Suto blinked at the smack on his back, half expecting it to be Luna but instead glad to see Fitch standing there. Grinning at the compliment he rubbed the base of his nose with a finger, chuckling and shrugging his shoulders while looking down the corridor sheepishly.

"Well... Like I said, no use in being somber. If we have to do this then hey, might as well have fun right?"

That's not to say he wasn't nervous during moments like this. Quite the contrary, Suto was perhaps amongst the most unsettled of them all when it came time for a raid. Chief reason being was simply for the combat style he had chosen, something he was gradually coming to regret. When it had just been a game it was cool, being fast and capable of dealing quick and weak but numerous hits. Now that it was "for real" however it made him feel fairly vulnerable during a fight, and awfully jealous of those wearing even light metal armor. Glancing down at his contemporary Gi outfit he let out a faint sight, a tiny smile lingering on his lips. Well, he'd picked it, so he'd learn to deal with it. Simple as that, right?

Working their way back through the dungeon was easy, especially with so many players present. Numbering near fifty in all they easily overwhelmed any opposition, and more than once Suto could have sworn he saw looks of dread on the monster's faces. Not that knew if they could feel anything, or particularly care. It was the only time in the game he dropped his cheerful attitude and became more aggressive, certainly more than willing to hurt the creatures that stood in their way. Sentient or not, they'd kill him and his friends without a second thought, and he'd not hesitate to protect them. Certainly easier said against creatures equivalent to their level, he'd not be quite so bold when it came time for the boss, he was sure. While he was allowed his bit of bravado however he'd bask in it, accompanying every successful hit and kill with a wide grin or a laugh. Being able to so effortlessly battle monsters now was relaxing almost, and for a short while it even felt like they were just playing a game again. That sensation turned out to be short lived, as soon enough they stood before the massive iron doors signaling the boss room. Playtime was over, now they had to get serious.

Everyone was allowed a breather outside the towering doors, much to their elation. Suto took this moment to stretch himself out a bit, hoping to get loose before the fight. His body really wasn't needing it, but when exhaustion was a very real factor anything that helped alleviate it a little could make a huge difference. Seeing as they had some time to themselves he went into his inventory, taking out a small flask of apple cider and taking a swig out of it. It was amazing how well this game simulated all the senses, it actually felt like a cool liquid slid down his throat, and he could taste the sweet, crisp flavor of the drink, even if in reality it was all ones and zeroes. Before he knew it the container was dry, and with a beleaguered sigh he watched as it cracked and shattered into crystals, pouting a bit. He'd have to see if the next floor had some of those too, it was really tasty.

Luna couldn't be bothered to take a reprieve like the others, or rather she wouldn't let herself. Everyone felt nervous without a doubt, and she was taking her nervousness to heart. To her trying to stifle that now was only going to make it worse once the fight started. Besides, senses were heightened when stress was induced right? So in a way this tension was good for her. After taking a brief look over her gear and its durability, as well as her health, she deemed herself ready to fight. Or as ready as she would ever be. It was never as simple as just "readying up" for a boss battle, not in this game. When the costs of failing were as dire as could be it made the tension before the battle palpable, and it was almost like everyone's heartbeats could be heard. Yet as she gazed around the room at the other players most of them seemed to be coping well, better than she was. Some were laughing and telling jokes, others were enjoying a light meal before they went in. Her stomach was far too unsettled to eat, and while her friends were close she couldn't bring herself to talk to them. For now she'd just wait to begin, and then once it was over, and only then, she'd allow herself to be at ease. Finally after what seemed like an hour Heathcliffe signaled the beginning of the battle, and with a loud grinding noise the great doors parted, tearing apart to reveal a cavernous room on the other side, the boss' lair. If it wasn't such a dreadful place one might even describe it as beautiful.

In tandem the entire raid party moved right on in, immediately taking their positions amongst the ranks. Luna herself was positioned fairly close to Suto, as both were DPS characters. They were aligned along the left flank, taking up position near opposite of the rest of their friends. A line of shield users stood before them to act as cover, and in the very center of the crescent shaped formation was Heathcliffe, ever ready to take point. A long silent moment passed and nothing happened, and many players began to wonder if perhaps an event had to be triggered to start the battle. Then, out of the floor rose hordes of skeleton warriors, minions of the boss apparently. There were a great number of them, but comparatively they were weak, being a horde creature. The front lines of shield bearers made deflecting their assaults seem easy, cutting down the larger numbers with minimal effort. That, unfortunately, was going to be the only smooth part of this battle. As the waves of skeletons thinned more spawned, though that was hardly the cause for alarm. In the center of the room there was a sudden burst of flames, and from its depths rose a hulking figure. As the creature materialized it finally appeared as a towering, two headed giant, by far the largest foe they had ever faced. With an ear shattering roar it began its offensive immediately, starting the battle off with a tremendous strike against the ground. The result of said attack was the paralysis of several of the players, nearly half, albeit only for a few seconds. As soon as the effects vanished everyone reorganized, and in a conscious group effort began the battle in earnest.

