These are players who stood out during Runs and could very much lead their own teams permanently in the future. Iris Ash and Dark Avenue are more relaxed as they and their Vices usually either join high ranked Quests, attempt Field Boss hunting, or help gather materials.
During the discussion of who else should join Crossover among the teenagers, what surprises everyone is the insistence of Sassy Daisy and Amethyst Crane, as well as the top Artisans from Dawn Blossom. They are certain of coming along because whether in Field or working their Crafts, their level and abilities still grow. And who knew if such an Event would happen again?
With sixteen chosen, they together narrow down final members for the Crossover teams: Crafty Goliath, Kingdom Lock, Citrine Chevalier, Boulder Haven, Purple Bull, Demtrius, Straw Monkey, and Storm Kitty.
While Crafty and Kingdom are part of the group who had gotten an earlier boost, they hadn't slacked off in their roles in Dungeons. Demtrius is still their best healer and Purple Bull was an aggressive Vanguard who could always lighten up a situation with a wisecrack or smile.
Straw Monkey and Storm Kitty are long time real life friends of Asuka, a Pugilist and Summoner. They aren't chosen for connections but rather ability and talent: the Residences have a Quest Leaderboard and they are at the top of Ruby Blade's! While they didn't interact with a lot of the other members, the duo was a deadly power couple who took on numerous quests together.
Tara will take Flame Ribbon, Gladiolus Rain, Irish Ash, and Demtrius. It was a pretty standard party with a Witch and an Infantry as the main damage dealers, Gladiolus as the main tank with Tara as the sub-tank, and Demitruis as the Witch healer.
Pakeeja picks Syringa Fang, Mauve Hammerhead, Crafty Goliath, and Kingdom Lock. A popular structure of a Vanguard, support focused Mage and Forefend, and an offensive Infantry. Pakeeja would push them over damage wise but it isn't a bad thing.
Hanit will handle the healing of her team which would be Purple Bull, Citrine Chevalier, Amethyst Crane, and Honest Wind. A Vanguard, Summoner, Mage, and Infantry. Most players would take another support focused Witch or Mage rather than a Summoner due to the difference of firepower and Essence reserves.
Izel chooses Boulder Haven, Elegant Canary, Sleepy Oak, and Flying Coop. A well balanced party of an Infantry, Mage, Witch, and Vanguard. Not a strong combination in terms of physical Defense but can do plenty of damage while the Infantry and Vanguard hold attention.
Aelix chooses Sassy Daisy who is revealed to be Asuka's older sister, much to everyone's surprise, when she forms Needle Fan, Verdant Wheel, and Jumping Sash into a group. Two Infantries and two Pugilists is definitely an odd choice but doable in the right circumstances.
Asuka wasn't too familiar with Dark Avenue or Opal Bat, another battle couple like Straw Monkey and Storm Kitty whom she had grown up with, but they are welcoming and she doesn't feel uncomfortable. The two couples' energies mesh well which will help out the team find a good rhythm. Consisting of an Infantry, Pugilist, and two Summoners, they'd have a number advantage in most cases.
"Oh!" Izel says, drawing their attention before they step through the doorway to the Crossover Event.
"What's up?" Pakeeja asks as Izel squeezes the notification box with a 'pop!',
"They've added a Level Board! There's an Overall section and then it's divided by Class!"
"If we can, keep everyone's levels a secret." Tara suggests. She knows Pakeeja's grander plan and shrouding their strength in mystery would help achieve their goals. Izel nods, sending a message not to join the Boards for now.
They exit the chat room team by team. Pakeeja's group exits first, stepping outside a wooden hut. A crowd of humanoid figures with blue and gray skin immediately forms around them! The blue folk all have six eyes on their face while the gray ones have four additional arms.
The crowd makes way for a six eyed elder, judging by the shorter stature and walking cane. Before Pakeeja can greet anyone, the rest of her friends exit behind them.
"What???" Pakeeja whispers in confusion.
"It seems several of you are linked together." A layered, older voice says drawing their attention. "Which of you are not from the main world?"
The six Novelists step forward from their friends. The elder stands before each one of them as if surveying their souls. They stop and linger on Tara.
