FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Recap: When we last left the group Zen, Verac, and Nakishodo had just successfully defended the Merchant Romulus from an attack before the city gates. They managed to get outside of the gates and run a fair distance before stopping to regain their breath.

Crit - Short for Critical hit.

CHC - Critical Hit Chance.

Aggro- Aggression. Attention of whoever is being attacked is directed to who attacked them. (i.e. Drawing Aggro.)

(Zen)

"Well good that your okay." I remarked to the Merchant. Nakishodo's face was flushed as if he had just run a mile. "See why choosing human was a bad idea?" remarked Verac glancing at him.

"Hey just cuase your fuzzy doesn't make ya better than me." He replied straightening up with a determined look on his face. For a brief moment his eyes flashed and I could see just how determined he was to not give up.

I decided to crack a joke to defuse the situation as I could sense the tension building. "Why does the Wolf chase his tail?" I asked seemingly at random.

Everyone turned to me with a mystified expression. I grinned at them. "Cause it was seeking the full moon" my dumb answer must have been the reason the tension broke cuase Nakishodo snickered then it bloomed into full on laughter.

The other two took a few more moments before they joined in and I smiled my tail wagging as it seemed the tension was gone for now. With the party seemingly in a better headspace I gestured to Romulus. "Shall we continue?" I asked of the Merchant. Who gave me a nod and continued to lead the way towards his home. I still staid beside him as front guard while Nakishodo seemed to take the middle guard and Verac the rear guard.

While I kept my guard up I did try to engage Romulus and the rest in further conversation which seemed to relax the atmosphere between the group further. Even got a smile from Verac, who was giving the impression that he wasn't one to smile much.

I mean it was just a game. It doesn't mean to play it ya had to be a social butterfly. I mean sure it helps but Solo players were a thing. Still it seemed it would take almost a days travel in game (which amounted to 2 hours real life) to reach the village home of Romulus.

As we continued our journey which had time creeping towards noon Nakishodo's stomach audibly rumbled. He blushed and fished out the basic starting bread from his inventory and proceeded to quietly munch it as we went along washing it down with the water skin.

I had to admit I was beyond curious at this. I mean sure some players had the hunger/thirst system turned on but it wasn't like it did anything to you physically. I mean you might feel as if you are thirsty or hungry in game but eating those items only alleviated those feelings in game. When you woke up outside of the game you would still have to attend to those needs. In other words outside of role play there wasn't really a reason to have it on. It was just simulated sensations.

Still a big selling point of this game was that you played it your way. If you wanted it to feel legitimately like it was just another world that you had fallen into Isekai style then you were able to tweak the settings to be just like that. If Nakishodo was playing the game that way that was his problem not mine. I didn't have to judge it or like it.

Anyway onto more pressing problems. I noticed something was moving in the underbrush ahead of us in the road. I stopped our movements keeping an eye on the spot. "Probably just a Bundar." remarked Verac though he had charged up a fireball spell in preparation.

For those of you that are curious a Bundar was like a bunny from our world though it was the size of a young Grizzly ranging anywhere from 6 to 8 ft tall(1.8m to 2.4m tall) to and weighing a heft 250 pounds (113.40kg) Lot of meat to salvage if one was inclined. However they were usually herbivores and while they could cuase trouble for the unwary adventurer usually it wasn't to much of a problem. Still despite their size you would be wise to watch out for their speed. If you couldn't defend in time they would run you over like a truck.

Keeping that in mind I prepared myself while Nakishodo took the cue from the rest of us and Romulus moved more towards the center of our group. I noted that the Healer had reversed his cane holding it crook side towards himself and the other end towards the would be enemy.

The Bundar crashed onto the path and before it could do much more it was hit with the Fireball from our mage. The stench of burning fur and pained cries filled the area while it turned towards us showing a burned patch on it's right side.

It gave a cry for defiance before moving to charge us. I jumped to the side dragging Romulus with me and it looked like Nakishodo had been clipped by it as he was on his side wincing while Verac made it away safely. The bunny turned back around and eyed the not yet recovered human on the ground it's brown eyes turned green as it seemed to charge up a spell as energy gathered in it's maw.

"Stay here." I told Romulus before moving to teleport to the Bundar's side that had been injured and I struck as fast as I materialized which interrupted the attack that had been charged. I swung twice at the injury before pushing myself back as the Bundar rounded to face the new threat.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw that Verac had finished charging another Fireball and was aiming for the other flank. I danced back with a small push dagger's at the ready as the second Fireball made it's impact. Unfortunately a quick check showed that the health bar of the creature was only at half. Also it bellowed and became covered in a red energy.