For the first two health bars everything seemed to be going extremely well. No one had died and they were steadily chipping away at the beasts health, making the fight seem easy. The good fortune was not bound to last, and as abruptly as the fight had begun it then took a turn for the worse. It all happened so suddenly that, for nearly everyone involved, time seemed to crawl to a standstill. Just as the third bar was reduced to nothingness a new phase of the fight began, in that the boss had gained a new weapon. It was an enormous hammer, one that defied all laws of physics with how nimbly the creature wielded it. Emitting another piercing roar it it swung the weapon up and then down at great speed, slamming its heavy head into the tiled floor. A visible shockwave was created, tossing back four of the closest players immediately. Two saw their life flash before their eyes, literally, as their health dropped to the red, while two others were gone within seconds. Just like that two players had been killed, in one fell swoop. And that was only the beginning of the horror. Soon people began to fall left and right as the boss went into a frenzy, swinging his weapons around with unjustifiable ease. This wasn't right, no creature had ever been ever capable of doing this. So why then was this one? People were dying now, first the few initially, then the death toll ran to ten. Amongst the fallen, much to everyone's horror, was none other than Yari.

Suto had his hands full with a few skeletons as the rest of the group fought, opting to handle a bit of crowd controlling this battle. With his speed and quick attacks he could easily take on multiple opponents, and with Luna aiding him they were making light work of nearly ten creatures. With every skill activated his fists would glow a soft red, and his body would assume the motions of the attack automatically. He only had two multiple-target attacks at his disposal, and he made malicious overuse of them. It began with a lower-gut jab to one opponent, enough to stun it for a brief period. The very second strike was caused by a pivot on his right foot, and swinging his body around he'd slam a flat palm into a chest of another beast. Each of these initial strikes caused a very brief stun, but it enabled him to do all sorts of damage. On the second beast he then lifted his right arm, straightening out his hand and bringing it down in an axing motion, connecting right with the collarbone of the skeleton and dealing massive damage. The following attack was a simple jab, but more than enough to sap the last of the beast's health. With an opponent felled he automatically went back to the first, and with his hand still straight he thrust forward, piercing the skeleton's chest. As soon as his limb retracted his left foot glowed, and swinging his leg up he slammed it onto the creature's side, watching as it shattered into dozens of crystals. Unfortunately there was no time to enjoy himself, as a soul shattering cry and sound drew his attention elsewhere. What he saw made his heart stop in his chest and his body freeze. Yari... Yari was dead?

Luna couldn't believe it, there was just no way this was happening. The fight had been going so well, so much in their favor. The introduction of a new weapon had thrown them off and even claimed a few lives, but she figured they'd regroup quickly enough to counter it. Well, they would, but not before her and her friends were dealt a crippling blow. A great many players had been felled, and one person who she'd thought would see it to the end was to join them. She had to be mistaken, there was no way that Yari could really be gone. Yet sure enough she watched the girl disappear under the great hammer, and when it lifted the only thing to emerge was a cluster of blue shards signifying someone's death. Why did this happen, why her? Her body fell numb, and for the longest time all she could do was stare at the ground, where their friend had taken her last breath. At a sudden, violent shout she turned her head, surprised to see Suto going on the offensive. Whereas she couldn't budge a muscle he had quickly taken back to combat, and in an unsettling way. She had never seen him like this, so outright... Furious. It was almost scary the way he was fighting now, like it wasn't even him.

By the time it was over things had reached an unsettling calm. Suto hardly realized it as the final minion was felled, a bitterly cheerful fanfare signaling the end of the battle. He stood towards the side of the room, breathing heavily as he stared at the ground, hands still clenched in anger. How many skeletons had he killed? Five? Ten? More? Not that it mattered, it wouldn't change anything. The fact that Yari was not among them now remained the same, no matter how much any of them willed it otherwise. Casting a silent look about the room he caught sight of his friends, all of which seemed to be tackling this new reality in their own way. None of them were ready to accept it by the looks of it, or they were but at the same time tried desperately to deny it. Whatever the case the fight was done, and with a hollow note they had finished floor 25, finally. What good was this victory though if one of their own was not here to celebrate it? How many had died to get to this point? However many it was the count was too high, that was unquestionable. How had they been so poorly prepared? In an eerie silence everyone began to move forward, not a single word being uttered as the group collectively went for the stairs. Everyone moved somehow, or everyone, save Fitch. In an alarming show his other friend collapsed to the ground, likely exhaustion seeing as his health was still there. Suto was at his side in a moment, arguing with other players to help move the other boy to safety.

An hour passed since the floor was cleared, and the remnants of the raid party had taken up refuge in the first inn immediately available. Unlike so many times before there was no celebration accompanying this victory, only a grim, silent gathering. Drinks were had, but there was no merriment with them, or hardly any conversation for that matter. Near everyone had lost someone they knew in the fight, and as such the collective morale was at an all time low. Fitch, having passed out at the end, had been brought to one of the rooms upstairs to relax. Here, everyone was gathered, settled in a unanimous, somber silence while their friend rested. No one knew what to say, nor did they have to say anything. Everyone knew precisely what the others were feeling, and no one wanted to share it. Instead they'd all remain quiet, standing by for Fitch to finally come to.