152 / 230
-58 HP from Retaliation (Base 29, doubled by Vulnerable
Protected by
@Yugam
Vulnerable (Super Vulnerable reduced by Protected)
Once they'd all made their way up to the second floor the path forward was a lot more in alignment with Mizuki's specialty. With Seigi taking care of the navigation all she had to do was stalk the palace halls, sniffing out potential threats so she and her allies could safely move around them without being discovered. And with Cleo covering their backs she felt confident that she could keep her attention focused on what was in front of them. After all, anything that tried to jump them from behind would just get perforated by a barrage of spears.
Although by this point Mizuki was worried that they might also be threatened by one of their own. She'd told Magi to try and focus on the mission, but that might be easier said than done.
Reaching the top of the palace, or as high as they could get with all the rubble, gave her the opportunity to behold what remained of Vintergard. Once it had been the central hub of the Traveler community, now it was a city filled with rubble and various types of machines which were hostile to all outsiders. Mizuki studied the landscape far below, her eyes sharp as she watched the machines and magia move around before she noticed something strange.
If left alone a devastated city would be reclaimed by nature in time. It wasn't surprising that the machines would get rid of any plants that got in the way. What was unusual, however, was the complete and utter absence of any healthy and tough weeds. Even the plants which hadn't been forcibly removed looked like they were withering away. And it happened anywhere that there was stationary machinery...

Whatever it is they're doing, it doesn't look like it's good for nature.
She'd barely made the observation before she felt someone shove her aside, the luna wolf letting out a surprised noise before whatever she might have wanted to say died on her lips. Magi was now standing in front of the group, releasing a truly devastating blast to counter the artillery strike that had threatened to wipe out the spire they all were standing in.
There was no need to state the obvious: they all needed to get out of here, now.
As they made their way back down towards the bowels of the palace Mizuki at first focused on taking out smaller machines that were rapidly converging on their location, the ones agile enough to avoid Cleo's relentless and omnidirectional arcane assault. With swift claws she'd strike them down, rending them with hardened claws to ensure that they couldn't send any information back to the more combat-capable machines that were no doubt following.
But then she felt someone grab her by the shoulders from behind and a forehead pressing against the back of her head. Her ears twitched in confusion as she tried to look at
@Cleo Looker from the corner of her eye.

Cleo?
What was her friend doing, even now as they had to move fast? But she could feel Cleo's magic enveloping her, and the world slowed down as if everything had been submerged. At the same time, glowing red claws formed on her hands and feet, followed by what Mizuki could only interpret as a command for her to go forth and destroy.

Hrmmm...
Mizuki took a step forward, lifting one hand to look at the arcane claws she'd just been blessed with. Bringing her arm to her face she opened her mouth and bit into the flesh, sharp fangs piercing skin to draw blood. Feeling the pain blossom in her mind she focused on the sensation of blood on her fangs, on her tongue, the taste... Her fur began to bristle as the bloodlust rose to the surface, the desire to hunt and to kill.
This was no time to hold back, and if Cleo wanted for Mizuki to pull all the stops the luna wolf would give it everything she had. Even if that meant losing control of her most feral urges for the moment.
As she turned her head to look at Cleo the lancer would see that Mizuki's left eye had turned sanguine while her right eye was like blue ice. Both eyes were now glowing while Mizuki's hands and feet turned into claws. Her clothes melted away up to her elbows and knees, replaced by thick, bristling fur, a mixture of black and white. The bite mark Mizuki had inflicted upon herself had already healed up.

You run, I'll hunt!
With those words, she dropped on all fours, and when the next machine approached their location she dashed forward at immense speed, accelerated by Cleo's gift. The machine raised one limb to unleash a hail of bullets, but before it could start firing Mizuki's augmented claw tore through its body, tearing through plating and wiring as if it was nothing more than paper. Without a pause, Mizuki spun around and used the collapsing machine as a launching pad to pounce at another machine which was approaching the scouting squad. This one released a laser blast which burned Mizuki's fur, but the luna wolf only snarled as she grabbed her prey with both clawed hands and tore it apart.
For the remainder of their retreat, Mizuki would barely touch the ground, using their surroundings and approaching enemies as stepping stones to jump from one threat to another, tearing into them with fangs and claws without relenting. She didn't have the blitzing speed of a Dynamism user, but thanks to Cleo's assistance she was fast enough, and what she lacked in speed she made up for in raw destructive power and ferocity. Her feral defence of the squad caused her to take quite a beating as well, metal piercing skin and plasma searing flesh, but from those wounds, blood came forth which formed a protective bark to prevent further injury, with additional blood seeping into the arcane claws Cleo had given her until it was difficult to say whether the red glow came from the lancer's magic or the alpha's blood.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAHHH!
Retaliation Damage
2d20 (9 + 20) = 29
Retaliation | Ueno Mizuki | 1265C10
Critical Attack
2d100 (Advantage) (
19, 45) + 25 + 20 + 25 = 115
115 damage
Gain the Vulnerable state
Metamorph | Ueno Mizuki | 1265C10
Twice Activated (extra action granted) | Ueno Mizuki | 1265C10
Critical Attack
2d100 (Advantage) (90,
45) + 25 + 20 + 25 = 480
(Crit!)
480 damage
Gain the Vulnerable state
Metamorph | Ueno Mizuki | 1265C10
▪ Combat Progress (1273/1100)
▪
Play Sheet Link