"Crap." I muttered as it pawed the ground like a bull the rushed forwards once more targeting Nakishodo who seemed to have recovered and dove to the side JUST in time to avoid the attack though the action left him slow in getting to his feet. At least Romulus wasn't being considered an active participant in the skirmish going on.

However the Bundar rounded again which prompted me to teleport to it's other flank and slice twice once more getting criticals before moving off once more. It bellowed once more and the bushes around us rustled alarming. "It's got Friends." warned the Mage while lighting crackled between his fingers. "_Chained Lightning!" _The lightning finished off the Bundar in front of us then shot to the rustling bushes briefly lighting up the area to show three more.

Now all of them had their attention on the one that damaged them which left me time to run to the side of the closest one and striking once more. Since it still had it's coverage of fur these attacks couldn't crit. Even with my high CH. Things were definitely getting interesting now for our little group.

Target A showed that it was now paying attention to me while I danced away while the other two We'll call them Target B and Target C went for Verac. The Mage was back pedaling while charging up another Chained Lightning though Nakishodo intercepted Target B by stabbing at it's face though that was a miss as it jumped back. Target C bull rushed the mage while Target B and the Healer circled one another like they were in a boxing match waiting for the other to drop their guard so that their opponent could throw the first punch.

Target C got a face full of electricity which it was JUST close enough to Target B for the attack to fluff it up. I don't know if it did any damage but it was enough to distract Target B For which our Healer took the chance and stabbed again managing this time to hit it's eye...while that was sort of an automatic crit the damage was not up to snuff. "Just Run around and get some exercise. Your damage is crap." shouted Our mage over to the healer.

Nakishodo visibly gritted his teeth but conceded the point. "Here Bunny Boy" he said in a tone that wouldn't be out of place in speaking to a dog. Surprisingly the Bundar gave him a rather Sassy look at his tone. However it wasn't aggressive...currently.

Unfortunately whatever attempt at taming had been made failed as another Chained Lightning ripped from Verac which quite badly damaged Target C and directed Target B's aggro to him. Which left Nakishodo jumping aside as it barreled past.

"Oh **** it!" said the human before chasing after the pair with a deep suffering sigh the game's profanity filter making it sound like a mouse squeak. I snickered and went back to killing my target while those four had fun with one another.

Finally I got my kill and I waited patiently over the course of the next 20 mins until Verac killed Target C. Target B Ran off with barley any health left but it seemed as if the other two didn't care meanwhile Romulus had sat down beside me watching the other two fight.

I could see that Nakishodo had leveled up though he was looking quite wore out. "Why don't ya disconnect and go take a nap?" I asked him and he opened his mouth as if he were going to reply but Verac cut him off. "Good Idea. I think I will."

With a _pop! _He was gone leaving Nakishodo staring dumbfounded at where he had been. I looked to him. "Hey come sit down with us over here. You looked exhausted." "Thanks." said Nakishodo and moved to sit with me and Romulus. "So..did you not hear me about logging out?" I asked him and he sighed again before looking to me. "I can't." he replied looking upset.

"What ya mean you can't log out?" I said back my face concerned as I eyed him sharply.

"Exactly what I said. Here." he swiped his fingers in the gesture to bring up the menu and then he flicked it towards me. As it materialized in front of my face I felt my expression darken. His log out button didn't exist. There wasn't even a way to contact the in game mods or anything.

"Okay... i'll admit that's a rather worrying bug. But why are you playing with the hyper realistic systems turned on?" I asked him and I tapped at his menu. I'm guessing he hit yes when the game asked if I could interact with it and I flipped through. He looked confused though as he watched me.

I showed him the page in the menu that had all the game systems turned on for hunger and thirst and what not. "Are you just wanting it to be realistic?" I asked him. "I bet ya can't turn those off. Just try." He replied and so with a shrug I did just that...and found that he was correct. The sliders resisted my touch. "Did you hack the game?" I asked him flicking the menu back to him and he "caught" it with his fingers. "Would I so casually let ya look over my menu if I had?"

He replied back before adding "Since the moment I logged in...this game has to been as real to me as breathing. I can't deny that I'm scared." He wasn't lying. That much I could tell from the one of his voice and the fact that he was hugging his knees close to himself. "I don't know why it's like this. But for now I have to treat this game like it's real. "

I nodded my head seeing his logic. "Here." I manipulated my menu and sent him a friend request which had him jumping from the notification sound However he did accept. "I Also vote to kick Verac from the Party." I added making the vote and then seeing him click the accept part of that option. "I don't know what's going on Man. But I will help you as much as I can." I told him.

"Also can I call you Naki for short?" That left him laughing and smiling but he nodded in response. "Naki it is then." I smiled back and since we both seemed to be recovered and Romulus while he had been listening in hadn't interrupted moved to get to his feet when I did. I helped Naki up and then nodded to Romulus. "Lead the way please." I asked of him.