Overlord: Blue Citadel Alternate

The Third Floor was vastly different than the first and second. Massive Red Woods, thick tree trunks, thicker than they've ever seen in the New World with a vast undergrowth of moss and smaller plantlife. There was hardly any visible soil beneath their feet as they stepped into this entirely different biome.

Vertum grinned looking up at the tree tops high above. Green leaves, a clear blue sky with a warm sun overhead. It felt so real, and for the most part, it was.

"A farm, a wasteland... And a Forest... All inside a Castle underground," Ninya murmured quietly as she could hardly believe her eyes this time around as well. Her mind was completely blown.

Dyne as a druid could hardly comprehend what he was seeing. So much nature inside something that on the outside, could only be perceived as unnatural.

"This is like a Hunter's paradise!" Lukrut shouted as he threw his hands in the air, before walking over to a tree and lightly knocking on it. The tree was real, it wasn't fake or an illusion.

"Considering what roams this biome, you'd be the hunted one," Vertum chuckled at the Ranger's statement and shook his head before looking to Peter who was quiet, but clearly in awe.

"What kind of trees are these?" Ninya asked as she looked up towards Vertum.

"I believe they're a strand of Redwood, related to coniferous trees." Vertum was no scientist, but even as the world outside the Arcologies had all been ruined by humanity, natural wonders lived on as images within the archives.

"Redwood..." Ninya nodded at this and stared at the moss at her feet, it was turning the bottoms of her boots green. Kneeling down gradually, she scr.a.p.ed some up with her fingers. "And this?"

"Sheet Moss," Vertum blinked at her question on the moss which carpeted the ground around them. "It's purely decorative, for the most part." Though he knew that it could be used as a powersource should modern technological innovation be introduced to the New World.

"Sheet... Moss?" Wiping her fingers off on her boots, Ninya stood up and looked towards the Druid who was looking over the greenery before returning her gaze.

"I've never seen anything like this," Dyne, though a mellow fellow, seemed quite excited.

"Does it become night time in here?" Ninya asked as she shifted about on the moss covered undergrowth before centering her gaze on Vertum.

"It does from time to time," Vertum nodded at this as he continued to walk along the unseen path leading through the trees towards the center of the floor.

Nodding lightly to this, she smiled a bit seeing as living in here was like living up above. They continued to follow him towards the center of the floor towards what appeared to be a Japanese Muromachi era home.

Made of dark wood, suspended from the ground by at a couple feet on small pillars. The house had blue coral tile as roofing and white walls of hardened paper enforced with magic alloys.

On the open porch was a woman with pinkish red skin, dressed in a shabby kimono with an unsheathed Katana in her hand, being sharpened against a whetstone.

Her saturated sapphire blue eyes moved up from the weapon, narrowing on the five visitors. "Ah, Vertum-sama... Darling, you are here to pay a visit?" Fl.i.c.k.i.n.g the katana to the side, she would then sheath it formally in its scabbard, before standing from her previous position.

"Gemini, I see you're sharpening your weapon, Seki-san really engrained that hobby into you, hasn't he...?" A small smile across his lips remained as he spoke.

"Seki...san?" Ninya tilted her head to the side lightly as he spoke of one of his friends who was absent from the world. "Her father?" Her eyes were locked on Gemini's fleshy forehead horns.

Just as the Ranger Lukrut went to move forward to resume his flirtatious ways, Vertum inadvertently tripped him, sending the young man face first into the sheet moss.

"Ooof!" G.r.o.a.n.e.d the man before pulling himself up off the ground, on all fours, he then looked up towards Vertum "What was that for?!"

"Don't flirt with her, unless she flirts with you first, she will kill you otherwise." Vertum stared down at Lukrut for a few seconds before he nodded, gulping lightly at the Dragon. It was a genuine warning not to flirt with Gemini.

"Ohohoh, protecting the squishy from little ole' me?" Gemini snorted as she stepped off of the porch and onto the moss covered grounds with b.a.r.e feet.