"You all have kind and honorable hearts. You seek knowledge and strength not for power but personally betterment and aid of others. Though one of you is maybe a little too ambitious," All six eyes gave Pakeeja a grandparent's warning glare before their face crinkles, "It is good to have goals to work towards. Welcome to our small village. Come with me."
As the team follows behind the elder, Tara pulls up her statistics which had been leveraged accordingly to the Explorers. Each class starts with 1 stat point in each statistic with certain classes starting with 2. Every level they would receive 1 stat point with every 5 levels receiving 2 extra stat points to freely use. Then every 10 levels those stats would be multiplied.
So as a Vanguard, Syringa Fang for instance, stats read like this at level 1:
Vanguards favor Attack from the beginning, so Syringa at level 5 put the two bonus points in Agility and Defense. So, without taking account of equipment boosts, Syringa Fang's base stats at level 10 read as such:
Tara's highest base stat was her Attack at 32. Other than her Spirit, which was at 31, everything else stopped at 30. This was not taking into account her weapon bonuses.
They arrive outside a large central tent, guarded by two soldiers. Despite their simple armor and spears, they give off deadly pressure.
"I believe your presence here is by fate. The others from beyond will only be met with a small tent of our warriors." The elder muses, as they pick up two stones off a desk. One is black and the other is white.
"Should we look out for anything in particular, Elder...?" Asuka questions. How does being here provide any advantages, she is asking.
"Ah, forgive me! I go by Elder Karei. These stones, as long as you aren't within the mountain's tunnels, shall teleport you. The black stone returns you here while the white returns you to your most recent location. Others will have to journey back to their bases. If you are able to acquire any blue or red crystals, bring them to me for a reward or provisions." Elder Karei hands the two stones to Pakeeja.
Elder Karei leads them to the northernmost gate, wishing them luck and fortune. Pakeeja decides to invite her team to a party but to her surprise, everyone present is able to join. It was most likely because they all arrived together.
They exit out into a forest path with giant redwoods. Traveling in pairs, they walk for about 20 minutes before Pakeeja notices a clearing ahead.
Standing within the clearing are 20 clay figures with swords and spears. They encircled a large black stone chest. Gladiolus Rain and Crafty Goliath are at the front as the main tanks.
Gladiolus raises a hand in the air before a glowing arrow whizzes by her ear once she forms a fist. Irish Ash's Eye Catching Arrow, a single target Art good for luring foes from groups, strikes the closest one. It ambles over towards them. Once it was close enough they could read its information.
[Clay Doll | Common | Level 15| Greater]
What gives the Explorers pause is the color of the name. All the Dungeon and Field monsters, both Mobs and Bosses, they had faced so far had white lettering of Normal. This one doll carries the blue name of a Greater Monster! They could be a Dungeon Boss on their own. A Greater Common monster was the same as an Elite monster after all!
Gladiolus swings her newly acquired mace once it is close enough. The basic strike only deals 20 damage, with 5 from the physical damage and 15 from Water damage.
Her party watches as she dances around the doll. Ten minutes later, slowly but surely, its white health bar bottoms out. Three orbs of experience dissolve into particles that significantly boost everyone's bar.
"How was it?" Izel asks as Gladiolus returns to the group.
"They have really high physical resistance but low magic defense. Simple movements and attacks with no Skills or health regeneration."
"I didn't see anything drop?" Hanit observes. In response, Gladiolus pulls up her bag's window and sorts it by recent loot.
"Its strength and health were like a Common Boss but mob rewards get sent to a player directly now." Gladiolus answers. After some cases of players stealing resources after kills, only Field Bosses' loot is fair game. She receives two items: a crimson crystal and a shard of multicolored glass.
No other information is given. If they clear out the rest, they'd have enough for two complete sets.
"Should we take them out as a group or one by one?" Syringa Fang asks, pulling off her glaive from her back clasp. Pakeeja's attention is directly on the chest in the middle.
"Wipe them! I want to see what's in that chest."
Syringa nods, stepping in front of Gladiolus. The two were the fearsome and ferocious newbies of the breakout Workshops on everyone's lips.
The air was tense between them before--!