelves again, which made him try to find a book that was connected to the sun and moon images. But as he was focused on his search, a bulky-looking figure walked up behind him and growled at his appearance. At first, he didn't mind the noise, but when the growls getting loader, Eniko became annoyed and said, "Will you knock it off? Can't you see I'm..."

He stopped in mid-sentence when he turned around and became horrified at the figure's appearance, which was a minotaur-like humanoid creature in a butler uniform as it glared at him in anger while Eniko stood shock at it's HP bar. "L-Level 17 G-Goat Servant?!" Before he can even say anything else, the monster attacked him with a strong punch, which Eniko managed to dodged it in time before he shouted, "Quick Draw!" Gripping his scythe tightly, Eniko released a strong quick slash to the Goat Servant, which to his surprise, managed to block it with it's own hands. "What?!" Before he can react, the monster grabbed his leg and threw him to the sofa, much to his pain as he saw his HP gone down. "Man, I maybe Level 19 now, but that monster fights like it was 2-3 levels higher than me."

Then when he saw the Goat Servant about to punch him, Eniko quickly made a sidestep to avoid the punch before he made several slashes to let the monster lose more HP before he jumped up and shouted, "Deadly Dance!" With a downward slash, he managed to made a big damage to the Goat Servant. However, it managed to strike back as it kicked Eniko on his stomach before he grabbed his collar and threw him to a wall again. "Why you! Accel Dance!" With his speed increased thanks to his skill, Eniko angrily made more slashes to the minotaur-like butler before it tried to punch him again, only for him to used Hide Walk, his new skill upon leveling up. Despite it was only a buff with little time, Eniko used 1 second to dodge it and one second to jumped up in the air, which he managed to hit it once again with Deadly Dance.

But despite this chain of attacks, they only chipped off the Goat Servant's 65% of it's HP. "No way, it survived my attacks?!" Once again, the monster tried to grab him once again, but Eniko dodged it and with his HP down to 50%, he used Hiding Entry to make himself "disappear" so he can try to came up with a new plan of attack. "Great, not only it's persistent, but it also had some high defense. Gotta change my tactic then." With his Accel Dance expired, he ran under the table before he dispelled his Hiding Entry and whispered, "Quick Swap."

It was one of his skills when he started Elder Tale and during the Apocalypse, but he didn't use it since he has no interest at obtaining a sword at one point. But thanks to the blacksmith who made his scythe, he can able to use the skill as it was useful for his next move while he glared at the minotaur intensely, attempted to find a weakpoint. When he did, he quickly got out of his hiding area and charged onto the minotaur. And just before it can notice the young Assassin, he shouted, "Fatal Ambush!" Due to it's quick animation time and his sword's effects, Eniko managed to made a quick strong slash before it can even block it, which he managed to chipped off 35% of the Goat Servant's HP upon he attacked his weakpoint. And despite his chosen main class only gave his Quick Swap less cooldown, his cooldown counter told him he only got 15 seconds left before he can use the skill again.

Because of this, he relied on his sword for a while as he made multiple slashes to get rid more of the monster's HP and when the Goat Servant managed to recover and hit his stomach once again, the cooldown counter ended, which allowed him to Quick Swap to his scythe again before he jumped in the air and slashed the minotaur butler with Deadly Dance. With it's HP now 10%, Eniko made more attacks to it before the Goat Servant exploded in gold and items once again. Panted in exhaustion, Eniko collapsed on the floor and decided to rest for a while. "I like the sword, but I need to work on my stealthy ambushes."

HP: 32%

MP: 23%

QUICKSLOT: Accel Dance, Silent Move

SKILL ACTIVE: N/A

EQUIPMENT: Black Hide Leather Armor, Scythe of the Black Moon by 黒, Black Blade of Shadows by 黒 (swappable by Quick Swap), Shadowskin Gloves, Darkness Agile Boots

SKILLS: Quick Draw, Accel Dance, Deadly Dance, Hiding Entry, Quick Swap, Fatal Ambush, Trinket Work, Hide Walk, Cardinal Rose, Silent Move, Transcription

MONSTERS: N/A

WORDS: 806 (October AP Bonus for Main Class: 1612)

GOALS: To get past through the hallway to gain entry to the Second Twilight

[Eniko]

As he rested to gradually restore his HP and MP after his last fight, his thoughts began to ran about the riddle once again. What did that riddle mean anyway? And did it really connected to the doors' images earlier? As he thought about them, Eniko then realized something. He did saw a book from the library earlier that was connected to those images. Wondered that it might be a clue, he decided that 75% of his MP is enough as he used Hiding Entry and Stealth Move to slowly sneak out of the guestroom and carefully headed to a library without attracting the Phantom Tableware's attention. And when he arrived, he checked around the area to see if there was monsters lurking the area. But when he only saw some Mini-Jacks wandered around, he knew it was safe to come in as he dispelled his skills and head to a bookshelf where he found the book.

As he saw the cover of the page, Eniko was confused at it's title, since it was still 2018 in here. Nevertheless, he flipped a few pages and found something interesting. He studied celestial subjects from his school work, so he knew he can understand them. "These must be answers for the riddle. I got to get back and see if this book can answer anything." With the book in tow, he used Stealth Move and Hiding Entry once again to leave the library slowly and quietly once again and when he arrived in front of the table and the Castle Armor again, Eniko dispelled the skills and then came up some answers from the book and the doors that might be able to open the door to the Second Twilight. "They must hold the answer to opening this door, but the question is are either of them are right? Or should I start over?"

HP: 68%

MP: 34%

QUICKSLOT: Accel Dance, Silent Move

SKILL ACTIVE: N/A

EQUIPMENT: Black Hide Leather Armor, Scythe of the Black Moon by 黒, Black Blade of Shadows by 黒 (swappable by Quick Swap), Shadowskin Gloves, Darkness Agile Boots

SKILLS: Quick Draw, Accel Dance, Deadly Dance, Hiding Entry, Quick Swap, Fatal Ambush, Trinket Work, Hide Walk, Cardinal Rose, Silent Move, Transcription

MONSTERS: N/A

WORDS: 312 (October AP Bonus for Tracker subclass: 468)

GOALS: To get past through the hallway to gain entry to the Second Twilight