"Squishy?" Ninya wasn't sure how to take that.

Lukrut frowned hearing himself being called a squishy.

"Believe me, his head is harder than it looks," Peter snickered.

"Ooooh?" The tip of Gemini's tongue traced over her lips.

"What brings you to my Redwood?" Her eyes traced over the self-proclaimed Dragon Emperor's Guests with a brow raised at them.

"I'm giving them a tour," his head c.o.c.ked to the side lightly as he looked her over for a few seconds before reaching over and patting her head of silvery hair.

Gemini seemed to purr at the gesture, her eyes flickering over the female with short brown hair. "Is that so?" A flicker of menacing thoughts passed through her eyes, causing a shiver to go down the Adventurer's spine.

The oni gave off a very heavy pressure to those who could ambiently feel magical energy. So both Dyne and Ninya could feel the power that emitted from her exterior.

"Is she a demi-human?" Ninya whispered as she leaned towards Vertum.

"Heteromorphic," he spoke a matter a factly, as her species was a monstrous type, a Japanese Ogre of sorts following the lore pertaining to Youkai.

"Ah..." Ninya pursed her lips as she looked from him to her, and back again.

"So you are a warrior?" Gemini's feet moved without sound and within a split second, she was standing directly in front of Peter.

A sweatdrop appeared on his forehead as she moved exceedingly close to him, her pointed horns of flesh only inches from his face. "Yes, I suppose...?" His hand rested helplessly on the hilt of his weapon. It wasn't likely he'd survive if he even drew the weapon. At the same time, he felt no threats really being emitted towards him.

"Perhaps you would like to train here?" Her head c.o.c.ked to the side, grinning widely. "I've been wanting to test the strengths of those from the surface for some time to compare to Brain Unglaus..."

"Brain Unglaus!?" The Adventurers all turned their attention to her, their eyes wide, as she spoke of a man who was on the same power level as the Head Warrior to the Kingdom.

"Hm? Famous is he?" Gemini giggled, "These Darlings are so honest..." She licked the fronts of her pearly whites as if she was just about ready to tear a chunk out of them.

"Brain Unglaus is currently training in the Grand Arena Floor with the Dark Knight Mercenaries," Vertum proclaimed with a light nod before tilting his head to the side slightly.

They were all staring at him with awe, that he had brought one of the strongest individuals in the Kingdom underneath his control. Though at the same time, they didn't know if they should fear how influential he really was.

"If you train here, she won't kill you. If anything, she can help you increase your skills... Should that be the case, your rankings in the Adventurers guild should rise rather quickly. Of course, all due to the probable exception feats you'd be able to accomplish."

Both Peter and Lukrut turned to look to one another then towards Vertum. If they could rise and become prominent members of the Guild, they'd make it rich with fame and fortune.

As Vertum knew humans in this world had a limited level cap, the strange material they found would be able to help this group surpass the norm. It was another experiment he wanted to try.

Just how far could they level up? And just how far will they go with the materials used to surpass the level cap that has been placed by this world? Those answers will soon come in the form of the Swords of Darkness and Brain.

"Sounds like a good idea..." Peter scratched the back of his head.

"I wouldn't mind staying here for a while," Lukrut grinned slightly to himself. His eyes traveled up and down the petite figure on the Oni. She was adorable in appearance, and scarily fierce in personality, even the threat of death didn't seem to hold his urge to flirt back.

Vertum shook his head at Lukrut as he could see him trying to hold back and coming close to failing. He then looked to the Druid and then towards Ninya herself.

"You two can start your training now if you'd like," he offered before taking a step back only to begin walking around the wooden home that belonged to the Guardian.

Ninya and Dyne shrunk back as well and soon began following him away from their two friends.

Gemini watched as the three left, before turning her gaze back to the two men with a growing grin forming over her lips. Soon enough her grin reached ear to ear and her eyes appeared to glow ominously. "Let's get started, My Darlings!"